SKIP TECHNOLOGYSkip hire & waste operations

Defra Digital Waste Tracking

Mandatory from 1 October 2026.
Compliant in 10 minutes.

Every permitted waste site in England & Wales must report received waste to Defra's Digital Waste Tracking Service. Skip Technology submits each load direct to Defra's Receipt of Waste API — pre-filled from your bookings, validated before it's sent, Waste Tracking ID stored automatically.

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England & Wales: 1 Oct 2026 · Scotland & NI: 1 Jan 2027

What's changing

Paper records are being replaced by API reporting.

Under Defra's waste tracking reforms, sites operating under an environmental permit or waste management licence must digitally report every movement of waste arriving on site — EWC codes, weights, carrier details, hazardous properties and disposal/recovery codes.

Doing this through a government portal load-by-load would add minutes to every ticket. Skip Technology does it from the data you already have.

How it works in Skip Technology

Three steps to compliance.

  • 1. Register with Defra as a waste receiver — they email you an API code.
  • 2. Enter four details once — API code, site name, permit number and site address in Settings.
  • 3. Report each load — open Waste Receipts, confirm the pre-filled details, click submit. The Waste Tracking ID comes back in seconds and is stored as your compliance record.

Hazardous waste, POPs, multiple EWC codes per load, consignment note codes and regulatory position statements are all handled — with every Defra business rule validated before you send.

Waste receipt · Submitted
Waste Tracking ID
25HRA0B2
Received
24 Sep 2026, 08:42
EWC
17 09 04 · Mixed C&D
Weight
2.5 t (weighed)
Carrier
CBDU123456 · AB12 CDE
D/R code
R13 · 2.5 t

FAQ

Digital waste tracking, answered.

When does it become mandatory?

1 October 2026 for permitted/licensed sites in England and Wales. 1 January 2027 for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Who has to report?

Waste receivers — sites with an environmental permit or waste management licence that accept waste: transfer stations, treatment facilities, landfill. If you only collect skips and tip at someone else's licensed site, the receiving site reports — you don't (yet). Carrier-side reporting is planned by Defra for a later phase, and Skip Technology will support it when the API is published.

Do I still need waste transfer notes?

Yes. Duty of Care transfer notes between producer and carrier are still legally required — digital waste tracking currently covers only the receipt of waste. Skip Technology produces both from the same job data, so there's no double keying. More on WTNs →

What has to be reported for each load?

EWC code(s), waste description, physical form, container type, weight, carrier name and registration, vehicle registration, any hazardous (HP) codes or POPs with concentrations, disposal/recovery codes, and your site's permit details. Most of it pre-fills from the job in Skip Technology.

What happens if I don't comply?

Reporting is a condition of operating a permitted site once the duty applies. Non-compliance risks enforcement action from your regulator (EA, NRW, SEPA or NIEA). Getting compliant takes minutes with the right software — don't leave it late.

Is Skip Technology an approved Defra software provider?

Skip Technology is registered with Defra's Digital Waste Tracking programme as a software provider and integrates with the official Receipt of Waste API v1.0.

Deadline: 1 October 2026

Get compliant before the deadline.

Book a 20-minute demo and we'll show you exactly what your site needs to do — or start a free trial and see it yourself.

Book a demo → Start free trial