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Waste collector and operator licenses

The Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw (2020) requires waste operators and collectors operating in Wellington who handle more than 20 tonnes of waste per annum to hold a licence.

For further information, please refer to section 11 of the Bylaw. 


Licence applications

Collectors waste licence

Apply for this licence if you collect and transport waste on a commercial or non-commercial basis. 

Apply for a licence

Operators and facilities waste licence

Apply for this licence if you operate a waste management facility.

Apply for a licence

If you have already received your licence and need to submit a report, use the relevant annual report form.


Annual report forms

For your licence to remain valid over the five-year period, annual waste-related reporting is required. The first report will be due in June 2024 to capture data over the January-December 2023 period.

Collectors waste report

Submit a report

Operators/facilities waste report

Submit a report

Why we're doing this

The Bylaw requires all waste collectors and operators of waste facilities who handle more than 20 tonnes of waste per year to hold a licence from 25 January 2023. This requirement is now in place.  

Identifying if you are a waste collector or operator

The Bylaw provides the following definitions:  

  • Waste collector: Any person or entity that collects and transports waste and includes commercial and non-commercial collectors and transporters of waste (for example, community groups and not-for-profit organisations); but does not include individuals who collect and transport waste for personal reasons (for example, the owner taking their own household garden waste to a waste management facility).   
  • Waste operator: Any person or entity that operates a waste management facility. 
  • Waste management facility: A facility authorised by the Council which primarily provides waste treatment and disposal services or waste remediation and materials recovery services, in relation to solid waste. Includes but is not limited to waste transfer stations, resource recovery stations, recycling centres, composting facilities, landfills or clean fill sites, or hazardous waste facilities. 

Contact us  

If you would like more information or have any questions, email us at waste.licensing@wcc.govt.nz