Waste law & duty of care
How to check a waste carrier licence before you book
Step-by-step guide to checking a waste carrier registration on the Environment Agency public register, and the difference between upper and lower tier.
- Written by Daniel Hartley, Operations Director & licensed waste carrier
- Reviewed by Priya Raman
- Updated 2026-07-15
Quick answer
How do I check if a waste carrier is licensed?
Search the Environment Agency public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers by company name or registration number. A legitimate collection business will hold an upper-tier registration. The check is free, takes under four minutes, and is the core of your duty of care.
Reviewed by Daniel Hartley, Operations Director & licensed waste carrier · Last updated 2 August 2026
Key takeaways
- Upper tier is required for anyone carrying other people's waste as a business
- Lower tier covers organisations carrying only their own waste
- Registrations expire — check the date, not just the number
- We hold an upper-tier Environment Agency registration
Upper tier versus lower tier
Lower-tier registration is for organisations that only carry their own waste, plus charities and waste brokers of certain types. It is free and does not expire. Upper tier is for anyone who transports waste produced by someone else as part of a business — every legitimate rubbish removal company in Kent needs it.
If a company shows you a lower-tier registration for a paid domestic collection, that registration does not cover the work they are doing.
The four-minute check
- Ask for the registration number and the exact registered company name
- Open the Environment Agency public register for waste carriers, brokers and dealers
- Search the number; confirm the name on screen matches the company quoting you
- Check the tier says upper and the registration has not expired
- Ask for the vehicle registration that will attend, and check it against the crew that turns up
Red flags worth walking away from
No company name on the vehicle or the quote. Cash only. A price far below every other quote. Refusal to provide a transfer note. An unmarked tipper with no signage. Any one of these on its own can be innocent; two together rarely are.
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