Municipal and Residual Waste Transportation Frequently Asked Questions

No, Act 90 Stickers cannot be issued "over the counter" at DEP offices. The review and processing of a complete Act 90 application requires approximately 15 days.

No. Once an application has been approved by DEP, the data is transmitted electronically to the Department's contracted vendor that is located out of state. The vendor then prints each sticker and cab card with each vehicles specific VIN and mails them directly to the applicant. The vendor is unable to mail the stickers and cab cards via overnight or express delivery. Any overnight or express delivery envelopes submitted with paper applications will not be returned to the applicant.

Emergency Act 90 authorizations may be issued by DEP Regional Offices for the disposal of waste caused by, or resulting from, a situation that poses an immediate or potential threat to public health and safety, or the environment. Please be advised, the Department does not consider an applicants failure to submit a timely application an "emergency situation". As noted above, it takes approximately 15 days from the application submission date for an applicant to receive their stickers and cab card. Applicants should take this timeframe into consideration and plan accordingly when submitting their application.

A Waste Transportation Authorization is not simply a registration. Prior to issuing an authorization, the Department conducts a review of the applicant's application, including compliance history, VIN information, and fee payment. Compliance history reviews for Waste Transportation Authorization applicants may be completed in as little as one day. However, if an applicant has an extensive compliance history record, or fails to include complete and accurate information on their application, this review may take considerably longer. In addition, the Department does not print the stickers and cab cards. They are printed and mailed by a private vendor under contract with the Department. Currently, the vendor does printing and mailings for the Department twice a week. Given the application review, and sticker printing and mailing process, the Department advises applicants that it takes approximately 15 days from the application submission date for an applicant to receive their stickers and cab card or a letter requesting additional information. Applicants should take this timeframe into consideration and plan accordingly when submitting their application.

Call WTSP at (717) 783-9258.

Yes. Act 90 prohibits a waste processing or disposal facility from accepting municipal or residual waste from a waste transportation vehicle after December 26, 2002, without a valid authorization sticker issued by the Department. Waste processing facilities include transfer facilities.

Yes.

The Department posts a list of WTSP Haulers (xls) including active, cancelled, expired, revocations and voluntarily terminated authorizations on the WTSP website daily.

"WH" means "Waste Hauler". These ID# are above the application information are assigned to the applicant by the DEP. These identification numbers are unique numbers generated by the Department's database (eFACTS) used to track applications. They are primarily for internal use but can facilitate searching on the Department's external website for eFACTS.

Regularly used – Transportation of municipal or residual waste by a motor carrier vehicle or waste trailer if the transportation is being done for commercial purposes or in furtherance of a business. Publicly owned motor carrier vehicles and waste trailers are regularly used if the transportation is being done for the collection and transportation of municipal or residual waste. Certain exemptions are listed on the WTSP website.

"See Transportation Exemptions or Processing and Disposal Facility Exemptions!" on the WTSP website.

Municipal or residual waste processing facilities include transfer facilities and resource recovery facilities. Municipal waste disposal facilities are construction/demolition waste landfills and municipal waste landfills. Residual waste disposal facilities are residual waste disposal impoundments and residual waste landfills.

Yes, land application through agricultural utilization or land reclamation, general permits for beneficial use, permit-by-rule facilities, yard waste and leaf composting approval sites, and approved best management practices facilities.

Act 90 exempts registered residential septage haulers when transporting residential septage. Additionally, licensed infectious and chemotherapeutic (ICW) transporters and hazardous waste (HW) transporters are exempt only when manifested for ICW and HW, respectively. There are no other licenses or registration of waste vehicles exemptions in Pennsylvania.

An existing written authorization can be amended or a new application can be submitted as long as the applicant has a vehicle identification number (VIN) and insurance documentation that the vehicle(s) will be covered. The applicant must sign the self-certification for vehicle safety inspection and ownership. The Department may require copies of base registration, lease contract, and insurance documentation.

A statement stating self-insurance and the legal citation allowing the self-insurance signed by a responsible official is required. A responsible official can be a military base commander, head of a state agency, bureau or commission, or an elected official of a municipality, or an official of an authority.

No. The Department will not accept requests for funding, and the fee is required to make the application complete. The Department will not process applications pending receipt of fees. The Department will not issue an approval or issue stickers without the funds in hand.

Yes, if the gross vehicle weight rating of the truck or truck tractor is greater than 17,000 lbs. Trucks and truck tractors with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 17,000 lbs. are defined as motor carrier vehicles even if they are registered as a farm vehicle or have a farm vehicle certificate of exemption. Motor carrier vehicles that are transporting waste to a Pennsylvania waste processing or disposal facility are required to have an Act 90 authorization.

No, Vehicles (trucks with a registered gross vehicle weight less than 17,000 lbs., and trailers with a registered gross vehicle weight less than 10,000 lbs.) loaded with more than the registered gross vehicle weight do NOT require an Act 90 Waste Transportation Authorization or Sticker. DEP will not issue Act 90 Waste Transportation Authorization or Sticker for these vehicles.