Waste registrations, permits and exemptions explained
Understand waste carrier registrations, site permits, exemptions and Scottish EASR authorisations, with practical checks and official sources.
Read the complete guideRegistrations & permits
Understand waste registrations, site permissions and the questions each type of record can answer.
Waste carrier registrations and site authorisations answer different questions about a proposed service. Start with our complete guide, then explore transporting business waste, reading site conditions, managing permission changes and understanding exemptions. Each article connects the practical questions with the relevant official guidance.
Start with the complete guide
Registrations and waste transport
What does a waste carrier registration actually cover?
Understand the legal role of waste carrier registration, its limits, business identity and the separate permissions needed for receiving and managing waste.
Read the articleUpper-tier and lower-tier waste registration explained
Understand England and Wales waste registration tiers, own-waste and construction distinctions, renewal differences and why Scottish records need separate reading.
Read the articleDo you need to register to transport your own business waste?
Find out when carrying your own business waste needs registration, how construction waste changes the answer, and why Scotland has a different system.
Read the articleWhen does a waste business need a new carrier registration?
Work out whether a business change needs a new carrier registration, an update, renewal or Scottish transfer, and keep identity and activity evidence clear.
Read the articleUnderstanding site permissions
Scottish waste authorisations: EASR explained
Understand Scottish waste authorisations, EASR rules, registrations, permits and the transition from older licences before interpreting your records.
Read the articleHow to read a waste environmental permit
Read waste permit conditions, schedules, plans and variations, distinguish waste codes from activities, and record a clear interpretation with official sources.
Read the articleStandard rules and bespoke waste permits: what is the difference?
Understand standard rules and bespoke waste permits, compare their scope and change processes, and find the right official guidance for England and Wales.
Read the articleWaste permit site boundaries: which land is authorised?
Understand waste permit boundary plans, adjoining land, storage areas and extensions so you can check which activities are authorised at a location.
Read the articleWaste permit storage, throughput and time limits explained
Learn how annual throughput, maximum waste on site, storage periods and operational capacity interact when interpreting a waste facility permit.
Read the articleWaste recovery and disposal codes: R and D codes explained
Understand R and D waste operation codes, including R13 and D15, and what they reveal about storage, treatment, recovery and the onward waste route.
Read the articleMobile waste plant permits and deployments explained
Understand mobile waste plant permits, site deployments, national procedures and the evidence needed before a temporary treatment project begins.
Read the articlePlanning permission and waste permits: do you need both?
Understand how planning permission and waste permits differ, when both may be needed, and how to review applications, conditions and site changes.
Read the articleChanges, status and permit documents
Waste permit variations: when and how do permissions change?
Understand waste permit variations, effective dates and revised conditions, with practical examples and separate guidance for England, Wales and Scotland.
Read the articleWaste permit transfers and changes of operator explained
Check waste permit transfers, legal operators and effective dates when a business changes hands, with guidance for England, Wales and Scotland.
Read the articleWaste permit suspension, revocation and surrender explained
Understand waste permit suspension, revocation and surrender, check partial restrictions and effective dates, and establish what activities remain authorised.
Read the articleHow to find the current waste permit and its documents
Find current waste permit documents through official registers, connect variations and transfers, and resolve missing files in England, Wales and Scotland.
Read the articleCan you operate while a waste permit application is pending?
Separate proposed waste activities from existing lawful operations, and check current permissions, application stages and specific transitional arrangements.
Read the articleStorage, exemptions and regulatory positions
Storing your own business waste: permit or exemption?
Check the rules for storing your own business waste at work or a depot, including temporary storage exemptions in England and Wales and Scottish GBRs.
Read the articleWaste exemption expiry and renewal: what should you check?
Check waste exemption dates, re-registration and changing conditions in England and Wales, with a separate guide to Scotland’s EASR transition deadlines.
Read the articleRegulatory position statements: what do they allow?
Understand what a waste regulatory position statement covers, how to check conditions and dates, and why it does not replace every permission a site needs.
Read the articleExplore other topics
Supplier checks
Build a clearer picture of a waste supplier before appointing them or reviewing an existing relationship.
Explore the topicCompany & regulatory information
Explore the company records and published regulatory history that provide context for a supplier review.
Explore the topicDuty of care & record keeping
Connect supplier reviews with waste responsibilities and keep a useful record of the evidence behind your decisions.
Explore the topicMonitoring & supplier management
Keep supplier reviews current and organise the work across your business, locations and internal client portfolios.
Explore the topicSites & waste types
Research waste facilities and operators using location, waste types and authorised activities.
Explore the topicWaste data & digital tracking
Navigate public waste information and understand how registers, historical evidence and digital tracking fit together.
Explore the topic