Validation formats for authorisation (permit) numbers

[GarethHarvey-EE]

Ultimately we would like to validate authorisation (permit) numbers against the source dataset for the 4 nations. However, this will take some time to implement so until then we will validate the format of these authorisation numbers by applying the following format validations per nation.

Please review and let us know if you have any authorisation numbers that do not conform to these patterns so that we can adjust accordingly.

Nation	Format (NB: where 9 is a digit 0-9, XX are alphabetical)
EPA	XX9999XX, XX9999XX/D9999, EPR/XX9999XX, EAWML999999, WML999999, EPR/XX9999XX/D9999 (the last one with a D rep permit number with deployment)
SEPA	PPC/A/9999999, WML/L/9999999, PPC/A/SEPA9999-9999, PPC/W/9999999, PPC/N/9999999, PPC/E/9999999, WML/L/SEPA9999-9999, WML/W/9999999, WML/E/9999999, WML/N/9999999,  EAS/P/999999
NRW	XX9999XX, EPR/XX9999XX
NI	P9999/99X, P9999/99X/V#, WPPC 99/99, WPPC 99/99/V#, PAC/9999/WCL999, WML 99/# (where # could mean any positive integer) LN/99/# (where # could mean any positive integer and can also have 01,02,---09, 10-99,100-999, etc)) WML 99/# (Could have /T appended) which means a transfer LN/99/# (Could have any of the following (/M-modification, /V#-variation, /T-transfer, /C-closure) appended in any combination. In V#, # means any positive integer.

[TGRHavoc]

This table is amazing reference. I'm currently building a small python script based off it and was wondering what the "D" in the EPA permit numbers stand for? Is it the literal character "D" or does it represent something else?

I'm asking because we have a few permit numbers that match it's format except for the "D" character (e.g. XX9999XX/V999 or XX9999XX/T999. Would these fall under this pattern?

I have also seen the permit for "THAMESDOWN RECYCLING" in our system which doesn't seem to match any formats which would be TH/NPSWQD000516/001 (https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/water-discharges/registration/TH-NPSWQD000516-001)

Edit: There's also "BIOWISE LIMITED" with the permit NE/EPRQP3325XN/001

[DsposalTom]

@TGRHavoc the TH/NPSWQD000516/001 is a permit to discharge. This would be given to a physical location to allow it to discharge onto land or water. This kind of permit from the public register would not be allowed to receive waste on this permit alone. They would need an installation permit (EPR/xxxxxxx) or an operations licence (xxxxxxxx) to receive the waste first.

Which means that the permit to discharge is out of scope of the this part of the waste tracking service.

[DsposalTom]

@TGRHavoc looking at XX9999XX/D9999 example where we have T0001, or A0012 or whatever.

I have never interacted with a D9999 example so this will probably need @GarethHarvey-EE to get involved.

My understanding is that the final X9999 indicates a change to original permit/licences. The letter is the type of change and the number is the version number.

I.E. V0001 is a Variant change to the permit taking it to version 1.
T0002 is a Transfer change taking this permit to version 2.
A0003 (I've always assumed) is an Amend change getting it to version 3.

There is also S which I have seen but haven't researched what it means, but yes I have never seen D.

I am very happy to be corrected and educated though.

[NigelClark-bif]

I have seen some older examples in the format EAWML99999, i.e. 5 numeric rather than 6.

There are also sites with an exemption rather than a permit, WEX999999 and maybe some other variations

[DsposalTom]

Hi @NigelClark-bif just a heads up that exemptions are not included as part for Phase 1.

These will be included as part of Phase 2 though so we all do need to think about them but I don't think there is any guidance yet for CBDUs or Exemptions.

As for EAWML I can't remember seeing any shorter ones personally but that counts for nothing, as I'm sure they probably do exist.

[FSDefra]

@NigelClark-bif @DsposalTom An update is currently being put in place to make both five digits and not just 6 digits valid on the EAWML and WML formats. Should be in PROD in a week or 2

In the short term, as a work around, where you have EAWML80459, you can add 0 in front of the 8, making it EAWML080459.

[stuartpollicott]

We are also validating the 170+ permits we hold and there are more examples of valid permits that do not fall into these validation rules. We are still working through, but understand that once we have our list of examples, we can work with DEFRA to have the validations reviewed.

The same examples are seeming true for Carrier license etc.