Waste carrier licence: upper vs lower tier explained
Who needs upper tier vs lower tier, what registration costs, how to register with the Environment Agency, and why a lapsed licence is a criminal offence.
EDIT (June 2026): the registration system below is changing. DEFRA is replacing the upper and lower tiers with environmental permits. Read what is changing here.
If you move waste that is not your own, you almost certainly need to be registered as a waste carrier. There are two tiers, and people often pick the wrong one or let it lapse. Here is who needs which, what it costs, and why carrying without it is a serious problem. For the wider picture on who needs a licence and how the whole system fits together, see our complete guide to the waste carrier licence.
The two tiers
Waste carrier registration comes in two tiers, lower and upper. When you register, the Environment Agency tells you which one you fall into. The split comes down to one thing: whose waste you carry.
Lower tier (free)
Lower tier is for businesses that only carry waste they produced themselves, plus charities and a few specific wastes like agricultural or animal by-product waste. It is free, and it does not expire.
Upper tier (a fee, every three years)
Upper tier is for anyone who carries waste produced by someone else, and for dealers and brokers. You must renew it every three years, and there is a fee, currently just under £200 to register and about £130 to renew. Check gov.uk for the exact, current figure.
How to register
You register online with the Environment Agency at gov.uk. You get a registration number, which goes on your consignment notes and into a public register that anyone can search. You can register or renew here.
Why a lapsed licence is a big deal
Carrying waste without a valid registration is a criminal offence, and the fine has no upper limit. Because the register is public, an officer can check your number on the spot at a roadside stop or a site inspection. An expired registration is treated the same as having none at all.
The rule is simple. Carry only your own waste and lower tier is free. Carry anyone else's, or construction waste, and you need upper tier, renewed every three years. Keep it current, and keep the number on your notes.