GovTech UK DEFRA Environmental Permit Digital Service

Environmental permit application

• 84 questions across 6 activity categories (Part A1 IPPC, Part A2, Part B, water discharge, waste management, radioactive substances).
• GDS one-thing-per-page applied to 84 questions: (1) operator and site details (company details from Companies House pre-fill -- GOV.UK One Login), (2) installation description (activity type, SIC code, permit category), (3) emissions inventory (air, water, land -- emission points, substances, quantities), (4) waste management plan (waste codes -- EWC codes -- management route), (5) management system evidence (ISO 14001 or documented equivalent), (6) fee calculation (automated from activity type and risk score -- EPR Schedule 3).
• GOV.

UK One Login

operator authenticates at P9 level (environmental permit is a significant regulatory obligation).

IPPC Compliance Monitoring Portal

IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control): permit holders must submit annual environmental reports and comply with BAT (Best Available Techniques) standards.

Compliance portal

• 1annual environmental report (emissions data vs permit limits -- automated comparison, breach detection),
• 2self-monitoring data (continuous emissions monitoring -- MCERTS-certified instruments report data to EA portal),
• 3BAT conclusion implementation (EU BAT reference documents -- UK retained BREF notes -- tracking compliance with each BAT conclusion),
• 4improvement programme tracking (EA-imposed improvement conditions -- milestone tracking),
• 5enforcement notices (EA issues enforcement or prohibition notice -- operator response tracking).

MCERTS

EA monitoring certification scheme -- all continuous emissions monitors must be MCERTS certified.

Data ingestion

• MCERTS data feeds automated into compliance portal.
• GOV.

UK Pay Permit Fee Processing

• Environmental permit fees (EPR Schedule 3): (1) banding (annual subsistence charge -- risk banding A/B/C/D -- from GBP1,590 to GBP96,000 per year), (2) application fee (first-time permit -- GBP3,850 standard, GBP16,000 complex), (3) variation fee (permit change request -- GBP1,375 standard), (4) transfer fee (permit transfer to new operator -- GBP575), (5) surrender fee (permit surrender application -- GBP2,260).
• GOV.

UK Pay integration

all fee payments via GOV.UK Pay (card, Google Pay, Apple Pay) -- single payment provider for all EA permit transactions.

Fee receipt

PDF receipt sent via GOV.UK Notify -- reference number for permit tracking.

Annual subsistence

direct debit instruction via GOV.UK Pay -- annual recurring payment.

Operator Compliance Risk Score

EA OPRA (Operator and Pollution Risk Appraisal): risk scoring system for environmental permit holders.

OPRA components

• 1installation complexity (higher complexity = higher risk score = higher fee band),
• 2operator performance (compliance history -- breach history, EA inspections),
• 3environmental sensitivity (location near SSSI, drinking water catchment),
• 4management systems (ISO 14001 accreditation reduces risk score).

Annual risk scoring

automated from permit data, compliance monitoring data, and EA inspection records.

Risk score drives

• 1annual fee banding,
• 2inspection frequency (high-risk = 12-month inspection cycle, low-risk = 36-month),
• 3regulatory attention (high-risk operators get additional EA contact).

OPRA automation

previously 2 days to calculate OPRA score -- automated in 4 minutes.