Change (vary) an existing permit for a discharge of trade or mixed effluent

Types of change (variation) you can make to your permit

There are four different types of change that you can make to your permit: Administrative, Minor, Normal and Substantial. Each one is described below. If you’re unsure what type of change you’re planning to make we recommend using our pre-application advice service for Environmental Permits

Administrative variation

For small corrections or changes to the permit, such as:

name or address but where the legal entity has not changed
National Grid Reference to improve accuracy
typographical errors
the start date of a permit
change the outlet location where a new technical assessment is not required

Minor variation

For changes which need some technical input from NRW, for example applications to reduce the volume of discharge where no review of existing substances or habitats assessment is required

Normal variation

For changes requiring technical input from NRW, for example applications to:

Change outlet location which requires a review of any existing substance or habitat assessment
change the volume or the quality (or content) of a discharge and no new assessment of emission limits for specific substances is needed.

Substantial variation

Where a significant assessment is required, including:

change the volume or change the quality of a discharge and a new assessment of emissions limits for specific substances is needed

Specific substances are:

hazardous pollutants for water discharge activities
hazardous substances or non-hazardous pollutants for groundwater activities

How to apply to change your Environmental Permit to discharge trade or mixed effluent

To change an Environmental Permit to discharge trade or mixed effluent, you will need to complete our online application form C6

Change your permit

If you need advice before you make an application for a permit please use our pre-application advice service

Fees and charges

You will need to pay a fee to change your environmental permit.

Administrative changes to your permit cost £363

For all other changes you’ll need to pay an application fee to change this Environmental Permit which differs depending on the volume you’ll be discharging and where your treated effluent is being discharged.

If you discharge to surface water (this means rivers, ditches, lakes, ponds, canals, estuaries or the sea) the application fee is:

For discharges of less than 5000 litres (5 cubic metres) per day:

Minor variation £691
Normal Variation £1,893
Substantial variation £2,923

For discharges between 5000 and 20,000 litres (5 to 20 cubic metres) per day:

Minor variation £1,025
Normal Variation £3,007
Substantial variation £4,706

For discharges of 20,000 litres (20 cubic metres) or more per day

Minor variation £1,661
Normal Variation £5,126
Substantial variation £8,096

If you discharge to ground (this means making a discharge to a drainage field or infiltration system) the application fee is:

For discharges of less than 5000 litres (5 cubic metres) per day:

Minor variation £662
Normal Variation £1,795
Substantial variation £2,767

For discharges between 5000 and 15,000 (5 to 15 cubic metres per day) litres per day:

Minor variation £977
Normal Variation £2,846
Substantial variation £4,449

For discharges of 15,000 litres (15 cubic metres) or more per day:

Minor variation £1,576
Normal Variation £4,846
Substantial variation £7,647

Habitats Assessments fee

If your discharge is near a recognised European habitat site we will need to carry out a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) as part of assessing your permit application. This requires payment of an additional fee.

For discharges to surface water the fee for a habitats assessment is £4,951

For discharges to ground the fee for a habitats assessment is £4,671

For more information on when these assessments may be required please see our webpage ‘Habitat Regulations Assessment for your Environmental Permit’

Environmental Risk Assessment fee

If your discharge into surface water contains hazardous chemicals and elements we may need to complete an Environmental Risk Assessment as part of assessing your permit application. This will require payment of an additional fee of £4,951

For more information on these hazardous chemicals and elements and when these assessments may be needed please see our webpage ‘Environmental Risk Assessments for water discharges’

Applications with insufficient detail to progress

If we return your application due to insufficient detail and so are unable to progress past the duly made stage, we will retain 10% of the application fee. We will only return an application after first giving you an opportunity to supply missing information.

If you decide to withdraw your permit application

If you decide to withdraw your permit application after we have duly made it we will retain 100% of the application fee an application. If you decide to withdraw before we’ve progressing from the duly made stage, we will retain 10% of the application fee.

Annual fee

Changing your permit may also mean a change to your ongoing annual charge. This is the charge you pay to cover our costs of maintaining and reviewing your permit, ensuring that you comply with the permit conditions.

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