Guides › Phase 2 at your site
Running it · Phase 2 at the gate
- For
- Sites that receive waste
- Status
- Defra draft
- Checked
- 17 OCTOBER 2026
Phase 2 and your site: the Delivery ID
Phase 2 brings carriers, brokers and dealers in from October 2027. Defra's draft API shows what that means at your gate: the driver records the delivery and gets a Delivery ID, and you record your receipt against it.
- When
- Mandatory for waste collectors from October 2027, Defra plan.
- At the gate
- The driver gives you a Delivery ID. Your receipt is recorded against it.
- No ID
- The draft lets a site record a receipt without one, with a reason.
- Today
- Nothing changes yet. Keep reporting each load within two working days.
The four steps in Defra's draft
Defra's guide is marked “draft outline, v0.1” and says to “expect some shapes to shift before
go-live” Defra draft guide.
What it means at your gate
- Ask for the Delivery ID. In the draft it's 8 or 9 characters: two digits for the year, then
letters and numbers, like 25KMT4Z9 Defra draft API.
- No ID? The draft has a way to record a receipt without one, for waste with no movement trail, such
as straight from a producer. A reason is mandatory Defra draft API.
- Same account. Phase 2 runs on the same Defra service, so an organisation account and API code that
work today are worth having right.
What isn't known yet
When the draft becomes final, exactly how today's receipt record changes, and when software providers can test
against it. Defra's published plan is a private beta from autumn 2026, a public beta from spring 2027 and
mandatory use from October 2027 GOV.UK.
Byrne Waste Tracking doesn't send a Delivery ID to Defra yet: Defra's live service has no place for one, and
they haven't settled how a receipt links to a delivery. It will need to before October 2027, and this page will
say when it does. Carriers:
what you'll need, and the list to join, and
digital waste tracking for carriers, brokers and dealers. £89 per site per month, no contract. Join before 1 November 2026 and nothing is due until 1 November; join from 1 November and you get 14 days free. Pricing in full.
Straight answers
Questions people ask
What is a Delivery ID in digital waste tracking?
In Defra's draft Phase 2 API, the reference a driver gets when they record a delivery. The receiving site records its receipt against it. One Delivery ID can cover several movements.
When does Phase 2 of digital waste tracking start?
Defra plan mandatory use for waste carriers, brokers and dealers from October 2027, after a public beta from spring 2027.
Does Phase 2 change anything for receiving sites?
In Defra's draft, yes: a site records its receipt against the driver's Delivery ID, or without one with a reason. The draft can still change.
What if a load arrives with no Delivery ID?
Defra's draft lets a site record a receipt without a Delivery ID, with a mandatory reason, for example waste received straight from the producer.
Do I need to do anything for Phase 2 now?
No. Keep reporting each load within two working days. It's worth having your Defra organisation account and API code in order, because Phase 2 uses the same service.
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