EPR registration is a legal requirement for businesses that meet the relevant thresholds under the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging regulations. The system places greater responsibility on producers for the packaging they supply or import and the packaging waste it creates.

Obligated businesses must register with the appropriate environmental regulator and report packaging data based on their activities. Requirements differ for large producers and small producers, making it important to understand which rules apply to your organisation.

Businesses can manage EPR registration directly or join a compliance scheme that can register on their behalf and provide ongoing packaging compliance support.

At Kite Packaging, our specialist compliance team helps businesses understand their Extended Producer Responsibility obligations, manage registration and meet ongoing EPR requirements.

Who Needs to Register for Extended Producer Responsibility?

EPR registration may be required if your organisation handles or supplies packaging in the UK and meets the relevant turnover and packaging thresholds. Extended Producer Responsibility applies to businesses carrying out certain activities involving packaging placed on the UK market.

You may have packaging obligations if your organisation:

• Supplies packaged goods under its own brand
• Imports packaged products into the UK
• Supplies empty packaging to businesses that aren't obligated under EPR
• Hires or loans reusable packaging
• Operates an online marketplace through which businesses based outside the UK sell packaged goods to UK customers
• Supplies filled or empty packaging directly to an end user

Your responsibilities depend on the activities you carry out, annual turnover and the amount of packaging handled. This can include household packaging, non household packaging and shipment packaging.

Businesses should establish whether they meet the criteria before completing EPR registration, as different reporting and recycling obligations apply depending on producer classification.

EPR Registration for Large and Small Producers

Extended Producer Responsibility separates obligated businesses into large producers and small producers. Your classification is based on annual turnover and the amount of packaging you supplied or imported through the UK market.

Large Producers

Large producers generally have an annual turnover of £2 million or more and handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year.

Large producers have more extensive EPR obligations. These include:

• Completing EPR registration
• Reporting packaging data every six months
• Meeting applicable recycling obligations
• Obtaining recycling evidence such as Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs)
• Paying disposal costs for household packaging where applicable

Small Producers

Small producers generally have an annual turnover of more than £1 million and handle more than 25 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year, without meeting both large producer thresholds.

Small producers must register and report packaging data annually. Their Extended Producer Responsibility requirements differ from those of large producers, so businesses shouldn't assume that being classified as a small producer removes all packaging compliance obligations.

Understanding your producer size helps ensure compliance and determines which registration, reporting and recycling requirements apply to your business.

What Do You Need for EPR Registration?

Before completing EPR registration, businesses should gather the organisation details and packaging data required by the relevant environmental regulator. Having accurate information ready can make the registration process easier and support ongoing EPR compliance.

Depending on your organisation and producer classification, you may need information covering:

• Organisation details, including your registered business information
• The activities your organisation carries out
• Packaging materials and packaging types supplied or imported
• The weight of packaging placed on the UK market
• Household packaging and non household packaging
• Packaging supplied directly to an end user
• Packaging data from the relevant reporting period

Large producers and small producers have different reporting requirements, so it's important to collect data that reflects the obligations applying to your business. Records should also be maintained to support future reporting and demonstrate compliance with packaging waste regulations.

How to Register for EPR

Businesses can complete EPR registration directly or use an approved compliance scheme to register on their behalf. If registering directly, the process broadly involves:

1. Check your obligations: Confirm that your business meets the Extended Producer Responsibility thresholds and identify whether you're a large or small producer.
2. Prepare your organisation details: Gather the business information required for registration and make sure it is accurate and up to date.
3. Collect your packaging data: Calculate the packaging your organisation has supplied or imported during the relevant period, including household and non household packaging.
4. Use the Report Packaging Data service: Create or access your account and submit the information required for EPR registration.
5. Pay the registration fee: The applicable registration fee must be paid as part of the registration process.

Registration is only one part of Extended Producer Responsibility. Once registered, producers must continue to report packaging data, maintain accurate records and meet any recycling obligations or other EPR requirements that apply.

EPR Registration Fees

Businesses completing EPR registration must pay an annual registration fee. The amount depends on producer size and whether you register directly with your environmental regulator or through a compliance scheme.

For the 2026 compliance year, direct registrants pay a registration fee of £1,303 for small producers and £2,842 for large producers. When registering through a compliance scheme, the regulator registration fee is £696 for a small producer and £1,803 for a large producer.

Other charges can apply in certain circumstances. For example, late registration carries an additional registration fee of £386. Group registrations may also involve additional charges depending on the number of subsidiaries included.

The registration fee is separate from other EPR compliance costs. Large producers may also need to meet recycling obligations and pay disposal costs associated with household packaging waste.

Registering Through a Compliance Scheme

Instead of managing EPR registration directly, obligated businesses can join an approved compliance scheme. The scheme can register members with the relevant authority and provide ongoing support with Extended Producer Responsibility requirements.

A compliance scheme can help businesses:

• Complete EPR registration
• Submit organisation details
• Report packaging data
• Understand packaging waste regulations
• Meet recycling obligations for large producers
• Obtain recycling evidence where required
• Keep up with regulatory changes

Using a compliance scheme can reduce the administrative burden of packaging compliance, particularly for businesses managing large quantities of packaging or complex data.

However, producers retain legal responsibility for providing accurate information. A compliance scheme also cannot pay EPR waste disposal costs on behalf of large producers, so these remain payable directly by the obligated business.

What Happens After EPR Registration?

EPR registration is the start of an ongoing compliance process. Producers must continue to maintain accurate packaging data and meet the reporting requirements that apply to their size and activities.

Large producers must report packaging data every six months and may have recycling obligations requiring evidence such as Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs). They can also be responsible for disposal costs associated with household packaging waste. Small producers have different reporting requirements but must still maintain appropriate records and fulfil their relevant obligations.

Businesses should regularly review their data and responsibilities as packaging waste regulations develop. This helps ensure compliance and allows producers to respond to regulatory changes affecting the UK market.

What Happens If You Don't Register for EPR?

Businesses that meet the relevant Extended Producer Responsibility criteria have a legal responsibility to comply with the regulations. Failure to register or meet ongoing requirements can result in enforcement action by the relevant authority.

Depending on the circumstances, non compliance can lead to measures including civil sanctions. Failing to provide accurate data or meet other packaging obligations may also create additional compliance costs and disruption for your business.

Keeping accurate records, meeting deadlines and understanding changes to environmental regulations can help businesses avoid compliance issues.

EPR Registration With Kite Packaging

Managing EPR registration alongside packaging data, recycling obligations and changing regulations can place an additional administrative burden on businesses.

Kite Environmental Solutions (KES) operates a specialist compliance scheme to support businesses with Extended Producer Responsibility and wider packaging compliance. As the only UK compliance scheme that is part of a packaging company, we combine regulatory knowledge with practical packaging expertise.

Our team can support you with:

• EPR registration and organisation details
• Packaging data assessments and reporting
• Identifying your producer responsibility obligations
• Recycling obligations and PRN requirements
• Ongoing packaging compliance support
• Guidance as regulations and requirements change

Our compliance scheme has been rated ‘Excellent’ by the Environment Agency, reflecting the quality of our processes and support.

Whether you're a large or small producer, our team can help you understand your responsibilities and manage ongoing compliance.

Contact Kite Packaging today to discuss your EPR requirements and find out how our compliance team can support your business.

EPR Registration FAQs

EPR requirements depend on factors including your turnover, packaging activities and the amount of packaging you handle. Below, we answer some common questions about registration and compliance.

Do I need to register for EPR?

You may need EPR registration if your organisation meets the turnover and packaging thresholds and carries out an obligated activity. This can include supplying branded packaging, importing packaged goods or operating an online marketplace for overseas sellers.

Businesses should check the current Extended Producer Responsibility rules to establish whether they need to register and report data.

How much is the EPR registration fee?

For the 2026 compliance year, direct registration costs £1,303 for small producers and £2,842 for large producers. The regulator registration fee when joining through a compliance scheme is £696 for small producers and £1,803 for large producers.

An additional registration fee can apply for late or group registrations.

Do small producers need EPR registration?

Yes. Small producers that meet the relevant criteria still have registration and reporting requirements under Extended Producer Responsibility.

Their obligations differ from those of large producers, particularly regarding the frequency of packaging data reporting and certain recycling and disposal costs.

Can a compliance scheme register my business for EPR?

Yes. An approved compliance scheme can register your business with the appropriate environmental regulator and provide support with packaging data and ongoing compliance requirements.

A scheme can also help large producers meet recycling obligations, although waste disposal costs cannot be paid by the scheme on a producer's behalf.

Do online marketplaces need EPR registration?

An online marketplace may have producer responsibility obligations when it facilitates the sale of packaged goods into the UK by businesses based outside the UK.

Whether registration is required depends on the organisation's activities and whether it meets the relevant criteria under packaging waste regulations.

What happens if I miss the EPR registration deadline?

Registering late can result in an additional fee and may create compliance issues. Businesses that fail to meet their legal obligations could also face enforcement action.

If you believe your business should have registered in previous years, seek professional advice to understand the steps required to bring your environmental compliance up to date.