Transporting waste - who needs to register
If you want to transport waste (your own or someone else’s), you must have an authorisation from the:
- Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), in Northern Ireland, or
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), in Scotland
You must have an authorisation to transport waste even if carrying waste is not your main business activity or if you only carry waste occasionally.
If you do not register and you carry waste, you could receive a significant fine or even face prosecution.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland there is a two-tier registration system for waste carriers.
Upper tier waste carriers
If you transport other people's controlled waste, or your own construction or demolition waste, you must register as an upper tier waste carrier unless you fall into one of the categories for lower tier waste carriers.
Lower tier waste carriers
You must register as a lower tier carrier if you only carry:
- animal by-products
- waste from mines and quarries
- waste from agricultural premises.
You will also need to register as a lower tier carrier if you carry waste, and are:
- a waste collection, disposal or regulation authority
- a charity or voluntary organisation.
Lower tier carriers are also known as 'specified persons'.
You will also need to register as a lower tier carrier if you normally and regularly carry controlled waste produced by your own business.
Exemptions and exclusions from waste carrier registration in Northern Ireland
You do not need to register as a waste carrier if you:
- move waste between different places on your own site
- export waste by sea or air from the UK to outside the UK (however, you will need to register to transport waste to the port or airport)
- import waste from outside the UK into the UK, and the waste is landed in its final location (however, you will need to register to transport the waste anywhere by land, eg by train or lorry)
- are a ferry operator transporting waste-carrying vehicles
- operate vessels, aircraft, hovercraft, marine structures, floating containers or vehicles that carry waste and have a marine licence or marine licence exemption.
DAERA: Registration of Carriers Application Forms
Scotland
Transporting waste (including other people’s waste)
From 1 April 2026, businesses that transport waste produced by someone else must have a Transporting waste registration.
This applies to businesses including, but not limited to:
- Waste management contractors
- House clearance companies
- Skip hire companies
Existing registration holders – If your business holds an existing waste carrier registration your expiry date will remain the same.
Businesses will be issued a new EASR registration number when they renew after 1 April 2026, but can continue to use their old waste carrier number as evidence of authorisation for 3 years.
You do not need to apply for the transporting your own waste registration if you have obtained the transporting waste registration.
What you must do
If you hold a transporting waste registration authorisation, you must:
Inspect waste before transport
Check the waste before moving it. Make sure it matches the description on the waste transfer note.
Provide your authorisation reference
Your reference number must:
- be given to anyone whose waste you collect, and
- be included in any adverts for your services.
You must also meet your Duty of Care responsibilities for waste.
Find out more about transporting waste registration authorisations on the SEPA website – SEPA: Transporting waste.
Transporting Your Own Waste
Businesses that transport only their own waste will need a Transporting your own waste registration.
This includes:
- Trades people taking waste away after a job
- Gardeners removing clippings
- Engineers taking waste materials back to a depot
From 1 April 2026, this registration will replace the current professional collector and transporter registration.
Existing registrations - will continue until 31st March 2027, at which point you must have applied for an EASR authorisation to remain authorised.
There are no conditions and no fees for this registration, but you must meet your Duty of Care responsibilities for waste.
How to apply for an EASR authorisation
When you apply for an EASR registration or permit, SEPA will check that you:
- are the person in control of the activity, and
- are a “fit and proper person” to carry it out
The meaning of “in control” is the same for all authorisations, but the “fit and proper person” test will differ depending on the activity.
From 1 April 2026, SEPA will introduce a new digital application service.
See SEPA’s guidance for more information - SEPA: Transporting waste
Fees and charges
There is a fee for Transporting waste and acting as a broker or dealer registration authorisations and these will need to be renewed every three years (renewal fees apply).
There is no fee for the "transporting your own waste" registration, but you must renew it every three years.