Registration of Carriers
Guidance Note
Applying for Registration as an Upper Tier Carrier, Broker of, or Dealer in controlled waste or Applying for Registration as Lower Tier Carrier in controlled waste.
Please read this information before you apply
These details will help you register as an Upper or Lower Tier Carrier, Broker or Dealer in Controlled Waste in Northern Ireland, or a Lower Tier Carrier of controlled waste in Northern Ireland.
How can you register?
Step by Step Instructions to Apply for a Upper Tier Waste Carrier Licence
- 1. Click the following link to access the DAERA licensing portal: Registration of Carrier Guidance | Apply for Authorisation | Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland
- 2. Select ‘Registration of Carriers’
- 3. Then look for ‘New Upper Tier Carrier’ and select the green button that says ‘Start’
- 4. You will then be prompted to log into an app ‘NI Direct’ or ‘Government Gateway’ before you will be able to apply for your Upper Tier licence. Also if it’s your first time renewing online you may need to register for DAERA with your name, address and date of birth. Note - If you get an error message ‘MMPID’ while trying to log into Government Gateway please let us know and we can investigate this for you.
- 5. Once online then you can fill in the form which has 10 steps and submit it to us. A new licence costs £180.00 and will cover you for a 3 year period. We then will issue out an approval letter and certificate via email which is your licence.
Frequently asked Questions
What type of licence do you require?
Businesses that only transport, broker or deal in certain types of waste and some organisations are eligible to register as ‘Lower Tier’. All other people must register as ‘Upper Tier’.
Who should register as lower tier?
You can only register as lower tier if you are one of the following:
- A Government Department;
- A District Council (including City or Borough);
- Any wholly owned subsidiary of the Northern Ireland Railways Company Ltd;
- A waste collection authority, a waste disposal authority or a waste regulation authority;
- A charity;
- A voluntary organisation;
- A business which only carries animal by-products;
- A business which only carries waste from premises used for agriculture;
- A business which only carries waste from a mine or quarry.
- A business which only carries waste which it has generated on its own premises.
What are the different type of licences you can hold?
Below are a list of the various types of licences you can hold. You must have you/your business registered in the UK to hold any other licence type than ‘Carrier’.
‘Carrier’ - A person/business who normally and regularly transports controlled waste in the course of their business.
‘Broker’ - A person/business who arranges for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of controlled waste.
‘Dealer’ – A person/business who purchases and subsequently sells controlled waste. ‘Carrier/Broker‘– A person/business who transports controlled waste as well as arranging for someone else to buy, sell or dispose of controlled waste.
‘Carrier/Dealer’ – A person/business who transports controlled waste and also purchases and subsequently sells controlled waste.
What supporting documents are accepted as proof of address?
Below is a list of acceptable items. We don’t accept banks documents or invoices.
- Council tax/ Rates bill showing the business name and the address you want on the licence.
- Utility bill showing the business name and the address you want on the licence.
- Mortgage Statement on headed paper showing the business name and the address you want on the licence.
- HMRC tax notification/letter showing the business name and the address you want on the licence.
- Driving licence (Note: This option can only be used for Sole trader applications).
How long does registration last?
An Upper Tier registration lasts for 3 years unless you decide to cancel it early or NIEA revokes it.
What is a ROC Application Number?
This is a nine-digit number that is issued to customers when their ROC licence is issued. This number will also be on shown on both the 2 month and 6 month reminders. This number will be required when customers want to renew, modify or cancel their licence. Example of this number will be ROCXXXXXXXXX.
What is a ROC Licence Number?
A licence number if Upper Tier will start ROC UT XXXX.
What happens when we receive your application?
The legislation allows NIEA up to two months to determine your application. However, the Agency is usually quicker than this. You can assist the process by making sure that you complete all questions fully and provide all the relevant documentation. Once the Agency makes a decision on your application, we will let you know the outcome. Your application may be refused if you or another relevant person has been convicted of a relevant offence or if you provide incomplete or false information.
Is it important to keep contact details up to date?
Yes, NIEA require accurate contact details to ensure the licence holder can be reached for inspections, audits, or compliance checks. This helps maintain legal standards for waste management. Also changes in legislation, renewal reminders, or guidance on best practices are often sent to licence holders. Without correct contact details, important information could be missed.
When should I change my details?
You must notify NIEA within 28 days regarding any change to your name, contact details or principal place of business address. In case the Agency needs to contact you and to update the public register. NIEA may remove you from the register if your details are no longer valid. Should the registered legal person change, you are required to make a new application and pay the relevant fee. For example, if you are registered as an individual but then form a company, you will need to apply again as a company. If a new partner wants to join a registered partnership, she/he may either apply to be added to the existing registration, or all partners, including the proposed new one, may make a new application. Should your circumstances change and you no longer qualify as lower tier, you should re-register as upper tier.
How do I change my details?
A Waste Carrier Licence may need to be edited under certain circumstances during the life of that licence. It is the responsibility of the licence holder to notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and ensure that the licence holder is always contactable while also ensuring NIEA records and online registers remain accurate and up to date. This can be done when clicking on the modification button. When then logged in you can make any changes you then need to and submit your changes to the Registration of Carriers team to consider. Once the changes you have made have been accepted an amended licence will be issued to you. If further information is required, the ROC team will be in touch.
What happens when you register?
Upper tier applicants will receive a certificate once they are registered with NIEA which is issued via email. Lower tier applicants will receive an approval letter via email. This confirmation can be used as evidence of your registration. NIEA is required to make certain environmental information available to the public using a public register, which anybody can ask to see. NIEA will also place all registrants (upper and lower tier) on a public register. This will include your name and principal (main) place of business postcode, expiry date of licence and type of licence you hold. Anyone may view this on our website.
Application fees
You must pay a fee when you apply to register or renew a registration as an upper tier carrier, broker, carrier/broker or carrier/dealer. A New application costs £180 while a renewal costs £90 and both last for three years NIEA will not refund your fee if we refuse your application or, if having been registered, you decide to cancel it early or we revoke it.
What is C&D Waste?
Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste refers to materials generated during the construction, renovation, repair, or demolition of buildings, infrastructure, and other civil engineering projects. This includes waste arising from preparatory works such as transport infrastructure development. C&D waste encompasses not only structural components of buildings but also internal elements and systems of buildings, such as fixtures, fittings, and mechanical or electrical installations.
Renewal applications
NIEA will contact you approximately six months before your registration is due to run out via email. However, you can only renew activities for which you are already registered. For example, if you are registered as a ‘Carrier’ you cannot renew your registration as a ‘Carrier/Broker’ or ‘Carrier/Dealer’. If you want to add an activity, you will need to reapply with a new application.
What happens if I am convicted of a waste offence after I have registered?
If a registered waste carrier licence holder (owner, partner, company director or business itself) is convicted of an environmental offence, you must contact the Registration of Carriers team immediately at roc@daera-ni.gov.uk.
A relevant person may be anyone connected to the person applying for registration. For companies and other corporate organisations this includes;
- The company itself.
- Employees convicted while employed by the company.
- The officers of the company (company director).
- Other companies, if an officer of the company now applying was an officer of the other company at the time it was convicted.
For partnerships this includes:
- The individual partners.
- Employees convicted while employed by the partnership.
- Business partners, if the offence was committed in the course of their business.
For companies and other corporate organisations this includes:
- The individual.
- Employees convicted while employed by the individual.
- Companies for which the individual is an officer (company director).
Relevant offences
Offences that are relevant to your registration are shown below. You are not required to tell us about any ‘spent convictions’ covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, which applies to individuals. If the NIEA discovers a relevant conviction which you have not told us about in your application, the Agency will contact you. This will delay our processing of your application.
What NIEA does with information about convictions?
If you declare (or NIEA becomes aware of) any convictions for relevant offences, the Agency can refuse to register you if it deems that it is not desirable for you to carry out that activity. Refusal is not automatic. As part of your application, you will need to submit a post-conviction plan. This is your opportunity to explain what steps you have taken to make sure you will not re-offend. NIEA will consider the severity of the offences, along with your post-conviction plan, before deciding whether to register you or not. If the Agency refuses your application, we will let you know formally and supply you with details of how to appeal should you wish to.
How to complete a post–conviction plan
If you or any other relevant person has been convicted of any offence under the legislation listed above, you should submit a post-conviction plan to support your application. This form will be supplied by ROC staff once the offence has been declared.
What happens if I don’t submit a post-conviction plan?
If you don’t submit a post-conviction plan, it increases the risk of the Agency refusing to register you. It also means that we have to contact you to request a Plan, which will delay the processing of your application.
What is ‘duty of care’?
Duty of care is about making sure waste does not harm the environment or human health. You and other people handling controlled waste must make sure it is handled safely and only passed on to others who are permitted to receive it. There are some simple rules to follow, including:
- Check the person you transfer the waste to is properly authorised to accept it; for example, that they hold the necessary authorisation or registration.
- Make sure each transfer of waste is covered by a waste transfer note, or a consignment note if the waste is hazardous and that this adequately describes the waste.
- Make sure the waste is safely contained and that it is not able to escape control.
These rules apply to catering waste but not to other types of animal by-products. You may be asked to prove you are an authorised person when collecting or transferring waste to someone else. You can use your registration certificate if you are upper tier or your registration confirmation letter if you are lower tier. You can find more advice on duty of care on the NIEA website https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/duty-care and the Netregs website www.netregs.gov.uk.
Hazardous waste
If your activities involve hazardous waste, you will need to comply with the Hazardous Waste Regulations. To find out what you are legally required to do please visit the NIEA website at https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/hazardous-waste and the Netregs website at www.netregs.gov.uk.
What is waste from agricultural premises?
This is waste produced at agricultural premises as a result of an agricultural activity. Agricultural premises are defined in the Agriculture (Northern Ireland) Act 1949 as land used for: Horticulture, fruit growing, seed growing, dairy farming, livestock breeding and keeping, grazing land, meadow land, market gardens and nursery grounds. It also includes woodlands where that use is ancillary to (supports) the use of land for other agricultural purposes. This definition includes all arable farming. Not all activities where animals are kept are classed as agricultural. So, for example, riding stables, equine centres, kennels, animal parks and ornamental fish producers are not classed as agricultural premises. Waste from these premises would not qualify the carrier, broker or dealer to register as lower tier.
You will be prompted to login / register with the DAERA Central Authentication Service.