Find out about different types of environmental permit.
We have two types of permit available, standard and bespoke, so you will need to find the one which suits your activity.
If you are new to environmental permitting you will need to:
Note: If two or more operators run different parts of a single facility they each need an environmental permit for their part of the facility.
Standard permits
Standard permits are a set of environmental control and location rules that we have developed, and are made up of one or more sets of standard rules.
The rules comprise location requirements to keep the activities away from sensitive receptors, specific emission controls and basic requirements we set in all our permits. These ensure your operation does not cause pollution or nuisance.
Standardisation and publishing them makes them easier to apply for, quicker for us to process and therefore usually cheaper than bespoke permits. Please check our list of standard rules.
If there is no standard rule set available which matches your operation or if you are unable to comply with the standard rules, you will need to apply for a bespoke permit.
It is essential you satisfy yourself you can meet a rules set, otherwise when we come to make an inspection we might decide you are operating without a valid permit.
To find out if your activity meets the requirements of a standard rules set, please follow the link below to our standard permits page.
Bespoke permits
Bespoke permits are needed for unusual or higher risk activities such as those using complex processes, novel technologies or that process high volumes of waste. They are written specifically for your activity, take longer to process than standard permits and therefore tend to be more expensive.
If there is no standard rules permit available for your activity, you need to apply for a bespoke permit. Please follow the link below to our bespoke permits page.
