Rules
How to check a waste carrier licence in the UK
In England a firm carrying your waste needs an upper tier registration starting CBDU, and handing waste to an unchecked carrier can cost a householder up to £600 (since 31 July 2023). Check the number on the official register: the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland or DAERA in Northern Ireland.
Why should I check a waste carrier licence?
Householders have a legal duty of care for their waste. The government's code of practice says you must take all reasonable measures to make sure you only hand household waste to an authorised person, which means checking a private carrier's registration.
In England a householder who hands waste to someone not authorised to take it, without making reasonable checks, can be given a fixed penalty of up to £600 in England (since 31 July 2023). Councils can also prosecute. A registered carrier with a receipt in your hand is your evidence that you made the check.
How do I check a waste carrier in England?
Use the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers at environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers. You can search by business name, registration number, address or postcode, and filter by upper or lower tier.
Search by the number the firm gives you, then check the business name and address match the firm you are dealing with. Expired registrations drop off the register, so a firm that is not listed is not currently registered.
The Environment Agency says carriers and brokers registered in Scotland or Wales are authorised to operate in England, so a firm with an NRW or SEPA registration may not appear on the English register.
What is the difference between upper and lower tier?
Lower tier registration is for organisations that only carry waste from their own operations, excluding construction and demolition waste, for some specific waste types and for charities. Upper tier covers everyone else, including anyone who carries other people's waste.
In England upper tier numbers start CBDU and lower tier numbers start CBDL. A skip firm, a rubbish removal firm or a man with a van carrying your waste needs upper tier. Upper tier registrations last 3 years; lower tier registrations do not expire.
The register also shows whether a business is registered as a carrier, a broker, a dealer or a combination. A business registered only as a broker and dealer is not registered to carry waste.
How do I check a carrier in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
Wales: Natural Resources Wales keeps the register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers for Wales. Its guidance is at naturalresources.wales/permits-and-permissions/waste-carriers-brokers-and-dealers, and NRW can confirm a registration if you cannot find it.
Scotland: SEPA's register at search-the-register.sepa.org.uk/find-waste-transporters-brokers lets you search by authorisation number, holder, trading name or business address. It shows current authorisations for transporting and brokering waste and older waste carrier registrations.
Northern Ireland: DAERA publishes separate searches for upper tier carriers at public-registers.daera-ni.gov.uk/registration-of-carriers-ut and lower tier carriers at public-registers.daera-ni.gov.uk/registration-of-carriers-lt. You can search by authorisation number, postcode or company name.
What should I do if a firm is not on the register?
Do not hand over your waste. Ask the firm for its registration number in writing and search again by number. If it still does not appear, use a different firm.
A missing registration is a warning sign, not proof of wrongdoing: the firm may be registered under a different legal name, or in another nation. Ask for the name exactly as it appears on the register.
If you see waste being dumped, report it to your council. In England, lorry loads, hazardous waste and organised dumping go to the Environment Agency incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
What changes for waste carriers in 2027?
From 22 July 2027, waste carriers, brokers and dealers in England move from registration to environmental permits. Permit holders must pass identity, criminal record and technical competence checks, and show their permit number on vehicles and advertising.
Existing registrations stay valid until the firm gets its permit or reaches its own deadline, so you will see both CBDU numbers and permit numbers during the changeover. Keep checking the number against the official register.
Common questions
What does CBDU mean?
CBDU is the prefix for upper tier waste carrier, broker and dealer registrations in England. Lower tier registrations start CBDL. A firm carrying your waste needs an upper tier registration.
Is a waste carrier licence the same as a registration?
Yes, in everyday use. The legal term is registration as a waste carrier, broker or dealer, and in England it is replaced by an environmental permit from 22 July 2027.
Does a man with a van need a waste carrier licence?
Yes. Anyone carrying other people's waste needs an upper tier registration with the Environment Agency, NRW, SEPA or DAERA. Ask for the number before you hand anything over.
Is a Scottish or Welsh registration valid in England?
The Environment Agency says carriers and brokers registered in Scotland and Wales are authorised to operate in England. Check them on the SEPA or NRW register.
How much does registration cost a business?
GOV.UK lists £191.02 for a new registration and £130.25 to renew upper tier every 3 years. Registration is usually free for a business that only carries waste it produces itself.