Transporting waste or acting as a broker or dealer of waste

Use this service to make an application for an authorisation to:

Transport waste,
Transport your own waste, or
Act as a broker or dealer of waste.

If you transport waste or arrange for its transport as part of your business, you must register with SEPA – even if it’s occasional. Failure to register may result in a fine of up to £5,000.

This service cannot be used for:

Making an application for a registration or permit to carry out other activities under the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations (EASR).
Private Sewage Treatment Systems (PSTS).
Applications with a joint applicant.
Varying, surrendering, or transferring an authorisation.

From 1 November 2025, water, waste management, and industrial activities are regulated under EASR.

Who needs to register?

Transporting waste: This activity applies when transporting waste produced by another person. For example, commercial waste collections, skip uplift, house clearances, collecting waste textiles, and waste soil haulage.
Transporting your own waste: This activity applies when you are transporting only own your waste. For example, gardeners, building trades including plumbers, joiners or roofers, and food stalls. You do not need this authorisation if you already have a transporting waste authorisation.
Acting as a broker or dealer of waste: This activity applies when you arrange for other businesses’ waste to be handled, transported, disposed of or recovered. This activity also includes dealers who buy waste from other businesses to sell on, without taking physical possession of the waste.

To apply online

You will need to provide:

Details about your business or organisation.
Payment by credit/debit card.

You will also be asked if anyone has an unspent conviction for any relevant offences, or if anyone has been served any previous SEPA Fixed Monetary Penalty (FMP) or Variable Monetary Penalty (VMP) notices. See the list of relevant convictions for more information.

When uploading documents, please keep file names short and only use:

letters (A to Z)
numbers (0 to 9)
underscores (_)

Do not use:

special characters, including #%&*{}\/:<>?|”
spaces or emojis

What do I need to know?

You will not be able to save an incomplete application and return to finish it later. All documents must be completed and ready to upload.

Your company information may be pulled from Companies House, ensure these details are up to date before starting your application. Failure to do so could result in your application being rejected.

You must be aware of your Duty of Care for waste, and you will be asked to declare this as part of your application.

It’s quicker and easier to apply online. If you can’t, or if you need help please contact us.

If you are a user of British Sign Language, the Contact Scotland BSL service will give you access to an online interpreter.

Submit using our digital application service

Registration requirements

Transporting waste between Scotland, England and Wales: Register with the agency where your primary business activity takes place. Your authorisation will be valid in all three countries.
Transporting waste to and from Northern Ireland: Register with SEPA and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Note that all Northern Ireland addresses must be entered manually in the digital service and not through the post code look up function.

After you apply

If you use our online application system to apply and have no criminal convictions or monetary penalties to declare, you will automatically receive your registration by email. In some circumstances we may need to assess your application and tell you of our decision, the statutory timescale for a registration is within 28 days. On occasion, there may be circumstances where these timescales might need to be extended.

We may need to contact you when we are assessing your application if we have questions or need more information.

If you can't apply online

You can also submit application by email or post however, these methods will take longer.

To apply by email or post, you’ll need to provide:

An application form, which will ask details about your business or organisation.
Payment by credit/debit card or BACS.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know which authorisation I need?

If you are only transporting waste produced by your own business, you can apply for a ‘Transporting your own waste’ registration. This is the case irrespective of the type of waste you produce. For example, if you are producing your own construction and demolition waste, you only need a “transporting your own waste” authorisation, unless you are also carrying other people’s waste.

If you are transporting waste produced by another person, you will need to apply for a ‘Transporting waste’ registration.

How do I know if I am producing my own waste or not?

You are classed as producing your own waste if any activities you carry out produce waste (also referred to as an ‘original waste producer’). This may include if you, for example:

Are a gardener or engineer and produce waste during the course of your work.
Are a tradesperson such as a plumber or joiner who produces waste as part of a job.
Generate your own business waste at a premises and wish to transport it yourself.

Can I take my business waste to a HWRC?

The policies on this vary depending on the local authority you want to send your waste to. So, you will need to check with your relevant local authority directly.