Do I need a waste carrier licence for garden clearance in England?

Checked against official sources, October 2026. This guide uses England as its example. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.

Yes, if you carry other people’s waste as part of a business in England, you need to be registered with the Environment Agency as an upper tier waste carrier. Hedge cuttings, turf, soil and rubbish taken from a customer’s garden all count.

Who needs to register

Anyone who transports waste for someone else as part of their trade. Gardeners, landscapers, tree surgeons and one-man garden clearance firms are all included if they take the waste away.

Upper tier, not lower tier

Most garden clearance firms carry mixed waste from other people’s properties, which means the upper tier. It is registered on gov.uk and lasts three years before it needs renewing.

What registration does not do

Being registered does not cover everything. You still need a waste transfer note for each job, you must take waste to a permitted site, and your local council may have its own rules on top.

Check before you start

Use the Environment Agency’s public register on gov.uk to look up any carrier, including yourself. Customers are told to do the same.

Want it all sorted in one go? The Garden Clearance Compliance Pack gives you a personalised set of paperwork for £39. See the pack

Working outside England?

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own regulator, fees and penalties. See Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, or working across borders.

More guides

General guidance, not legal advice. Check current rules on gov.uk. Disclaimer.