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Permitra • Austria • 2026–2027
Waste transport in Austria: EDM registration, the rail obligation and restrictions on the route
Carrying waste paper, scrap metal or other waste to Austria, from Austria or through it? Whether your company is based in Ireland, the UK or elsewhere in Europe, we explain when a carrier needs Austrian registration, what the rail obligation from 2026 means and which road restrictions matter for waste transport.
- AWG 2002
- Foreign companies
- Legal status: 11.11.2026
The short answer
Yes, a foreign carrier needs registration in Austria
A carrier that transports waste on behalf of its holder must register in the Austrian EDM system before starting the activity (§ 21 AWG 2002). This also applies to companies without a seat in Austria and to transit only. A registration in your home country or the Polish BDO does not replace it.
From 1 January 2026, shipments of more than 10 t over a road route in Austria longer than 100 km must, as a rule, travel by rail.
Three separate questions
What needs to be kept apart
- Company: carrier registration in EDM.
- Shipment: Annex VII or notification, rail obligation.
- Route: A12, IG-L and driving bans.
Carrier registration in EDM: who it applies to
The Austrian Waste Management Act (Abfallwirtschaftsgesetz 2002, AWG) treats a carrier that collects waste from third parties as a waste collector. Two different instruments follow from this:
Registration (§ 21 AWG)
An electronic entry in the register in the EDM system before starting the activity. After registration, the business receives an identification number (GLN).
Permit (§ 24a AWG)
A company that only transports waste on behalf of its holder is exempt from the permit for collection and treatment (§ 24a(2)(2)).
The Austrian business service portal (USP) states that the registration obligation also covers businesses without a seat in Austria that transport waste on Austrian territory. What counts is carriage on Austrian territory, so registration is needed for transit only as well, when loading and unloading take place outside Austria. This applies to all waste, not only hazardous waste.
The EDM entry concerns the carrier. It does not decide whether a specific shipment may travel under Annex VII, nor does it exempt from the rail obligation or road restrictions. Collecting and treating waste on your own account is subject to separate requirements.
The Austrian waste catalogue
In Austria, waste is described according to the national list (Abfallverzeichnisverordnung 2020), with its own key numbers (Schlüsselnummer). The European waste code (EWC) is given in addition, and always for transboundary shipments. The current list has applied since 1 January 2022.
The Austrian key does not always correspond one-to-one to an EWC code. The same material may be described differently in the documents from the country of loading and in the Austrian system.
From 2026, some waste must travel by rail
§ 15(9) AWG requires waste shipments with a total weight of more than 10 t to be carried by rail or by a means of transport with equal or lower emissions potential, where the road section in Austria exceeds the statutory threshold. § 69(10) lays down the same obligation for shipments subject to notification (import, export, transit).
- 01.01.2023
Over 300 km
First distance threshold.
- 01.01.2024
Over 200 km
Threshold lowered.
- 01.01.2026
Over 100 km
Current threshold for the road route in Austria.
The Act provides for two exceptions: the railway does not have adequate capacity, or the road leg to and from the terminal would amount to at least 25% of the route. Lack of capacity can only be confirmed by the official digital platform run by the ministry (BMLUK), and the confirmation must be carried during road transport.
According to USP, the obligation applies to businesses that transport waste on or through Austrian territory, so it also covers transit. What counts is the road section in Austria.
Cross-border shipments: Annex VII, notification and DIWASS
For shipments to or from Austria, the procedure is set by Regulation (EU) 2024/1157: Annex VII for green-listed waste for recovery, or notification and consent. EDM registration, Annex VII and DIWASS serve different purposes and do not replace one another.
The Austrian ministry (BMLUK) states that Article 18 information (Annex VII) is submitted in the electronic system for shipments from 1 January 2027, while the other provisions of the Regulation apply unchanged. When transporting non-hazardous waste in Austria, a document with the details of the transferor, the transferee, the weight and a description of the waste must also be carried (§ 15(7) AWG).
Read more: DIWASS from 2027 and Green or amber list?.
Restrictions on the route: A12, IG-L and driving bans
Registration does not exempt you from road traffic rules. For waste transport, three matter most:
- The sectoral driving ban on the A12 in Tyrol (Langkampfen–Ampass) covers vehicles over 7.5 t carrying, among other goods, all waste listed in the European List of Waste, as well as paper and cardboard. The exception covers, among others, EURO VI vehicles first registered after 31 August 2018 with an IG-L sticker.
- IG-L stickers are required in designated areas of several federal states. Foreign environmental stickers are not valid in Austria.
- The night-time ban for vehicles over 7.5 t (22:00–5:00) applies throughout Austria, except for low-noise vehicles, and the weekend ban runs from Saturday 15:00 to Sunday 22:00 and on public holidays.
Details and exceptions depend on the vehicle, the section and the date of travel, and local rules may be stricter.
Penalties for infringements
Penalties are laid down in § 79 AWG. They are imposed by the Austrian administrative authority in administrative penalty proceedings.
No registration
Transporting waste without registration in EDM (§ 21 AWG).
Penalty: up to €3,400 (§ 79(3)(1)).
Lorry instead of rail
Road transport in breach of the rail obligation (§ 15(9), § 69(10) AWG).
Penalty: €450 to €8,400, for commercial operators at least €2,100 (§ 79(2)(23a)).
Documents not carried
No transport document or no confirmation from the rail platform during transport.
Penalty: up to €3,400 (§ 79(3)(4a)).
Open and disputed questions
- Rail obligation and Annex VII. § 69(10) concerns shipments subject to notification. How the authorities apply it to Annex VII shipments has to be assessed case by case.
- Waste code. Matching the Austrian key to the EWC code from the documents of the country of loading can be ambiguous.
Frequently asked questions
Is a registration from my home country or the Polish BDO enough to transport waste in Austria?
No. These are national registrations. In Austria, a carrier working on behalf of others must be registered in EDM under § 21 AWG.
Does a carrier need a permit in Austria?
No, if it only transports waste on behalf of its holder. In that case registration is required, not a permit under § 24a AWG.
Is registration needed for transit through Austria only?
Yes. The obligation applies to carrying waste on Austrian territory, also when loading and unloading take place in other countries.
What is the penalty for not being registered?
Up to €3,400 (§ 79(3)(1) AWG). Road transport in breach of the rail obligation carries a penalty of €450 to €8,400.
Does registration apply only to hazardous waste?
No. The obligation covers the transport of all waste.
Does every 10 tonnes of waste have to travel by rail?
No. The obligation applies to shipments of more than 10 t where the road section in Austria exceeds 100 km, subject to the statutory exceptions.
Can I drive through Tyrol on the A12 with waste paper?
The sectoral ban covers waste as well as paper and cardboard. Whether you can pass depends on the exceptions, including the EURO VI standard, the date of first registration of the vehicle and the IG-L sticker.