Guide
Do I still need waste transfer notes?
Yes. Digital waste tracking is an extra record, not a replacement. Waste transfer notes, hazardous
waste consignment notes and Annex VII forms carry on alongside it, and GOV.UK gives no end date for them.
What carries on
- Waste transfer notes for non-hazardous waste, exactly as now.
- Hazardous waste consignment notes, and the consignment code goes on the digital record too.
- Annex VII forms for waste that crosses a border.
What is new
- A permitted site that receives waste reports each load to Defra's service within two working days,
counted from the day after it arrives (England and Wales since 1 October 2026; Scotland and Northern Ireland from January 2027).
- Most of what goes on the digital record is already on the transfer note: the carrier and their registration, the waste
code, the weight. That is why many sites key it straight from the note at the gate.
- There are two legal ways to report: software that uses Defra's API, or Defra's own spreadsheet template.
Both explained.
Source: GOV.UK, check if you need to report the waste you receive.
Byrne Waste Tracking records each load at the gate, checks it against Defra's rules before it saves and sends it to
Defra by itself once your Defra account is linked. £89 a site a month, no contract.
Start free · Try it, no sign-up