Carrier software compared: what the 2027 duties need
Two changes are coming for waste carriers, brokers and dealers. On 22 July 2027, carrier registration in England becomes an environmental permit or a registered exemption, and every driver needs a number of their own. In October 2027, on Defra's published plan rather than in law, digital waste tracking is expected to reach carriers too.
Neither change asks you to run your business from a new system. Both ask you to keep a record you can produce: the permit or exemption with its dates, a number for each driver, your vehicles, your competence certificates, and signed waste transfer notes. This page compares what each option keeps, and what it costs. The LoadLog carrier hub keeps that record, and it is free on every account.
What you have to be able to produce
- Your permit or registered exemption, with the date it runs to and, where it applies, the date it converts.
- A unique number for every driver, including drivers who have left.
- Your vehicles, with MOT and document dates.
- Competence certificates, with the scheme and expiry date.
- Signed waste transfer notes, and the records that back them up.
If you can produce all five when an officer asks, you are ready for both dates. Everything else is a business system, not a compliance requirement.
The comparison
| Provider | Free option | Paid from | Permit and conversion dates | Drivers | Competences | Vehicles | Carrier DWTS filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LoadLog | Yes, the hub is free | No paid carrier plan yet | ✓ dates, reminders | ✓ unique numbers, licence expiry | ✓ certificates, reminders | ✓ MOT and document dates | Planned public beta, early 2027 |
| QWTN | Free tier | £12 a month | ✓ permits kept in date | - | - | ✓ MOT, tax, PMI and LOLER | Planned in production approval |
| WTNcloud | 20 free notes | £16.25 a month, annual | - | - | - | ✓ register, DVSA MOT | Planned carriers, 2027 |
| Checkwright | Free trial | £20 a month plus £7 a user | - skip permits only | - | - | - | Not stated |
| ComplyWaste | Free capture | £39 a month | - | ✓ driver list on Crew and Fleet | - | - | Not stated |
| DutyOS | 7 day trial | £39 a month plus VAT | - | - | - | - | Not stated |
Checked against each provider's own published material on 25 October 2026. A dash means the provider does not publish that record. It is not a claim that they lack it: several of these products may hold more than they advertise. No supplier can file carrier movements to Defra yet, so every filing cell is what they have said, not what is live.
Full operations suites
Some suppliers sell a full carrier operations system: booking, scheduling, invoicing, fleet and maintenance. LoadSnap, WasteLinks and Skiplog sit in that group. They do much more than the 2027 duties ask for, they cost more, and they take longer to set up. If you want to run jobs and invoices from the same place, they are worth your time. If you need the compliance record and nothing else, the list above is the shorter one.
Where LoadLog fits
The carrier hub is free. It holds the permit or exemption with the dates that apply to it, a unique number for every driver, your vehicles with MOT and document dates, competence certificates, and a private document store, and it exports an inspection pack as one PDF. There is no charge for it, and it does not expire with a trial.
The part we have not built yet is filing carrier waste movements to Defra. Our movement layer is ready for Defra testing in the upcoming public beta, planned for early 2027, with dates that depend on Defra. Package pricing will be announced around the same time. Until then, the hub is a compliance record, not a filing service, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise.
Start with the free hub and the rest of your 2027 record is already in place when the movement layer arrives. LoadLog is listed on GOV.UK as a compatible software provider for the report receipt of waste service. If you are comparing the receiving-site side too, see the DWTS software comparison, the carrier hub guide, and the carrier plan details on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Do carriers have to file to Defra from October 2027?
Not in law yet. Defra's published plan is October 2027 for carriers, brokers and dealers, and the service is in beta for them. We write "planned" because that is what it is. The permit change on 22 July 2027 is law and already applies.
What is a driver number?
Under the permit reform, every driver needs a unique number that stays with them and is never reused. The hub keeps one per driver, including drivers who have left, so the record still stands up when an officer asks about a load from last year.
Do I need a permit or an exemption?
Most carriers will need an environmental permit after 22 July 2027. Some activities fall under a registered exemption instead. The hub records whichever applies to you, with the dates, and works out the conversion date from your registration.
Can I keep this in a spreadsheet?
You can, and plenty do. A spreadsheet will not tell you when a permit converts, when a MOT or a certificate expires, or which driver number belonged to the driver who left in March. The hub is free, so the comparison is time against nothing.
The carrier hub is free on every account. Start there and your 2027 record is in one place.
Start with the free carrier hub