Every business in England that produces waste has a legal duty to check that anyone taking their waste away holds a valid waste carrier registration. Failing to do this is a criminal offence under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, carrying fines up to £5,000 per incident.

Here's exactly how to verify a waste carrier's licence, what the different registration types mean, and the common mistakes businesses make.

How to check a waste carrier licence: step by step

Go to the Environment Agency public register at environment.data.gov.uk
Search by company name or registration number. If you have the carrier's CBDU reference number (format: CBDU12345), use that — it's the most reliable identifier.
Review the result. You'll see:
- Registration number
- Registered name and address
- Registration type (upper tier or lower tier)
- Registration date and expiry date
- Whether the registration is active
Confirm the registration is current. An expired registration means the carrier is operating illegally.
Record your check. Keep a dated record of when you verified the licence. This is your evidence of due diligence if challenged.

Upper tier vs lower tier: what's the difference?

The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 created two tiers of waste carrier registration:

Lower tier registration:

Free to register
No expiry date (lasts indefinitely)
For businesses that only carry their own waste, or carry waste that isn't their main business activity
Includes charities, some local authorities, and businesses carrying only their own non-construction waste

Upper tier registration:

Costs £154 to register (as of 2025/26)
Must be renewed every 3 years
Required for businesses whose main activity involves transporting waste, or anyone carrying construction/demolition waste for others
This is the registration your commercial waste contractor should hold

The critical difference: upper tier registrations expire. If your waste contractor's registration lapses between renewals, they're operating illegally — and you're breaking the law by using them.

What happens if you don't check

Under The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011, using an unregistered waste carrier is a breach of your duty of care. The consequences:

Fixed penalty notice: Up to £300 for a first offence
Magistrates' court prosecution: Fines up to £5,000
Criminal record: Waste duty of care breaches are criminal offences
Fly-tipping liability: If your waste ends up illegally dumped, you can be held responsible if you didn't verify the carrier

The Environment Agency prosecuted 109 waste duty of care offences in 2023/24, according to their annual enforcement report. This figure doesn't include local authority enforcement actions.

Common mistakes when checking carriers

Checking once and forgetting. Upper tier registrations expire every 3 years. A carrier that was registered when you first used them may not be registered now. Best practice: check at least annually, and ideally before each contract renewal.

Accepting a photocopy of a certificate. Certificates can be forged or out of date. Always verify directly on the Environment Agency's register.

Not checking sub-contractors. Your main waste contractor may sub-contract collections to another company. Each company in the chain needs its own registration.

Confusing waste carrier registration with an environmental permit. A carrier registration allows transporting waste. An environmental permit allows treating, storing, or disposing of waste. Your carrier needs the former; the facility they take waste to needs the latter. These are different checks.

How to keep carrier checks up to date

For most businesses, the practical approach is:

Keep a register of all waste carriers you use, with their CBDU numbers, registration types, and expiry dates
Set calendar reminders 30 days before each upper tier registration expires
Re-check the Environment Agency register at each reminder, and when onboarding a new carrier
Keep a dated log of each check — screenshot the register result or note the date, carrier name, CBDU number, and status
Keep your Waste Transfer Notes up to date — every time you verify a carrier, check that the WTN for that waste stream is also current. Our guide to completing Waste Transfer Notes correctly covers what every WTN must contain.

A spreadsheet with calendar alerts works well for this. You can also use our free Waste Transfer Note Generator to create compliant WTNs alongside your carrier verification records.

Try the free waste carrier licence checker

Use our free Waste Carrier Licence Checker to look up any carrier's registration status instantly. No signup required.

What changes with Digital Waste Tracking

From October 2026, DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking system will replace paper-based Waste Transfer Notes. Carrier verification will be built into the digital system — but the duty of care obligation remains with you as the waste producer.

The Digital Waste Tracking mandate will require all waste movements to be recorded digitally. Businesses should prepare now by ensuring their carrier verification and WTN processes are already robust. Read our full guide to Digital Waste Tracking in 2026 for the confirmed timeline and preparation steps.

This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific compliance queries, consult a qualified waste management consultant or solicitor.

How to Check a Waste Carrier Licence in the UK (2026 Guide)