Apply for an environmental permit
How to apply for environmental permit for an activity in England that could cause pollution, increase flood risk or affect land drainage.
Applies to England
You can apply for an environmental permit online. You’ll need to create an account to apply.
If you’re applying for a permit on behalf of another organisation, you’ll both need to have accounts. If you’re a consultant, you can register an account on behalf of your client with their permission.
Check if you need a permit
First, check if you need an environmental permit.
Get advice before you apply
You can use the Environment Agency’s pre-application advice service to make sure your permit application is correct.
Before you start
To apply online, you’ll need to provide information about:
- the activities you’re looking to carry out under the permit
- the site of these activities, for example, grid reference and address
- your competence to carry out the activities
- your payment details
- who the Environment Agency can contact about your application, operations and payment
The application form will ask specific questions about the activity you’re applying for. Based on this, it will tell you which supporting documents you need to include as part of your application.
Costs
If you apply online, the online service will work out the cost for you based on the answers you give.
If you need more information on costs, check the environmental permits tables of charges.
Apply online
You do not need to complete the application in one go. You’ll be able to save it and continue working on it later, if you need to.
If you already have an account
- continue a draft application
- start a new application
Activities you can apply for online
You can apply online for the activities listed in this section. You do not need to decide if you need a standard rules or bespoke permit before you start your application.
Car and vehicle dismantling or metal recycling, scrap metal and WEEE
- metal recycling - car and vehicle dismantling
- metal recycling - mixed metals including WEEE
- WEEE treatment only
Herbicide agreement
- herbicide agreement (weed control or spraying)
Medium combustion plant and specified generators
- stationary medium combustion plant
- stationary specified generators
Storage or treatment of waste
- dredgings
- materials recycling facility
- storing or treating healthcare waste
- storing or treating end-of-life tyres
- storing or treating tyre shred and chip
- storing or treating waste mattresses
- storing or treating paper, cardboard and plastic
- storing or treating waste wood
- treating waste to produce soil, soil substitutes and aggregate
- using waste to manufacture timber or construction products
Waste transfer station and amenity site
- hazardous waste transfer station
- household, commercial and industrial waste transfer station
- household waste recycling centre
- physical treatment of waste
- transfer station taking non-biodegradable wastes
Other ways to apply
If you cannot apply using the online service, apply using the application forms for: