D J RECYCLING · GUIDE
Do I need a waste carrier licence?
If you move waste as part of a business, you almost certainly need to register as a waste carrier. If you are a householder, you do not need one, but you do have a legal duty to check that whoever takes your waste away is registered.
The short answer
In England, any business that transports waste must register with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier. Upper tier registration is needed to carry other people's waste or construction waste. Householders do not need a licence, but must check their skip or clearance company is registered.
Who needs to register?
You need to register as a waste carrier if your business transports waste, even if it is only now and then. That includes builders, landscapers, gardeners, cleaners, removal firms and anyone offering rubbish clearance.
There are two levels. Lower tier usually covers businesses that only carry their own waste, as long as it is not construction or demolition waste, plus some charities and public bodies. Upper tier covers anyone who carries other people's waste, and businesses that carry their own construction or demolition waste. Skip hire and clearance companies need upper tier registration.
Do householders need a licence?
No. If you are clearing your own home or garden and taking the waste to the tip yourself, you do not need to register.
But householders do have a duty of care. If you pay someone to take your waste and it is later fly-tipped, you can be fined if you did not take reasonable steps to check they were allowed to carry it. Checking takes a minute.
How to check a company is registered
Ask for their waste carrier registration number. A registered upper tier carrier will have one starting with CBDU, and should be happy to give it to you.
Then search for it on the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers. Check the name and address match the company you are dealing with, and that the registration has not expired.
Be wary of anyone who offers to take your rubbish for cash with no paperwork, especially from an advert or social media post with no business address.
Our registration
D J Recycling (Daniel Macdonald trading as D J Recycling) is registered with the Environment Agency as an upper tier waste carrier, registration number CBDU389101. You can check it on the public register.
When we take waste from a business, we provide a waste transfer note describing what was collected. Businesses should keep these for at least two years.
Common questions
What is the difference between upper and lower tier?
Upper tier is for carrying other people's waste, or your own construction and demolition waste. Lower tier is mainly for businesses that carry only their own non-construction waste.
Can I be fined if my rubbish is fly-tipped by someone else?
Yes. Householders can be fined if they hand waste to someone who is not a registered carrier and it is later dumped. Always check the registration number first.
Do I need a licence to take my own garden waste to the tip?
No. Householders taking their own waste to a household waste recycling centre do not need to register.