Any person who collects, transports, trades or manufactures non-hazardous waste must notify the competent authority once of his activity before taking it up. Since 1 June 2014, this has also applied to so-called economic enterprises (e.g. craft businesses). The purpose of the notification obligation is to ensure that all undertakings carrying out one of the above-mentioned waste-related activities are registered with the relevant competent authority.

Anyone who collects, transports, trades or manufactures hazardous waste generally requires a permit. Anyone who already has a waste transport permit or brokerage permit under previous waste law can continue to use it as long as the permit is still valid and no significant changes have occurred. Otherwise, permission is required.

Permission may:

• nationwide or for one or more federal states,
• indefinitely or for a specified period,
• for all types of waste declared hazardous or selected types of waste in accordance with the Waste List Ordinance (AVV).

By law, public waste disposal authorities and specialist waste disposal companies are exempt from the permit requirement for hazardous waste. Further exceptions to the permit requirement are possible by ordinance or by special law. Such exemptions currently apply to:

• collectors, transporters, dealers and brokers of hazardous waste operating within the framework of economic undertakings;

collectors and transporters of hazardous waste for recovery which are taken back voluntarily or pursuant to a statutory regulation by the producer or distributor;

• collectors and transporters of hazardous end-of-life vehicles,
• collectors, transporters, dealers and brokers of hazardous waste batteries,
• collectors, transporters, dealers and brokers of hazardous waste electrical and electronic equipment,
• collectors and transporters of hazardous waste who collect or transport waste by seagoing vessels, and
• Collectors and carriers of hazardous waste transporting waste as part of parcel, express and courier services.