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Waste Carrier Licence

The waste carrier licence regime is crucial to the government’s strategy to prevent fly-tipping of commercial waste.

The rules require that anyone transporting commercial waste must be registered. The potential fines for transporting waste without a licence are unlimited.

💡 If your business wants to transport commercial waste to a local recycling centre, it must hold a lower-tier waste carrier licence. These are free to apply for, and the application process only requires a few simple details.

Who needs a waste carrier licence?

A waste carrier licence is required by any individual, sole trader, partnership, or company that does any of the following:

Transports their own waste (including to a local recycling centre).
Transports waste belonging to others.
Buys, sells, or disposes of waste or recyclable materials.
Arranges waste disposal for other companies (acts as a broker).

Activities not requiring a waste carrier licence

The following activities do not require a waste carrier licence:

Households transporting their own waste (e.g. to a tip).
Businesses moving waste within their own premises.
Businesses using a waste collection or commercial recycling service.
Waste exporters that only transport waste by boat.

Types of waste carrier licence

There are two tiers of waste carrier licences. In this section, we cover the activities allowed by each type of licence.

Lower tier waste carrier licence

A lower-tier waste carrier licence is typically used by businesses that transport their own general business waste or recycling to a local commercial recycling centre.

A lower-tier waste carrier licence covers:

Any business that transports waste they generate (except construction or demolition waste).
Charities or voluntary organisations that transport waste.
The transport of animal by-products, quarry waste, or agricultural waste.

Upper tier waste carrier licence

An upper-tier waste carrier licence covers:

Contractors that transport waste from households, such as garden waste, house clearances, or construction waste.
Skip companies.
Any business that buys, sells, or disposes of waste from other companies or households.
Any broker that arranges to buy, sell, or dispose of waste.

How much does a waste carrier licence cost?

The table below shows current waste carrier licence application and renewal costs in 2025:

Country	Lower-tier application	Upper tier application	Upper tier renewal
England	Free	£154	£105
Wales	Free	£159	£109
Scotland	Free	£284	£180
Northern Ireland	Free	£164	£82

Source: Prices extracted by our waste experts February 2025.

The application process for a waste carrier licence

Here is the step-by-step process for obtaining a waste carrier licence.

Step 1. Determine waste carrier licence type

Businesses and other organisations that only transport waste they produce require a lower-tier waste carrier licence, while businesses involved in managing other firms’ waste require an upper-tier licence.

Review our section on types of waste carrier licence to decide which type of licence your business needs.

Step 2. Gather information for the application

A lower-tier waste carrier licence requires a few basic details about your business, whereas an upper-tier licence requires additional information on:

The names and dates of birth of the organisation’s executives, owners, and directors.
Details of any environmental offences they have committed.
Proof of address.

Step 3. Apply for a waste carrier licence online.

The devolved nations are responsible for managing waste carrier licences separately. Here’s where you can apply for each:

The online application process will take the required payment for an upper-tier licence.

Step 4. Confirmation of acceptance

Once approved, you’ll receive a waste carrier registration number, which you must display on paperwork when handling waste.

An upper-tier licence requires renewal every three years, which involves paying a renewal fee.

If any relevant details about your organisation change, you can update them online.

Obligations for waste carrier licenses

If you hold a waste carrier licence in the UK, you must comply with certain legal obligations to ensure waste is handled safely and responsibly.

Waste duty of care

Carriers must store and transport waste in a way that prevents pollution or harm. Find out more in our guide to the business waste duty of care.

Keep licence up to date

You must inform your licensing agency of any changes to your business (e.g. name, address, business type).

Transport waste legally

You must ensure that vehicles used for transport are suitable and carry proof of a waste carrier licence when transporting waste.

💡 Most waste disposal facilities will ask for a waste carrier licence number when disposing of business waste.

Operating without a waste carrier licence can result in fines of up to £5,000 for individuals and businesses.

Check a waste carrier licence

UK commercial waste regulations require companies to verify that a person or business is authorised to handle waste before transferring waste to them.

For a commercial waste collection provider, this authorisation is confirmed by the possession of a valid waste carrier licence.

Use the following links to search the public registers for waste carrier licences: