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Statutory guidance

Environmental permits and abstraction licences: tables of charges

The Environment Agency's charging scheme for environmental permits, abstraction licences and impounding licences.

Updates to this page

From:
Environment Agency
Published:
1 April 2022
Last updated:
15 May 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated paragraph 5a to clarify the measure of inflation relating to the annual increase. Updated the Liability section to include the new fee for intervention update. Added Part 6: charges for non-permit holders.

  2. Updated the charging scheme (PDF and Word) to include amendments up to 1 April 2026. This includes updates to the charges for radioactive substances and inflationary increases for all other charges (except Kielder).

  3. Updates to reflect administrative changes to standard rules. Updated to reflect 2 new charges for new permitting activities and a new time and materials compliance assessment charge for decarbonisation readiness within the existing environmental permitting charge scheme.

  4. Addition made to clarify that all published charges are displayed rounded to the nearest pound.

  5. Updated the charging scheme with version 1.7, containing amendments up to 18 August that include the water industry enforcement levy.

  6. Updated the 'relevant discharge' definition – corrected error in references.

  7. Updated the charges to reflect the outcome of the recent cost of service consultation.

  8. Updated to reflect the outcome of the consultation on charge proposals for waste crime and hourly rates, which take effect from 1 July 2025: all hourly rate charges; fixed charges for medium combustion plant; waste exemption registration and compliance charges.

  9. Updated the charging scheme document (PDF and ODT) to reflect amendments up to 1 October 2024.

  10. Updated the Environment Agency (Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing) (England) Charging Scheme 2022 to reflect amendments up to 1 June 2024.

  11. Updated the charging scheme document (PDF and ODT) – removed Kielder from Table 2: Supported Source Additional Charges and created Table 2A: Supported Source Additional Charges for Kielder.

  12. We have removed the water resources annual charge indicator tool as it is currently unavailable for use.

  13. Updated the 'Water resources annual charge indicator tool' - corrected some errors in the the data behind the calculator.

  14. Updated the charging scheme document (PDF and ODT) to correct an error in the 'Tables of charges' section, chapter 4: additional charges, table 2: supported source additional charges. In this table we corrected the definition of 'medium loss' in column six to 200 to 367 megalitres (Ml) per year.

  15. Added an ODT version of the charging scheme document as an alternative format.

  16. First published.

Applies to England

Documents

The Environment Agency (Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing) (England) Charging Scheme 2022: amendments up to 15 May 2026

PDF, 1.19 MB, 219 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

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The Environment Agency (Environmental Permitting and Abstraction Licensing) (England) Charging Scheme 2022: amendments up to 15 May 2026 (alternative format)

MS Word Document, 429 KB

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Appendix 1: Hydroelectric power water abstraction levels

HTML

Map of Environment Agency regional charge areas

PDF, 83.1 KB, 1 page

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The charging scheme sets out the Environment Agency charges for activities that require:

  • a permit or registered exemption under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016
  • an abstraction or impounding licence under the Water Resources Act 1991 and Water Act 2003

To work out your application and annual charges you can use the guidance:

For water resources licences you can use the information in the water resources mapping tool to see:

  • the surface water availability or groundwater status at the location
  • whether the abstraction takes water from a supported source
  • whether the abstraction point is in a modelling area

Use this information with the tables of charges to calculate your:

  • application charge
  • annual charge

If you are applying for an abstraction licence for your hydropower scheme, use Appendix 1: Hydroelectric power water abstraction levels.

Get help

If you have a question about your bill, use the contact details on the back of your invoice.

If you have a question about calculating a charge, contact the Environment Agency.

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

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