DWTS compliance checklist: 10 steps to get your site ready

Use this operational checklist to ensure your waste receiving site handles the transition smoothly. Working through these steps methodically will protect your facility from compliance gaps before reporting becomes mandatory.

1. Verify your environmental permit details.

   Ensure your environmental permit or waste licence is completely up to date and reflects your exact operating address. The Environment Agency can take several weeks to process amendments, so verify these details immediately to avoid administrative delays.

2. Set up your DEFRA account.

   Create your organization's account on the official portal using your Government Gateway or corporate GOV.UK One Login credentials. Once registration is verified and approved, DEFRA will issue your unique Production API Code.

3. Select your data submission route.

   Determine how you will submit tracking data to the central database. The government offers a temporary spreadsheet upload tool, which is expected to remain available until at least October 2027. However, manually updating spreadsheets becomes highly time-consuming for yards handling more than a few loads per day, making dedicated software a more sustainable option.

4. Configure your compliance software.

   If you are using a dedicated waste management platform that connects directly to the system, enter your Production API Code into your account settings. This bridges your daily site entries directly to the central database. In LoadLog, this involves pasting your code into a single organization field; the system handles background sync automatically.

5. Test workflows in the sandbox environment.

   Take advantage of the sandbox testing zone provided by the regulators. This environment accepts dummy data without generating permanent legal records, allowing you to safely test varied EWC codes, complex carrier scenarios, and site workflows.

6. Train weighbridge and yard teams.

   Your gatehouse operators, yard managers, and administrative staff must understand the digital reporting flow well ahead of the deadline. Running mock entries in the sandbox ensures your team can record incoming waste quickly and accurately without causing site bottlenecks.

7. Audit and log regular waste carriers.

   Every digital submission requires a valid carrier registration number. Start collecting and logging Environment Agency registration numbers from your regular carriers now. Automated carrier checks at the gatehouse can instantly cross-reference numbers against the public register to catch expired licences.

8. Map your physical data capture process.

   Decide exactly where incoming load data will be recorded—whether at the weighbridge office, on a tablet in the yard, or batched in the back office. Because yard connectivity can be unreliable, look for software that supports offline data capture and automatic background syncing.

9. Implement the two-working-day reporting rule.

   Under the regulations, you have a strict window to submit waste receipt data: by the end of the second working day following the day of arrival. Establish a clear daily data-entry routine to ensure no loads miss this regulatory window.

10. Switch to live production mode.

    Once your sandbox testing runs flawlessly, toggle your software from sandbox to live production mode. Monitor your initial confirmation tokens closely to verify that your data is securely reaching the central service from your very first live load.

Following these 10 steps ahead of the deadline ensures your site remains fully compliant. For a full breakdown of requirements, see our guide to DWTS compliance. To evaluate software options, read our detailed DWTS software comparison.