How to register as a waste carrier, step by step
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 23 August 2026 · Facts checked against GOV.UK and Environment Agency guidance on the date above
You register as a waste carrier entirely online, through the Environment Agency's own registration service, and it's free for lower tier or £191.02 for upper tier.
There's no paper form, no third party you have to go through, and once you're set up your details go straight onto the Environment Agency's public register.
This guide covers exactly what you need before you start, the registration steps themselves, what you get once you're approved, and how renewal works.
This is general information, not legal or environmental-compliance advice. If you're not sure which tier applies to your business first, see our do I need a waste carrier licence guide before you register.
Before you start - what you'll need
If waste is your main business, the Environment Agency asks for the names and dates of birth of the organisation's executives, owners, directors or partners, details of any environmental offences any of them have committed, and a way to pay such as a debit or credit card (GOV.UK, verified 23 August 2026).
It's also worth knowing your tier before you start - our do I need a waste carrier licence guide covers the "whose waste is it" test that decides lower or upper tier.
How to register, step by step
Registration itself is a short online application through the Environment Agency's own service.
- Check your tier first. Confirm whether you only carry, buy, sell or deal in waste your own business produces (lower tier, free) or whether any of it belongs to someone else (upper tier, paid) - see our tier guide if you're unsure.
- Gather your business details. If waste is your main business, have the names and dates of birth of the organisation's executives, owners, directors or partners ready, along with details of any environmental offences they've committed.
- Start your application online. Go to the Environment Agency's registration service - there's no postal route in its published guidance, so this has to be done online.
- Pay the fee, if you're upper tier. Have a debit or credit card ready - the fee is £191.02 for a new upper tier registration; lower tier is free.
- Wait for confirmation. Once approved, your organisation's details are added to the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers, and you're given a registration reference starting with "CB".
- Keep your details up to date. You must contact the Environment Agency within 28 days of any change to your contact details, the people running the business, an environmental offence conviction, or a change to what your business does.
What does it cost?
Lower tier registration is free; a new upper tier registration costs £191.02, paid directly to the Environment Agency.
There's no "our fee" on this page. Registering directly with the Environment Agency is free (lower tier) or costs only the statutory fee above (upper tier), and we're not going to charge you for something that straightforward. Register free, direct with the Environment Agency →
✓ Fees verified against GOV.UK, 23 August 2026
How long does registration take?
The Environment Agency's published guidance doesn't state a specific processing time for waste carrier registration, so we can't give you a reliable number of days here.
Because the timescale isn't published, the sensible approach is to register with plenty of notice before you need to start carrying waste, rather than assuming it will be instant.
What do you get once you're registered?
Once approved, your organisation's details appear in the Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers, and you're issued a registration reference starting with "CB" (GOV.UK, verified 23 August 2026).
You'll find that reference on your registration letter or email, and it's the number clients, principal contractors and waste sites will typically expect you to be able to give them.
Keeping your registration up to date
You must contact the Environment Agency within 28 days if your contact details change, the people running the business change, someone managing the business is convicted of an environmental offence, or what your business actually does changes.
Updating your registration for any of those changes costs £49.62 (GOV.UK, verified 23 August 2026).
Renewing your registration
Lower tier registrations don't need renewing, but an upper tier registration lasts 3 years and must be actively renewed for £130.25.
The Environment Agency's guidance doesn't set out what happens if you let an upper tier registration lapse before renewing, so it's worth renewing in good time rather than letting it run out and risk having to register again from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register as a waste carrier by post?
We found no postal application route in the Environment Agency's published guidance - registration is online only, through its own registration service.
How do I pay for waste carrier registration?
By debit or credit card as part of the online application, for upper tier registrations; lower tier registration is free.
What is my "CB" number?
It's your waste carrier registration reference, issued once you're approved, starting with the letters "CB" - you'll find it on your registration letter or email.
Do I need to tell the Environment Agency if my business changes?
Yes - you must contact the Environment Agency within 28 days of a change to your contact details, the people running the business, an environmental offence conviction, or a change to your business activities, and updating your registration costs £49.62.
Does a waste carrier registration renew automatically?
No. Lower tier doesn't need renewing at all, but if you hold an upper tier registration you must actively renew it every 3 years for £130.25 - nothing happens automatically.
What if I'm not sure whether I need lower or upper tier?
See our do I need a waste carrier licence guide, which walks through the "whose waste is it" test, or check directly with the Environment Agency before you register.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to GOV.UK, the Environment Agency, SEPA, Natural Resources Wales, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, or any government body. This page is general information, not legal or environmental-compliance advice - for anything specific to your business, contact the Environment Agency directly or an environmental compliance adviser.