Lower Tier – £60

Lower tier applies when you only transport your own waste, and the waste is not construction & demolition waste.

Certain exempt activities (charities, agriculture, mines/quarries) also fall under lower tier.

Upper Tier – £304

Upper tier is required if your business:

• Transports other people’s waste
• Carries construction and demolition waste
• Buys, sells or trades waste
• Arranges waste on behalf of others (brokering)
• Operates a skip hire / clearance / scrap service

Most UK businesses require upper tier.

The waste carrier licence fees you need to know:

• Lower Tier Registration: £60
• Upper Tier Registration: £304
• Upper tier registration lasts 3 years
• Renewals typically follow the same pricing structure

Lower tier is a one-off registration unless your business activity changes.

• Upper Tier: lasts 3 years, must be renewed.
• Lower Tier: does not expire, unless your business changes or you move into upper tier activity.

Carrying or brokering waste without the correct registration is illegal UK-wide.

Penalties include:

• Unlimited fines
• Vehicle seizure
• Enforcement action
• Liability for fly-tipping incidents
• Risk of prosecution

Hiring an unregistered waste carrier also exposes customers to penalties.

To apply, you’ll need:

• Business trading name and address
• Contact details
• Names and dates of birth of directors/owners
• Any relevant environmental convictions
Type of waste activities you carry out
• Payment method (for upper tier or lower tier fees)

This information is required throughout the UK.

Yes, in most cases.

If your business transports its own waste as part of your work, you must register — usually lower tier (£60).

However, if your own waste includes construction & demolition waste, you must register as upper tier (£304).

All UK regulators provide a public register that allows you to check:

• Whether a business is registered
• Their tier (lower/upper)
• Their registration number
• The expiry date (upper tier only)

Checking the register protects you against fly-tipping liability.

Yes. A regulator can refuse or revoke a registration if:

• Directors or managers have environmental offences
• False details are supplied
• The business fails to follow waste laws
• The licence is misused or linked to illegal activity

• Upper Tier (£304): must be renewed every 3 years
• Lower Tier (£60): does not require renewal unless your business activity changes

You must keep:

• Waste transfer notes (non-hazardous waste)
• Hazardous waste consignment notes, if applicable
• Details of the waste type, origin and destination
• The waste carrier’s registration number
• Documentation for at least 2 years

These are legal requirements across the UK.

Yes

If your business removes any waste from domestic premises, you must register. This includes:

• Builders
• Landscape gardeners
• Cleaning companies
• Property maintenance
• House clearances
• Man-and-van services

Domestic waste removal is a licenced activity.

Yes

Skip hire, waste collection, metal recycling, scrap removal and clearance companies must all register as upper tier (£304).

You must update your registration if:

• Your business name or address changes
• New directors or partners join
• Your activity changes (e.g., start brokering waste)
• You need to move from lower tier to upper tier

Failure to update details is a legal breach.

No.

Waste carrier registrations cannot be transferred.

If your business structure changes (sole trader → limited company), you must apply for a new licence.

Registration can be very quick once all information is complete.

Timelines depend on:

• Accuracy of your details
• Whether any convictions need assessment
• Proper submission to the regulator
• Whether additional info is required

Most applications are processed fast when all details are correct.