Rules
Waste transfer notes explained: what, who and how long
A waste transfer note is the written record a business must complete each time it passes non-hazardous waste to someone else, and both sides must keep it for 2 years (GOV.UK waste duty of care code of practice). Householders do not have to complete one, but a receipt with the carrier's name and registration number is their evidence of the checks they made.
What is a waste transfer note?
A waste transfer note is a written description of waste that goes with it when it changes hands, signed by the person handing it over and the person receiving it. It shows what the waste was, how much, who had it and who took it.
It is part of the waste duty of care. If the waste is later found dumped, the note shows who was responsible for it at each step.
Who has to complete a waste transfer note?
Any business that produces or holds waste must complete a waste transfer note when it hands non-hazardous waste to a carrier, and the carrier must complete one when it hands the waste on. A builder, a landlord clearing a let property, a shop or an office all count as businesses.
In practice the skip firm or waste collector often fills in the note and both sides sign it. Agree before the job who will prepare it.
Householders getting rid of their own household waste do not have to complete a waste transfer note. Hazardous waste, such as asbestos, uses a consignment note instead.
What must a waste transfer note include?
The government's duty of care code of practice says the written description must include the waste classification code, the quantity, the nature of the waste and the type of container.
It must also give the time and place of the transfer, the SIC code of the business handing the waste over, the names and addresses of both parties, their signatures, and the capacity in which each acts, with permit or registration numbers.
A note missing the carrier's registration number is incomplete. Ask for it to be added before the waste leaves.
How long must you keep a waste transfer note?
Both parties must keep waste transfer notes for non-hazardous waste for 2 years, according to the code of practice. Season tickets are also kept for 2 years, and hazardous waste consignment notes for 3 years.
A business can be asked to produce its notes by the Environment Agency or the council, so keep them filed where you can find them.
What is a season ticket?
A season ticket is one waste transfer note that covers repeated collections of the same non-hazardous waste by the same carrier, for up to a year. A shop with a weekly trade waste collection would usually use one.
The business still needs to keep a record of the quantities collected under the season ticket.
What should householders ask for instead?
Ask for a written receipt or a note showing the firm's name, its waste carrier registration number, what was taken, the date and where it is going. 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). The receipt is your evidence that you made the check.
Larger firms often give householders a waste transfer note anyway. Keep it with your other paperwork for at least as long as a business would.
Common questions
Do I need a waste transfer note for a skip?
A business hiring a skip needs one for each load. A householder does not have to complete one, but should keep a receipt with the skip firm's name and registration number.
Who fills in the waste transfer note?
Both parties are responsible and both sign it. The waste collector often prepares it, but the business handing the waste over must check the details are right.
What is a SIC code on a waste transfer note?
It is the Standard Industrial Classification code of the business handing the waste over, which describes what the business does. The code of practice requires it on the note.
How long should I keep waste transfer notes?
For non-hazardous waste, 2 years. Hazardous waste consignment notes are kept for 3 years.