To check a waste carrier is registered in Scotland, ask the company for its registration number, then look it up on SEPA's free public register using the "Find waste transporters and brokers" search. Check that the status says Granted, that the expiry date has not passed, and that the holder name and business address match the company you are dealing with. If a company will not give you a number, do not hand over your waste.
It takes a couple of minutes and it protects you. Under Scotland's duty of care, householders must only give their waste to an authorised person, so whether you are booking a registered house clearance company in Glasgow or someone to take away a single sofa, the check is worth doing every time.
This guide walks through the register step by step, explains the new waste transporter numbers introduced in April 2026, and lists the warning signs to look out for. We also show you our own entry, so you can check us too.
What is the SEPA public register?
SEPA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, keeps a public register that anyone can search online. The "Find waste transporters and brokers" service lists active authorisations for transporting or brokering waste, along with waste carrier registrations made under the previous legislation. It is the place to check any business that collects or moves waste in Scotland, from clearance companies and skip firms to man and van services.
How do I check if a waste carrier is registered in Scotland?
Follow these steps before you agree a booking:
- Ask for the registration number. A genuine company will give it without hesitation. It should start EAS/R or WCR/R.
- Open SEPA's register. Go to the Find waste transporters and brokers search on SEPA's website.
- Search. You can search by authorisation number, previous authorisation number, authorisation holder, trading name or business address. The number is the most reliable search, but searching the company name as well can be useful.
- Read the result. Each entry shows the authorisation number, any previous number, the status, the authorisation holder, the trading name, the business address and the expiry date.
- Check the status. You are looking for a status such as Granted.
- Check the expiry date. If the date has passed, open the Details section to see whether a renewal application has been received (more on this below).
- Match the details. The holder name, trading name and business address should match the company on your quote, invoice, website or van. A real number that belongs to a different business is a serious warning sign.
- Keep a record. Note the number and the date you checked, or take a screenshot, and keep it with your quote.
EAS/R and WCR/R numbers explained
From 1 April 2026, waste carriers in Scotland are known as waste transporters. New authorisation numbers start EAS/R. Older waste carrier registrations start WCR/R, and these still appear on the register. So a WCR/R number is not out of date in itself; what matters is the status and expiry date shown against it.
What if the expiry date has passed?
Under SEPA's regulatory position statement, a transporter can keep carrying waste after its expiry date if SEPA received a renewal application no later than that expiry date. You can see this in the Details section of the entry. If the date has passed and there is no sign of a renewal, ask the company to explain before you go ahead.
What is a waste carrier licence?
People often talk about a "waste carrier licence", but in Scotland it is a registration, or since April 2026 an authorisation, with SEPA. It shows that the business is allowed to transport waste. Being on the register does not guarantee good service, but a company that is not on it should not be collecting your waste at all.
What is a waste transporter?
Waste transporter is the term SEPA has used since 1 April 2026 for what used to be called a waste carrier: a business that transports waste. The register also lists waste brokers. If you see either term on a quote or a website, the same check applies: look the business up and make sure the details match.
Does England use the same register?
No. England has a different register, run by the Environment Agency, and many online guides about checking a waste carrier are written for England. If you are hiring a company based in Scotland, make sure you check SEPA's register, not the English one.
What happens if my waste is fly-tipped by someone I paid?
If you give your waste to someone who is not authorised and it is later fly-tipped, you can be held responsible under the duty of care, even though you paid them to take it away. Under the Fly-tipping (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Order 2023, the fixed penalty for fly-tipping rose from £200 to £500 on 1 January 2024. If a case goes to court, the fine on conviction can reach £40,000 and imprisonment is possible. Our guide about fly-tipping and the law explains more, and if rubbish has been dumped on your land, see our fly-tipping clearance service in Glasgow.
Red flags to watch out for
Be cautious if a waste collector:
- will not give you a registration number, or gives one that does not match their name;
- asks for cash only and will not give a receipt;
- has no business address, or only a mobile number;
- advertises only on social media, with no website or reviews you can check;
- quotes far below everyone else without explaining why;
- turns up in an unmarked van;
- offers no written quote and no paperwork afterwards.
One of these on its own may have an innocent explanation, but several together should make you think twice. We cover this in more detail in why you should call us instead of a white van man.
What should a waste carrier give me?
A professional company should be happy to provide:
- its SEPA registration or authorisation number, so you can check it;
- a written quote before any work starts;
- details of its insurance;
- a business address and contact details;
- paperwork once the job is complete, showing who took the waste.
Businesses have extra duties: they must complete waste transfer notes when waste is passed on and keep waste contained. For more checks to run before you book, see our list of questions to ask a house clearance company.
Check us on the register
We would rather you checked than took our word for it. When we looked on 2 October 2026, our entry on SEPA's register showed:
- Authorisation holder: JETTISON LTD
- Trading name: JETTISON LTD
- Authorisation number: WCR/R/1186489
- Status: Granted
- Expiry date: 6 October 2028
Our registration is held in the company name, JETTISON LTD, so that is the name you will see when you search. Search for the number yourself and you will find the same details.
How Jettison Express can help
Jettison Express is a registered waste carrier based in Glasgow's east end, handling house clearances and junk removal across Glasgow and central Scotland, including house clearances in Rutherglen and the surrounding towns. You get an up-front rate before work starts. Our uniformed and insured team calls ahead on the day, dismantles furniture, lifts carpets and finishes with a sweep and tidy. Everything goes to our Glasgow depot to be sorted, with over 90% reused or recycled, and we leave paperwork once the job is complete. We do not remove asbestos or hazardous waste.
For a quote from a company you can check on SEPA's register, contact Jettison Express or call 0333 880 6800.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a waste carrier is registered in Scotland?
Ask the company for its registration number, then search for it on SEPA's public register using the Find waste transporters and brokers search. Check the status says Granted, the expiry date has not passed, and the holder name and business address match the company you are dealing with.
What is a waste carrier licence?
It is the common name for a registration, or since April 2026 an authorisation, with SEPA that allows a business to transport waste in Scotland. You can check it on SEPA's public register. A company that is not registered should not be collecting your waste.
What is the SEPA public register?
It is a free online register kept by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Its Find waste transporters and brokers search lists active authorisations for transporting or brokering waste and older waste carrier registrations, showing the number, status, holder, trading name, business address and expiry date.
What happens if my waste is fly-tipped by someone I paid?
If you gave your waste to someone who was not authorised and it is fly-tipped, you can be held responsible under the duty of care. The fixed penalty for fly-tipping in Scotland is £500, and on conviction fines can reach £40,000. Checking the SEPA register before you book protects you.
What should a waste carrier give me?
A professional company should give you its SEPA registration or authorisation number, a written quote before work starts, details of its insurance, a business address and paperwork once the job is complete. Businesses must also complete waste transfer notes when waste is passed on.
What is a waste transporter?
From 1 April 2026, waste carriers in Scotland are known as waste transporters. New authorisation numbers start EAS/R, while older waste carrier registrations start WCR/R and still appear on SEPA's register. Either can be valid, so check the status and expiry date.