Water resources licences: when and how you are charged
How to work out charges for water abstraction and impounding licences.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This document provides guidance on the types of charges for water resources licences. It explains supplementary and time and materials charges, plus how to work out your:
- application charge – this includes a link to a mapping tool so you can find out if you have to pay a higher charge based on water availability
- annual charge – this includes a link to a mapping tool so you can find out if you have to pay a modelling charge or a supported source charge
- charge to vary, transfer or surrender a licence
The document also explains how to pay the charge.
You should also read the charging scheme which:
- explains the legal basis for the Environment Agency’s charges
- lists the charges – see Schedule: Tables of charges, Chapter 2: Water resources application charge tables and Chapter 3: Water resources subsistence (annual) charge tables
Updates to this page
-
Updated the charges to reflect the outcome of the recent cost of service consultation.
Update history
2026-04-01 12:00
Updated all charges in line with the consumer price index (CPI) increase.
2025-09-22 08:00
Added a link to the new GOV.UK Permitting Application Payment (Water Resources) service in section 11.1 Payments for applications.
2025-08-06 11:14
Updated the charges to reflect the outcome of the recent cost of service consultation.
2023-07-18 12:21
Added a note explaining that you are unable to use the Environment Agency’s annual charge indicator tool because it is unavailable. If you need help to work out your annual charge you can get advice from the Environment Agency.
2023-01-19 09:59
Updated the definitions of each type of licence variation application, explained how to ask for abatement of annual charges and how the Environment Agency will work out application charges for transfer re-abstract schemes. Also updated text on multiple application discount.
2022-05-17 13:22
Corrected an error in Example 6.7.2 – changed the first charge category charge reference to 4.6.13 (table 4.6 in the charging scheme): high loss non-tidal abstraction of water greater than 50 up to and including 85ML/yr (where no model applies).
2022-05-16 15:16
Corrected an error in Example 6.7.1 – changed the first charge category charge reference to 4.6.13 (table 4.6 in the charging scheme): high loss non-tidal abstraction of water greater than 50 up to and including 85ML/yr (where no model applies).
2022-04-01 09:00
First published.