Digital Waste Tracking for carriers and brokers: what is planned for October 2027
Defra's planned next phase brings carriers, brokers and dealers into digital waste tracking from October 2027. The dates are plans, not yet final legal deadlines. Here is the timeline and how to prepare.
Defra's planned timeline for waste collectors
| When | Planned step | Status |
|---|---|---|
| From autumn 2026 | Service available to an invited group | Planned |
| From spring 2027 | Service available publicly to all | Planned |
| From October 2027 | Mandatory for waste carriers, brokers and dealers | Planned, legislation to follow |
Defra introduces these dates as "planned for the development of the digital service and accompanying legislation". Its timeline refers to this group as waste collectors. Treat them as plans, not final legal dates.
What it means for carriers before the duty applies
Since 1 October 2026, receiving sites in England and Wales report each receipt digitally. A carrier is not yet the reporting party, but every load delivered needs a clean EWC code and a real weight, and a receiving site will expect paperwork that arrives in a form it can use. Carriers who are digital early avoid a rush when the duty reaches them.
Four things to do now
Digital WTNs
Replace paper waste transfer notes with digital records tied to each job.
EWC catalogue
Assign codes per waste stream from a controlled list, not from memory.
Weights
Capture a real weight for every lift, ideally from the weighbridge ticket.
Licence checks
Keep carrier and broker licences verified on an ongoing basis. AxiWaste re-checks nightly.
Questions, answered
When does Digital Waste Tracking become mandatory for carriers, brokers and dealers?
Defra's published timeline plans mandatory use from October 2027, with an invited group from autumn 2026 and wider access from spring 2027. Defra describes these as planned dates for the service and accompanying legislation.
Does Digital Waste Tracking affect carriers now?
Not as a legal reporting duty. The duty from 1 October 2026 sits with permitted and licensed receiving sites in England and Wales. In practice every load a carrier delivers needs an EWC code and a weight for the receiving site's record.
What about Scotland?
SEPA says phase 2 regulations are under development and expected to come into force in October 2027.
How can carriers prepare now?
Move waste transfer notes to digital, assign EWC codes from a controlled catalogue, capture weights at each lift, and keep carrier licence checks current.
Which software supports carriers?
AxiWaste combines dispatch, driver app, digital waste transfer notes, EWC coding and nightly carrier licence checks, and submits to Defra's Receipt of Waste API.
Get carrier-ready early
Twenty minutes to see dispatch, the driver app, digital WTNs and licence checks working together.