Where do I check a waste carrier licence?

On the Environment Agency public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers. You can search by registration number, business name or postcode, or phone the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506.

What does CBDU mean on a waste carrier number?

It's the start of a waste carrier registration number in England. The government's duty of care code says each carrier should have a registration number starting CBDU followed by a set of numbers.

What's the difference between upper tier and lower tier?

Upper tier allows a business to transport other people's waste. Lower tier is mainly for organisations carrying their own waste. Anyone clearing your rubbish for payment should be upper tier, and that registration must be renewed every 3 years.

Do I need a waste transfer note for my household rubbish?

No. Householders don't have to produce one for their own household waste, though a receipt is worth keeping. Landlords and businesses do need a waste transfer note for each load.

How to check a waste carrier licence (step by step)

Why it's worth two minutes

The law puts a duty on householders to make sure their waste only goes to an authorised person. If a collector you paid dumps your stuff down a ginnel and it's traced to you, Leeds City Council says you could face a £200 fixed penalty or prosecution. Checking the register is how you show you took reasonable care. It also weeds out the people who'd rather you didn't look: a firm that's properly registered has no reason to mind you checking.

Step by step on the public register

The register is free and open to anyone. Here's how to use it.

Ask the collector for their waste carrier registration number before the day of the job. A genuine firm will give it without fuss.
Open the Environment Agency's search page for waste carriers, brokers and dealers: environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.
Search by registration number if you have it. You can also search by business name or postcode.
Check the name on the entry matches the business or person turning up at your door.
Check it's an upper-tier registration (more on that below).
No internet? The duty of care code of practice says you can phone the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506.

What CBDU means

In England, waste carrier numbers start with CBDU followed by a set of numbers. The government's duty of care code of practice tells householders to expect exactly that. A number in a different format, or one that doesn't come up on the register at all, is a reason to stop and ask questions. Gov.uk's registration page says numbers start with CB, and registered carriers must keep their details up to date within 28 days of a change, so a business name or address that doesn't match is worth asking about too.

Upper tier or lower tier

There are two levels of registration and the difference matters. The code of practice says upper tier lets someone transport other people's waste, while lower tier is mainly for organisations carrying their own waste.

So a gardener with a lower-tier registration may be fine carting off their own cuttings, but a firm clearing your loft should be upper tier. Upper-tier registrations have to be renewed every 3 years, so make sure the one you find is current rather than a stale entry.

What to ask before they load

Leeds City Council's advice boils down to three questions, and a straight answer to each is a good sign.

Can I see your waste carrier licence, or what's your number so I can check it?
Can I pay by card or bank transfer and get a receipt or waste transfer note?
Where are you taking it?

Red flags

None of these prove someone is a fly-tipper, but each one is worth taking seriously.

Cash only, with no receipt offered.
No registration number, or one that isn't on the register.
A name on the register that doesn't match the van or the person.
A vague answer to where the waste is going.
A price below the council's published minimum disposal costs, such as £36.25 for a sofa and two armchairs before labour. Leeds says a quote below these probably means your waste would be fly-tipped.
A knock on the door or a social media post offering to take rubbish away cheap, with no business details.

Paperwork: what you should get

For your own household rubbish, the code of practice says you don't have to produce a waste transfer note. A receipt from a card or bank payment is still worth keeping. Landlords and letting agents are different: waste from clearing a property after the tenants have left isn't treated as household waste, so it needs a proper waste transfer note.

You may have read that the registration system is being replaced with permits. Defra has published plans for that, but no start date has been set at the time of writing (October 2026), so CBDU registration is still the thing to check.

Checking us

We hold an upper-tier registration, and we'll give you the number with your quote so you can look us up before we arrive. You get a receipt for every household job and a waste transfer note for landlord and business work. If you'd like to ask where your load is going, ask. We'll tell you.

How to check a waste carrier licence before you hand over your rubbish