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Permitra • Luxembourg • 2026–2027
Waste transport permit in Luxembourg – registration for imports and authorisation for exports
Do you bring waste into Luxembourg, or want to collect it there? Luxembourg law provides for two different regimes: a simpler registration for bringing waste in, and a full ministerial authorisation for waste collection and transport, which covers taking waste out of the country, among other things. We explain how they differ, what the inspection services check and what penalties the law sets.
- Law of 21 March 2012 on waste management
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1157
The shortest answer
Yes, a carrier from abroad also needs a Luxembourg registration or authorisation
A company that brings waste into Luxembourg must be registered with the Luxembourg Environment Agency (Administration de l’environnement, AEV). A company that collects waste in Luxembourg, for example to take it back to Ireland, needs a ministerial authorisation for waste collection and transport. Being established in another country, whether in Ireland, elsewhere in the EU or beyond, does not remove these obligations.
The authorisation also covers bringing waste in and transit, so a company that holds it does not need a separate registration. Your registration as a carrier in your own country does not replace the Luxembourg registration or authorisation.
Before accepting a job
Three separate questions
- Direction: bringing waste into Luxembourg, or loading on the spot?
- Waste: which codes, and is it hazardous?
- Shipment: Annex VII or notification?
The national system: registration and authorisation
The basis is the Luxembourg Law of 21 March 2012 on waste management (loi relative à la gestion des déchets). Authorisations are issued by the minister responsible for the environment, while cases are handled and registrations received by the Environment Agency (Administration de l’environnement, AEV). The law provides two regimes for carriers.
| Element | Registration (enregistrement) | Authorisation (autorisation) |
|---|---|---|
| Who it applies to | Companies transporting waste as part of bringing it into Luxembourg (art. 32(1) point 1) | Companies that professionally collect or transport waste, including those collecting it in Luxembourg (art. 30(1)(a)). It also allows bringing waste in and transit |
| Who decides | AEV | The minister responsible for the environment |
| Nature | An entry without special conditions. AEV may, however, request information, refuse registration and strike off a company that breaches the rules (art. 32(2)) | A decision specifying, among other things, the types of waste and the conditions of operation (art. 30(2)). A multi-stage procedure with statutory deadlines |
| Hazardous waste | Both regimes also cover hazardous waste. Under an authorisation, hazardous waste must be listed among the types of waste it covers, and vehicles and drivers must meet ADR requirements | |
| Validity | The term is set by the registration confirmation. In the cases known to us from 2026 it is 5 years | For a fixed period, renewable (art. 30(4)). According to the administration, generally 5 years |
Obligations do not end once the registration or authorisation has been obtained. Companies with an authorisation keep a chronological waste register and retain it for at least three years (art. 34). Companies with an authorisation and those with a registration generally submit an annual report by 31 March (art. 35).
Why taking waste out of Luxembourg is much harder than bringing it in
Registration for bringing waste in is relatively simple: neither the law nor the administration sets any special conditions for it. An authorisation for collection and transport is a full administrative procedure, in which the authority assesses both the company and the specific transport model.
Contract with the waste producer
The carrier must show cooperation with a waste producer or with an authorised Luxembourg intermediary or waste dealer. The authority does not issue an authorisation “in advance” to a company that is only planning to win customers in Luxembourg.
Clean record and responsible persons
The people who run the company and supervise transport are assessed. The minister may refuse an authorisation if the applicant has been convicted of breaches of waste or environmental law, including in another state (art. 31(2)).
Environmental liability insurance
The company must show liability insurance covering accidental pollution of the environment. The law does not state an amount, and according to AEV the required sum depends on the waste codes covered by the application.
In addition, vehicles and containers are assessed and, for hazardous waste, so is ADR compliance. Some documents are submitted in French or German. An authorisation covers only the types of waste listed in it, so a new waste stream may require it to be amended.
Registration is an exception to the authorisation requirement. A company holding an authorisation may therefore also use it to bring waste into Luxembourg and to carry it in transit. Registration alone, by contrast, does not allow you to pick up a load in Luxembourg.
On the road: “A” plates and documents in the vehicle
Luxembourg law requires vehicles of companies that collect or transport waste to carry two white, reflective plates with a black letter “A” (art. 30(10)). The plates must measure at least 40 × 30 cm, with a letter height of 20 cm. One plate goes at the front and one at the rear, or, for a vehicle with a trailer, at the rear of the trailer. The plates must be clearly visible. The obligation also applies to companies registered for bringing waste in. It does not cover, for example, the transport of a company’s own waste. The “A” plates are a requirement of national law (a similar one exists in Germany), not of an EU regulation. They do not replace ADR marking.
Every waste transport must be accompanied by a copy of the authorisation (art. 30(9)) or a copy of the registration confirmation (art. 32(4)). For a cross-border shipment, the documents of the shipment itself are added.
Crossing the border: Annex VII, notification and DIWASS
Registration and authorisation concern the carrier. The procedure for a specific shipment is set by Regulation (EU) 2024/1157, applicable since 21 May 2026. For qualifying waste destined for recovery this is Annex VII (art. 18), and in other cases prior written notification and consent (notification), conducted electronically in the DIWASS system. The Luxembourg law still refers to the repealed Regulation 1013/2006. Such references are read as references to Regulation 2024/1157 (art. 85 of that regulation). Shipments leaving the EU or entering it from third countries follow the separate rules of Regulation 2024/1157 for exports and imports.
Inspections and penalties
Waste transports are inspected by AEV agents together with the Customs and Excise Administration and, where necessary, the Police. They check documents, the identity of the people and the type of waste being carried. The inspectors have judicial police powers and may seize documents and samples (art. 45–46). In 2025 AEV carried out 29 enforcement operations near the borders. Of the 1,976 vehicles inspected, 364 were carrying waste. Breaches were found in 85 vehicles, and 109 on-the-spot fines (avertissements taxés) were issued, totalling €25,869.
Collecting waste without authorisation
Collecting or transporting waste in Luxembourg without a ministerial authorisation, for example taking waste out on a registration alone.
Consequence: a fine of €251 to €150,000 and/or imprisonment from 8 days to 6 months (art. 47(2) point 7).
Bringing waste in without registration
Bringing waste in by a company that is not registered with AEV.
Consequence: a fine of €24 to €10,000 (art. 47(2bis) point 5). An on-the-spot fine of up to €1,000 is possible (art. 48).
No “A” plates or no copy of the authorisation or registration
A vehicle without the marking, or without a copy of the authorisation or the registration confirmation.
Consequence: a fine of €24 to €10,000 (art. 47(2bis) points 4–5). An on-the-spot fine of up to €1,000 is possible.
Illegal shipment
The wrong shipment procedure, for example Annex VII instead of notification, or a shipment that does not match its documents.
Consequence: a fine of €251 to €750,000 and/or imprisonment from 8 days to 3 years (art. 47(1)).
The amounts given are statutory limits. The penalty in a particular case is set by the court or the authority. The court may also order the forfeiture of the vehicle used to commit the offence, and officers may seize it during the inspection (art. 47(3)–(4)). Regardless of any penalty, the minister may temporarily suspend the activity of a carrier that breaches the rules on authorisations and registration (art. 49).
Disputed questions and points to settle for a specific company
- Pure transit through Luxembourg. The law does not mention transit expressly. The authorisation requirement covers “professional transport” without excluding transit, and in practice transit journeys are carried out under an authorisation that also covers bringing waste in. A government bill (bill No 8482) provides for an express exclusion of transit from the authorisation requirement. Until it is adopted, a transit carrier without an authorisation is operating in an area of uncertainty.
- Taking waste out without a regular customer. The authorisation is tied to a producer or intermediary and to types of waste. A company that is only now looking for jobs in Luxembourg will usually not yet meet the conditions. A further question is whether, with a new customer or a new waste code, the existing authorisation is enough or an amendment is needed.
- Hazardous waste and mixed loads. The scope of the authorisation is defined by waste codes. A single hazardous code outside the authorisation may mean transport without the required authorisation, and ADR must be met in addition.
For the whole route, see our overview Waste transport across Europe in 2026/2027.
Frequently asked questions
Is my registration in my own country enough to carry waste in Luxembourg?
No. A registration in your own country is a national one. Bringing waste into Luxembourg requires registration with AEV, and collecting waste in Luxembourg requires a ministerial authorisation for collection and transport.
Can I take waste out of Luxembourg with registration alone?
No. Registration covers transport as part of bringing waste into Luxembourg. Loading waste in Luxembourg, for example to take it out of the country, requires an authorisation for collection and transport. For transport without an authorisation the law provides a fine of up to €150,000.
Can I obtain an authorisation for taking waste out before I find a customer in Luxembourg?
Usually not. For an authorisation the company shows cooperation with a waste producer or with an authorised Luxembourg intermediary or dealer. Without such a contract, the application does not meet the conditions.
Do I need a registration or authorisation if I am only driving through Luxembourg?
The law does not regulate transit expressly, but the authorisation requirement covers professional waste transport without excluding transit. In practice transit is carried out under an authorisation that also covers bringing waste in. The bill amending the law provides for transit to be excluded from the authorisation requirement, but it has not yet been adopted. The shipment documents under Regulation 2024/1157 apply in transit as well.
How long are a registration and an authorisation valid?
An authorisation is issued for a fixed period, generally 5 years, and can be renewed. The term of a registration is set by its confirmation. In the cases we handled in 2026 it was also 5 years.
Are “A” plates mandatory in Luxembourg?
Yes. The Luxembourg waste law (art. 30(10)) requires two “A” plates, front and rear, on the vehicles of companies that collect or transport waste, including those registered for bringing waste in. The absence of plates carries a fine of up to €10,000.