From October 2026 UK waste receivers must record every movement on DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking Service; carriers follow in October 2027. Paper transfer notes stop being compliant.
Who it affects, and when
Receivers (transfer stations, MRFs, treatment sites): mandatory from October 2026.
Carriers: mandatory from October 2027.
Producers and brokers are in scope through the duty of care that runs alongside it.
How LoadSnap handles it
Every collection or receipt you log in LoadSnap already contains what the DEFRA service needs — the waste classification, quantities, parties and timestamps. LoadSnap submits the movement to the DEFRA API and stores the returned tracking reference against the record.
Start before the deadline: You don't have to wait for the mandate to switch on. Logging movements digitally now builds your audit trail and the habit, so day one is a non-event.