Waste transfer note vs consignment note: the difference
They are not the same document. One is for hazardous waste, one is not. Here is which you need, when, and how long to keep each.
People use 'waste transfer note' and 'consignment note' as if they are the same thing. They are not. Pick the wrong one and you have the wrong paperwork for the load, which an inspector will spot straight away. The good news is that telling them apart is simple.
The short version
A consignment note is for hazardous waste. A waste transfer note is for non-hazardous waste. Both do the same basic job, a record of who handed what waste to whom, but they cover different waste and carry different rules. Our free EWC code checker tells you whether a waste is hazardous, and so which note it needs.
| Consignment note | Waste transfer note | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Hazardous waste | Non-hazardous waste |
| When | Every hazardous load | Non-hazardous transfers |
| Keep for | At least 3 years | At least 2 years |
| Set by | Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 | Duty of care, EPA 1990 |
The waste transfer note
A waste transfer note, or WTN, covers everyday non-hazardous waste, like general business waste or mixed recycling. It is part of your duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Both the business handing over the waste and the one taking it must keep a copy for two years.
The hazardous waste consignment note
A hazardous waste consignment note is for hazardous waste only, like waste oils, asbestos or solvents. It carries more detail, including the waste code and the carrier's registration, and it must travel with the load from the producer to the receiving site. You keep it for at least three years, or for five years if you are the site that received it.
How to tell which one you need
It comes down to one question: is the waste hazardous? If yes, it needs a consignment note. If no, a transfer note is enough. If you are not sure, do not guess. Classify the waste first.
Both are moving to digital
From 2026 both records are being brought into digital waste tracking, the government's new online system. For now you must keep completing your notes as normal, and the digital service runs alongside them. The change does not affect which document a load needs, only how the move is tracked.
So the rule is short. Hazardous waste gets a consignment note. Everything else gets a transfer note. Get that right and the rest of the paperwork follows.