How to Search the EA Waste Carrier Register

Why You Must Check the Waste Carrier Register

Checking the Environment Agency's waste carrier register before transferring waste to a collector is not optional, it is a legal obligation. Under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the associated DEFRA Duty of Care Code of Practice (2016), businesses must take all reasonable steps to ensure that waste is transferred only to an authorised person. Being told verbally by a carrier that they are registered is not sufficient.

The courts and the Environment Agency have consistently treated active register verification as the minimum standard of reasonable steps. A business that cannot demonstrate it checked the register before transferring waste will struggle to mount a successful duty of care defence if its waste is subsequently fly-tipped.

The good news is that verifying a carrier's registration takes less than two minutes. The EA maintains a free, publicly accessible register that anyone can search without creating an account. This guide walks through the process step by step.

Where to Find the Register

The Environment Agency's public register of waste carriers, brokers, and dealers is available at:

environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

This is a free, publicly accessible register. You do not need to create an account, log in, or pay any fee to search it. The register covers England and Wales, carriers registered in England and Wales are on the same register regardless of which regulator (EA or NRW) processed the registration.

You can also access the register via the main GOV.UK website by searching for "check if a waste carrier is registered." The EA maintains links to the register on its regulatory pages.

Step-by-Step Search Guide

Here is how to search the EA waste carrier register effectively:

Step 1: Navigate to the Register

Go to environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers. The page loads a search interface with fields for searching by company name, registration number, or postcode.

Step 2: Enter Search Terms

You have two main search options:

• Search by name, enter the company name or trading name of the carrier. If you are unsure of the exact spelling, try partial name searches (e.g. entering "Smith Waste" will return all companies with "Smith Waste" in their registered name)
• Search by registration number, if the carrier has given you their registration number (which should begin CBDU or CBDL), enter this directly. This is the most reliable search method and the least ambiguous

If the carrier is a sole trader, search for their personal name or trading name. Sole traders may be registered under their own name rather than a business name.

Step 3: Review the Results

The search results will display a list of matching registered entities. Click through to the individual registration record to view full details.

Step 4: Confirm Registration Status

The registration record will show:

• The registered name and address
• The registration number (CBDU or CBDL format)
• The registration type (carrier, broker, dealer, or combination)
• The tier (upper or lower)
• The registration date
• For upper tier: the expiry date
• The current status (active, expired, or revoked)

Step 5: Record Your Search

Print or take a screenshot of the search result page showing the carrier's registration was active on the date of your search. Store this with your Waste Transfer Note records. This is your evidence that you discharged the reasonable steps obligation on this date.

What the Registration Details Mean

Understanding what you are looking at in the register is important. Here is what each element of a registration record means:

Registration Number Format

The registration number format tells you immediately what type of carrier you are dealing with:

• CBDU prefix, upper tier carrier, broker, or dealer. This is the professional/commercial registration. It has a three-year expiry date. The most common registration type for skip hire companies, waste management firms, and commercial carriers
• CBDL prefix, lower tier carrier. This is for businesses carrying their own waste incidentally to their main activity. It has no expiry date (lifetime registration). Not appropriate for professional waste carrying

If you are using a commercial waste collection service, you should expect to see a CBDU number, not a CBDL number. A CBDL number from a company claiming to be a professional waste carrier is a mismatch that warrants further inquiry.

Expiry Date

For upper tier (CBDU) registrations, the expiry date shows when the three-year registration period ends. You must verify this date against the date of your waste transfer. A registration that expired last month is not valid today, even if the carrier has a renewal pending.

Registration Type

Registrations may cover carrier only, broker only, dealer only, or combinations. If you are using someone specifically as a waste broker (to arrange transfers), check their registration includes "broker" status, not just "carrier."

Registered Address

The address on the register should match the address on your WTN for the transferee. A significant mismatch (e.g. a different city) is a warning sign that should be resolved before proceeding with the transfer.

What to Do If a Carrier Is Not Registered

If you search the register and cannot find the carrier, or find that their registration has expired or been revoked, you have several options:

Do Not Transfer the Waste

The safest and legally correct action is to refuse to hand over the waste until the carrier's registration status is resolved. This protects you from a potential duty of care breach. An unregistered carrier presents a significant risk: they are committing a criminal offence by carrying waste commercially without registration, and they are more likely to dispose of waste illegally.

Ask the Carrier to Clarify

Sometimes a carrier may have recently renewed their registration and the register has not yet been updated. Ask the carrier to provide their registration certificate or a reference number from their renewal application. However, do not transfer waste solely on the basis of such assurances without further verification.

Report to the Environment Agency

If you have strong reason to believe a carrier is operating without registration, you can report this to the Environment Agency's environmental crime reporting line. This is appropriate where you suspect deliberate evasion of the registration requirement.

SEPA (Scotland) and NRW (Wales) Registers

The EA register covers England and Wales (both nations are on the same register). However, waste carrier registration in Scotland is handled separately.

Scotland: SEPA Register

In Scotland, waste carriers must register with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The SEPA register of waste carriers is available at sepa.org.uk and can be searched by company name or registration number. Scottish waste carrier registration numbers use a different prefix format from England and Wales, they typically begin with SP followed by digits.

If you receive waste from Scotland or transfer waste to a Scottish carrier, you should check the SEPA register rather than the EA register. The EA register will not include Scottish registrations, and vice versa.

Wales: Same Register as England

Despite being regulated by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) rather than the EA, waste carriers in Wales are registered on the same England and Wales register accessible at environment.data.gov.uk. Welsh carriers use the same CBDU and CBDL prefix format. You do not need to search a separate register for Welsh carriers.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has its own waste regulation regime operated by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), with a separate carrier registration system. If dealing with Northern Irish carriers, check the NIEA register separately.

Keeping Proof That You Checked

Checking the register is only half the battle. You also need to be able to demonstrate that you checked, and what the result was, at the time of the transfer. Without evidence of your check, you cannot prove you took reasonable steps.

Best practice for keeping proof:

• Print or screenshot the search result, capture the page showing the carrier's registration was active on the date of your search. The screenshot should show the date and the registration status
• Record the registration number on the WTN, the CBDU or CBDL number appearing on the WTN links the documentation to the register entry
• File the search evidence with the WTN, store the screenshot or printout alongside the corresponding WTN for the minimum two-year retention period
• For regular carriers, re-check periodically, you do not need to check the register before every individual transfer from a carrier you use regularly. However, re-check at least annually, and always when renewing a season ticket. Upper tier registrations expire every three years; an annual check will catch any expired registrations before they cause compliance problems
• For new carriers, always check before the first transfer, the risk of using an unregistered carrier is highest on first engagement, before any track record is established

For more information on what must appear on a Waste Transfer Note, including the carrier's registration number, see our guide on waste carrier licence requirements.