What Is a Waste Carrier Licence?
A waste carrier licence (also called waste carrier registration) is issued by the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, or SEPA in Scotland. It authorises a person or company to transport controlled waste. There are two tiers: lower tier (for businesses that carry their own waste, like a plumber taking away old pipes) and upper tier (for businesses that transport other people's waste commercially, like a rubbish removal company). Any company that collects your waste for money must hold at least an upper-tier waste carrier registration. Operating without one is a criminal offence.
How to Check a Waste Carrier Licence
Checking is free and takes under a minute. Visit the Environment Agency's public register at environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers. You can search by company name, registration number, or postcode. The register shows the company name, registration number, registration type (upper or lower tier), and expiry date. If a company isn't on the register, they're not licensed to carry your waste. Clearalot is fully registered as an upper-tier waste carrier — we're happy to provide our registration number on request, and you can verify it on the public register any time.
Your Legal Duty of Care
Under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, anyone who produces household waste has a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure it's handled by an authorised person. In practice, this means checking the waste carrier licence of anyone you hire to remove your waste. If you skip this step and your waste ends up fly-tipped, you can receive a fixed penalty notice of up to £400. If prosecuted, fines can be much higher. The defence is simple: check the licence, get a receipt, and keep your waste transfer note. These three steps prove you did everything right.
Red Flags: Spotting Unlicensed Operators
Unlicensed waste carriers are everywhere, especially on social media and local marketplace sites. Watch out for these warning signs: cash-only with no receipt, no company name or address, suspiciously low prices (£20 to take a full van load is a giveaway), no waste carrier licence number when asked, no waste transfer note provided, unmarked vehicles, and pressure to decide quickly. Legitimate waste companies are happy to provide their licence details, give written quotes, and issue proper documentation. If something feels off, trust your instincts and use someone else.
What Is a Waste Transfer Note?
A waste transfer note (also called a duty of care waste transfer note) is a document that records the transfer of waste from one party to another. It includes details of the waste type, quantity, the producer, the carrier, the carrier's licence number, and where the waste is going. Both parties must sign it, and you should keep it for at least two years. If your waste turns up in a fly-tip and the council traces it back to you, this note proves you used a licensed carrier and disposed of your waste legally. Any reputable waste removal company will provide one automatically — if they don't, ask for it.
Why It Matters for Everyone
Fly-tipping costs UK taxpayers over £1 billion per year in cleanup costs. It damages the environment, harms wildlife, reduces property values, and blights communities. By checking that your waste carrier is licensed, you're not just protecting yourself from fines — you're helping to tackle a problem that affects everyone. It takes 30 seconds to check the register and could save you hundreds of pounds in penalties. At Clearalot, we hold a full upper-tier waste carrier licence and provide duty of care waste transfer notes for every single job. Call 07825 363429 for waste removal you can trust.