Do I need a licence to remove rubbish?

You need a licence to remove rubbish if you move waste as part of a business: you must be registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier before you transport it, and you can be fined an unlimited amount if you are not. Carrying other people's waste, or your own construction and demolition waste, needs the upper tier registration, which is paid for and renewed every three years. Carrying only your own ordinary business waste needs the lower tier, which is free and does not expire. There is no exemption for small loads or occasional runs. Anyone hiring a collector should ask for the registration number and check it on the Environment Agency's public register; ours is CBDU466346.