Waste Carrier Licence: Everything You Need to Know
If you transport scrap metal as part of your business, you need a waste carrier licence in addition to a Scrap Metal Dealer Licence. However, you don’t need one if you’re an individual scrapping your own car.
Whether you’re a car breaker, salvage operator or just scrapping the occasional end-of-life vehicle, the law is clear: if you carry waste, including scrap metal, in the course of a business, you must register for a waste carrier licence.
In today’s article, I’ll break down what a waste carrier licence entails, who needs one, how to register and what the risks are if you don’t.
What is a waste carrier licence?
A waste carrier licence is a legal registration that lets individuals and businesses transport, carry, broker or deal in waste as part of their commercial activities.
The licence ensures waste (including scrap metal, end-of-life vehicles and car parts) is moved and handled by responsible, registered operators. In the UK, it’s a mandatory requirement under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Holding one means you're legally bound to:
- Follow proper disposal and transfer procedures
- Only deal with other licensed businesses
- Keep records of waste movements
- Prevent illegal dumping or fly-tipping
It plays a critical role in maintaining environmental standards across the waste and recycling industry. It ensures waste is handled safely, lawfully, and traceably in order to reduce the risk of environmental harm, unlicensed disposal, and criminal activity.
What a waste carrier licence covers
A waste carrier licence allows you to legally transport waste (yours or others’, depending on the tier) as part of your business activities. That includes scrap metal, damaged vehicles, car parts and salvage materials.
In the eyes of the law, scrap metal counts as controlled waste. That means if you…
- Collect written-off cars to break for parts
- Transport scrap vehicles to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF)
- Move car parts from one yard to another
- Deliver scrap metal to a recycling site
…then you’re classed as a waste carrier and you have to be licensed.
This rule applies whether you’re collecting scrap metal for profit or simply moving it as part of another service, like dismantling, repair or resale.
Even occasional transport counts. If you only scrap a few vehicles per month but you transport them yourself, the law still requires you to register.
Lower-tier vs upper-tier waste carrier licences
There are two types of waste carrier licences in the UK, and which one you need depends on what kind of waste you handle and who you handle it for.
A lower-tier licence is for businesses that:
- Only transport their own waste
- Mainly handle general, green or office waste
- Don’t deal with construction, demolition or scrap metal
For example, if you’re a car garage taking your own packaging or workshop rubbish to the tip and nothing else, a lower-tier licence might be enough. But it won’t cover you for scrap metal.
An upper-tier licence is what motor traders and scrap handlers need. It covers you if you:
- Transport scrap metal, damaged vehicles or salvage parts
- Move waste on behalf of someone else
- Handle construction or demolition debris
- Collect rubbish or clear out properties
- Broker or deal in waste (even if you don’t move it yourself)
If you're collecting scrap cars, breaking vehicles for parts or even arranging collection and resale of salvage, this is the licence you need.
Scrap metal dealer licence vs waste carrier licence
I see these two licenses get confused all the time, but they’re not the same. They’re both important, though, because you need them both if you deal with scrap vehicles or car parts.
What is a scrap metal dealer licence for?
A scrap metal dealer licence is issued by your local council and is required if you:
- Buy or sell scrap metal (including vehicles, engines, catalytic converters, etc.)
- Run a car scrap yard, salvage operation, or mobile collection service
- Handle metal for profit, whether as a main business or side income
There are two types: a site licence (for fixed premises like a car breaker’s yard) and a collector’s licence (for mobile operators who collect door-to-door). Having one or the other certifies your compliance with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.
How is that different from a waste carriers licence?
A waste carriers licence is issued by either the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) depending on where you’re located.
While a scrap metal dealer licence is about what you do with the metal (buying, selling, collecting or processing it as part of your business), a waste carriers licence is about how you move it — transporting or disposing of scrap metal.
Most motor traders and salvage operators need both.
Since the waste industry laws overlap, the waste carriers licence covers commercial activity as well. If you buy or sell scrap metal from end-of-life vehicles, you're also considered a waste dealer under Environment Agency rules.
When you need a waste carriers licence
It’s required for any company that disposes of, buys, sells, brokers or arranges the disposal or processing of waste.
For scrap car buyers, that includes situations like:
- Collecting non-runners or MOT failures from customers
- Moving end-of-life vehicles to an ATF
- Transporting stripped shells or car parts for recycling
- Picking up accident-damaged cars for resale or salvage
- Driving a recovered vehicle to your yard, even if it's for dismantling later
Even if you don’t handle the collection yourself, you still need a licence if you arrange for someone else to move the vehicle on your behalf. That makes you a waste broker, which is also covered under the licence.
When you don’t need a waste carriers licence
Technically, you don’t need a waste carriers licence if:
- The customer arranges their own scrap vehicle transport (e.g. using a licensed recovery operator),
- And you don’t organise, collect or physically move the vehicle,
- And the vehicle is delivered directly to your premises without your involvement in transport.
But in practice, that’s almost never how businesses in this space operate. If you're offering free collection, sending drivers or recovery trucks, subcontracting pickups, managing customer bookings for collection or even just telling the driver where to go, you’re “involved in arranging the movement of waste”.
You also don’t need a Waste Carriers Licence if the vehicle is not classed as waste (e.g. you're transporting a roadworthy car for resale, with no intent to dismantle or scrap it).
How to apply for a waste carriers licence
Registering for a waste carriers licence is easy, and you’ll do it through the Environment Agency.
Registering through the Environment Agency
The steps to register are as follows:
- Head to the GOV.UK’s ‘Register or renew as a waste carrier, broker or dealer’ online service.
- Click ‘Start now’ if you’re in England, or follow the corresponding link if you’re in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
- When the question pops up, say you need an upper-tier registration.
- Complete the questions and submit your application.
You might need to register with more than one agency. For instance, if you’re in Scotland but transport scrap metal to and from Northern Ireland, you’ll also be required to hold a second licence with DAERA in Northern Ireland.
Cost and duration of lower-tier vs upper-tier licences
To figure out what you’ll have to pay for your Waste Carriers Licence now and in the future, here’s a table with the current listed prices per the government agencies’ websites:
Current waste carriers licence costs in the UK
Documents and proofs required for the application
For upper-tier registration you typically need:
- Names and dates of birth of directors or partners
- Any relevant environmental or criminal convictions
- Business/company details (like your company registration number)
- Payment method (e.g. credit/debit card)
Renewal rules and ongoing responsibilities
Once you're licensed, you're expected to meet certain legal responsibilities when you collect, transport, buy or broker scrap metal. Below are the six key duties you need to stay on top of to stay compliant and avoid fines.
1. Follow your “duty of care”.
As a registered waste carrier, you’re legally responsible for what happens to the waste you handle from the moment you collect it to the moment it’s disposed of or recycled. That means making sure it’s passed only to authorised businesses. If your scrap ends up dumped illegally and you didn’t do proper checks, you’re the one responsible.
2. Keep proper paperwork.
For every load of waste you move or hand off, you need to create a Waste Transfer Note (for regular waste) or a Consignment Note (for hazardous materials). They record what the waste is, where it’s going and who’s taking it. They’re your proof that you’ve done things by the book.
Keep them for:
- At least 2 years for waste transfer notes
- At least 3 years for consignment notes
3. Transport waste safely and securely.
This one’s simple but often overlooked: waste must be properly contained during transit. No leaky fluids, no scrap falling off the back of the truck, no unsecured items bouncing down the road. It’s your job to make sure the material is stored and transported in a way that protects the environment and the public.
4. Update the authorities when something changes.
If anything about your business changes, you’ve got 28 days to tell the regulator. That includes:
- Changes to your contact info
- New directors or business partners
- A shift in your activities (e.g. starting to broker waste)
- Switching from sole trader to limited company
Some updates are free. Others, like changing business type or adding broker status, require a fee or even a new registration. Either way, don’t ignore it. Silent changes invalidate your licence.
5. Declare relevant convictions.
In all four jurisdictions, if you hold an upper-tier licence, you’re required to declare any unspent environmental or waste-related convictions for yourself or anyone involved in running the business.
If someone gets convicted after you’re registered? You still have to report it. It’s part of the industry’s wider effort to stop illegal dumping and rogue traders.
6. Don’t use third-party agents.
The Environment Agency has issued repeated warnings about third-party services offering to manage renewals or registrations on your behalf. It’s a risk. Many of them charge more than they should, miss deadlines and give false information. Always use the official portals (like GOV.UK or NRW) to handle your application, renewal and updates.
Legal and financial consequences of operating without a licence
If you operate your scrap business without a licence, you’re going to face the following problems:
- Fixed penalty notice of up to £300 (£600 in fly-tipping cases)
- Unlimited fines if you’re prosecuted
- Additional court-ordered penalties
- £400 or more extra per duty of care incident
- Fines up to £20,000 in a Magistrates’ Court for missed recordkeeping
In one example from 2020, a Nottingham-based operator was prosecuted for operating without a licence. The result was a £1,100 fine, plus £2,217.84 in costs and £110 victim surcharge, totaling £3,317.84.
The bottom line
If you’re buying scrap cars, salvaging vehicles or transporting parts, you need a Waste Carriers Licence. No ifs, ands or buts.
It’s a legal requirement under UK environmental law, and it applies whether you’re a full-time breaker or just picking up the odd non-runner each month.
Getting licensed is cheap, quick, and protects you from hefty fines. Just as importantly, it shows customers, partners, and regulators that you run a compliant, professional business.
Pair it with a Scrap Metal Dealer Licence, and you’ll be fully covered for both trading and transporting scrap.
Want to scrap your car the legal way? We and our partner network are fully licensed and operate across the entire UK. Get a free scrap car quote today.
How much does it cost to get a waste carriers licence in the UK?
In the UK, a lower-tier waste carriers licence is free and doesn’t need to be renewed. If you need an upper-tier licence (which scrap dealers do), the cost varies by country.
In England, it’s £184 to register and £125 to renew every three years. Wales charges £169 to register and £116 to renew. In Scotland, expect £291 for either a carrier or broker licence (or £582 if you’re both), with renewals from £184 to £368. Northern Ireland charges around £164 to register and £82 to renew.
Can I sell scrap metal without a waste carriers licence?
You can legally sell scrap metal without a waste carriers licence if and only if the sale is incidental to your main trade (e.g. you're a plumber, electrician, or builder getting rid of leftover materials) or you're selling scrap metal you personally own, from your own home.
So, for example, if you’re going to scrap your car, you don’t need a licence. We’re the licensed ones who handle it properly for you.
But if you're in the business of buying, selling, or collecting scrap metal, even once in a blue moon, then you absolutely do need one.
Do scrap yards check if collectors have a licence?
Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013, scrap yards must check that any mobile collectors or suppliers they buy from hold a valid Scrap Metal Dealer Licence. If a yard accepts scrap from an unlicensed collector, they’re breaking the law too. That means they can face fines and possibly lose their own licence.
What happens if I collect scrap without a waste carriers licence?
If you're caught collecting or transporting scrap metal without a valid waste carriers licence, you can face: criminal prosecution, unlimited fines in the Magistrates’ Court, van or recovery truck seizure and tremendous damage to your business reputation.
Is a waste carriers licence needed for small-scale scrap collection?
If you’re collecting or transporting scrap metal as part of a business, even just a few jobs a month, you still need a Waste Carriers Licence. The law doesn’t make exceptions for side hustles, part-time traders and low-volume collectors. If it’s done for profit or as part of your trade, you’ve got to be registered.
Who issues waste carriers licences in the UK?
For businesses in England, the Waste Carriers Licence is issued by the Environment Agency (EA). In Scotland, it's the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), while in Wales, it’s Natural Resources Wales (NRW). For operators in Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) oversees the registration.
The requirements are quite similar across all four nations, but you have to register with the correct authority for your region. If you operate across borders, you might also need to register separately in some or all of the jurisdictions.
How long does a waste carriers licence last?
An upper-tier Waste Carriers Licence is valid for three years across all four UK nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. After that, you’ll need to renew your registration and pay a renewal fee (this varies by region).
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