Charges for installation Environmental Permits
You need to pay a charge when you apply for a new installations Environmental Permit, or if you want to make a change to your permit, transfer or surrender it.
There is also an annual charge to cover compliance costs.
There are two types of charges - variable for complex applications, and fixed for simpler, lower risk applications.
Find out whether you qualify for a low impact Environmental Permit
Charging tool for complex permit applications
You can use the charging tool to work out the cost for all the activities in your application.
Use the charging tool for a new application
Use the charging tool to vary a permit
Use the charging tool to surrender a permit
Use the charging tool to transfer a permit
The application charges for an administrative variation, a minor technical variation, a full transfer and a low risk surrender are the same for all applications.
You do not need to use the charge tool for these.
Annual charge (known as subsistence)
There is a fixed annual charge for the following activities:
- Low impact installation - £563
- Standalone landfill gas engine - £3670
- Intensive farming installation - £1119 (accredited) or £2669 (non-accredited)
- Directly associated activity - £3670
- Hydrogen production by electrolysis of water (small scale) - £920
- Anaerobic digestion - £2194
Annual charges for complex permits are based on operational risks.
You will need to complete the OPRA spreadsheet annually.
Complex installation permits
Application charges depend on the scale, complexity and number of activities of your operation.
Complex permits fall into four bands depending on the degree of complexity of your operation. In general, if you are carrying out:
- less than three activities, you should qualify for band 1
- 3 to 6 activities will most likely put you in band 2
- more than 6 activities will be a band 3 bespoke permit
- additional complexity may be band 4.
Please complete the charging tool to find out the exact cost, including all factors.
Band 1 installation permit
New application: £13609
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £2693 (minor technical), £8967 (normal), £13035 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £5238 (partial), £2680 (full)
Surrender your permit: £6692 (partial), £5812 (full)
Low risk surrender: £2693
Surrender of a site that has never operated: £1218
Band 2 installation permit
New application: £20470
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £2693 (minor technical), £11413 (normal), £19635 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £7243 (partial), £2680 (full)
Surrender your permit: £9166 (partial), £8369 (full)
Low risk surrender: £2693
Surrender of a site that has never operated: £1218
Band 3 Bespoke installation permit
New application: £32718
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £2693 (minor technical), £19580 (normal), £31395 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £11842 (partial), £2680 (full)
Surrender your permit: £18349 (partial), £14731 (full)
Low risk surrender: £2693
Surrender of a site that has never operated: £1218
Band 4 Bespoke installation permit
New application: £44850
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £2693 (minor technical), £35132 (normal), £42687 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £14638 (partial), £2680 (full)
Surrender your permit: £24297 (partial), £20559 (full)
Low risk surrender: £2693
Surrender of a site that has never operated: £1218
Medium combustion plant activities on installations
If you have a medium combustion plant attached to your installation, you will be charged for these additional activities.
New application: £1626
Vary an existing permit: £976
Transfer your permit: No additional charge
Surrender your permit: £976
Local authority activity (Part A2 or Part B activity) on installations
If you have a Part A(2) or Part B activity on your installation, you will be charged these additional activities:
New application: £1626
Vary an existing permit: £995
Transfer your permit: No additional charge
Surrender your permit: £976
Waste activities on an installation
If you carry out waste activities on your installation, you will be charged 20% of the standalone charge for a waste permit.
New application: £1943
Vary an existing permit: £1613
Transfer your permit: No additional charge
Surrender your permit: No additional charge
Additional assessments
As part of your application for an installation permit, you’ll carry out a screening exercise. Depending on the results of the screening, you may need to carry out one of the further assessments below.
Full air quality modelling assessment: £2692
Fugitive emissions assessment: £1657
Odour assessment: £1619
Bioaerosol modelling assessment: £3380
Full noise modelling impact assessment: £2425
Fire prevention and mitigation plan: £2343
Deposit for recovery assessment: £1734
Water Framework Directive assessment of process effluent: £3222
Application charges for lower risk installations
Low Impact standard rules permits (SR2009 no.2)
New application: £4429
Vary an existing permit: £613
Transfer your permit: £2100 (partial or full transfer)
Surrender your permit: £258 (partial or full surrender)
Standard rules for anaerobic digestion
New application: £4646
Vary an existing permit: £613
Transfer your permit: £2100 (partial or full transfer)
Surrender your permit: £258 (partial or full surrender)
Standalone landfill gas engine
New application: £12989
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £1891 (minor technical), £7916 (normal), £11683 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £3996 (partial), £2533 (full transfer)
Surrender your permit: £2533 (partial), £1774 (full surrender)
Bespoke permit for low impact installations
New application: £7278
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £1035 (minor technical), £4424 (normal), £6544 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £3996 (partial), £2533 (full)
Surrender your permit: £2533 (partial), £1774 (full)
Intensive farming installation
New application: £9549
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £2693 (minor technical), £5841 (normal), £7639 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £2680 (partial or full transfer)
Surrender your permit: £5812 (partial or full surrender)
Small scale hydrogen production
New application: £788
Directly associated activities
Activities which are part of an installation but are carried out by an independent company may need a directly associated activities permit.
New application: £7983
Vary an existing permit: £613 (administrative), £1140 (minor technical), £4856 (normal), £7178 (substantial)
Transfer your permit: £3996 (partial), £2533 (full)
Surrender your permit: £2533 (partial), £1774 (full)