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EPR registration: step by step to your EPR number
Last checked · 3 min read
An EPR registration number is what Amazon, Kaufland or ManoMano ask you for, and you only get one once you are registered. But there is no single EPR number. You get one per country and per product type, from a different organisation each time. This step-by-step guide helps you work out which registrations you need, and in which order.
- +There is no EU-wide EPR number. You register per country and per product type.
- +Start from where your customers live, not where your company is based.
- +For Germany the LUCID number is the packaging number; for France it is the UIN per product type.
- +Registering is the start. Periodic declarations in kilograms or units per country follow.
What is an EPR number?
An EPR number is the registration number you receive once you are registered as a producer for a product type in a country. It proves to marketplaces and regulators that you take part in the scheme. Every country calls it something different:
| Country | Packaging | Electronics | Batteries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | LUCID registration number | WEEE-Reg.-Nr. (stiftung ear) | Registration number with stiftung ear |
| France | UIN (Citeo or Léko) | UIN (ecosystem or Ecologic) | UIN (Corepile or Screlec) |
| Netherlands | Registration with Verpact (above 50,000 kg) | Registration with Stichting OPEN | Registration with Stibat |
| Belgium | Membership of Fost Plus | Membership of Recupel | Membership of Bebat |
Seven steps
- 1Map where your customers live. From last year's orders, count units shipped per country across all your channels together. Every country with consumer deliveries is a country where you are a producer.
- 2Decide per country which product types apply. Packaging almost always. Electronics, batteries, textiles and, in France, furniture, toys and DIY only if you sell them.
- 3Check thresholds. The Netherlands (50,000 kg) and Belgium (300 kg) have packaging thresholds; Germany and France do not. Electronics and batteries have practically no thresholds anywhere.
- 4Appoint an authorised representative where needed. For electronics and batteries it is mandatory in countries where you sell at a distance without an establishment. For packaging, the PPWR has required it too since 12 August 2026.
- 5Register and join. Per country and product type, with the right organisation. Note every number.
- 6Enter your numbers at your marketplaces and put your French UINs in your terms and conditions.
- 7Plan your declarations. See the deadlines per country, and set up your records so you can report per country and per material.
Where to start
Start where the risk is highest: the country where a marketplace already blocks you if the number is missing, and where no threshold applies. For most sellers that is Germany, then France. LUCID registration is free and quick, so there is no reason to wait. The countries with thresholds come next, once you have calculated whether you are above or below.
What registration costs and how long it takes
Registration itself is often free, as with LUCID. The cost is in participation: a dual system contract in Germany, the eco-organisation fee in France, and an authorised representative where one is needed. Expect a minimum amount per country per year, regardless of how much you sell.
A LUCID registration can be done within a day. Joining a French eco-organisation and receiving a UIN can take longer, and a German WEEE registration through a representative often takes weeks. Start well before you begin selling in a new country.
After registration: declaring
A registration without declarations is not compliance. Every scheme periodically asks how much you placed on the market: kilograms of packaging per material, units or kilograms of equipment per category. You have to supply those figures yourself, from your own sales data. How to do that is in calculating packaging weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a single EU EPR number?
No. Even under the PPWR you register in each member state separately, and per product type. No EU number or collective registration exists.
How do I get an EPR number for Amazon?
For Germany, register in LUCID (packaging) and with stiftung ear (electronics). For France, join an eco-organisation per product type and receive a UIN. Enter those numbers in Seller Central. See the Amazon guide.
Is EPR registration mandatory?
Yes, in every country where you are a producer and above any threshold. Without registration, some countries, such as Germany, do not even allow you to sell packaged products.
How long does it take to get an EPR number?
From a day for LUCID in Germany to several weeks for registrations that go through an authorised representative, such as German WEEE. Start before you list in a new country.
Read next
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules, thresholds and deadlines are set by the schemes themselves and they change. Check what applies to your situation with the scheme or an adviser.