Guidance

Registration rules and guidance

Updated 27 January 2026

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-exemptions-how-to-choose-register-and-pay/registration-rules-and-guidance

1. Overview

Most waste exemptions must be registered with the Environment Agency through the waste exemption service. If you do not pay for your exemptions, you need to register by phone. 

See the guidance on waste exemption charges.

Before you register, check that you have the right exemptions and that you can meet their conditions.

See the guidance on choosing the right waste exemptions for your activity.

2. Registration rules 

These rules apply to all waste exemption registrations. 

You cannot: 

  • have more than one of the same exemption at a site, at the same time 
  • register an exemption if it’s already registered at the site by another business
  • register a storage exemption to increase the storage limit in a different exemption 
  • store waste that is not included in the exemption you have registered

3. What you need when you register

When you register, you’ll need to give the following information:

  • exemptions you want to register – see the list of waste exemption guides
  • name, address and contact details of the person or business carrying out the waste activity
  • site address and postcode where the exemption will be used, or a grid reference
  • for a limited company or limited liability partnership, the company registration number and registered address
  • your payment details – you can pay by credit or debit card, or bank transfer

Waste exemptions are valid for 3 years from the date you register. Details about your business and exemptions will be added to the public register of exempt waste sites. 

Find out about charges for registering waste exemptions.

4. Rules for charities

To qualify as a charity and register free exemptions, an organisation must be run for the public benefit and work exclusively for a charitable purpose, as outlined in the Charities Act 2011. 

Examples of organisations that may work only for a charitable purpose can include, but are not limited to the following:

  • schools, universities, and other educational establishments - for the purpose of advancing education 
  • health centres – for the purpose of advancing health 
  • amateur sports clubs – for the purpose of advancing amateur sport 
  • animal rescue centres – for the purpose of animal welfare 

Read the Charity Commission guidance on charitable purposes for details of the 13 recognised areas of charitable activity, and more examples of charitable organisations. 

You must call the Environment Agency to register free exemptions.

5. T28 waste exemptions

You do not have to pay to register T28: Sorting and denaturing controlled drugs for disposal.

You must be an authorised person under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

Call the Environment Agency to register.

6. Registering exemptions on a farm

For waste exemptions on a farm (and outlying land or farmyards managed as a single farm unit) you need to register the exemption to the farm.

Yards or land parcels with different addresses and correspondence addresses are separate units and should be registered as separate sites.

Read waste exemption charges to find out about capped charges for farming exemptions.

7. Multiple site registrations

A registration at 30 or more sites is called a multiple site registration. Exemptions and business details are the same for all the sites. 

If you need different exemptions for different sites, you must register them separately. 

You can complete a multiple site registration in the waste exemption service.

In the service you can add your sites after you’ve chosen your exemptions. You must add at least 30 sites.

How to add sites in a multiple site registration 

  1. Answer ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Is this a multiple site registration?’ 

  2. Use the postcode finder to add an address, or the grid reference tool to give the UK grid reference and site details of your first site. 

  3. Repeat the process for each of your sites by clicking ‘Add another site’. Your sites will be displayed in a list as you add them. Do not click ‘Continue’ until you’ve added all your sites. 

  4. Bookmark the page if you want to save your list and finish adding sites later. Your information will be saved for 30 days – make sure you return to complete your registration before then. 

When you’ve finished adding all your sites, click ‘Continue’ to go to the next section. You’ll be asked for contact information and payment details. You can pay by card or bank transfer.

Read Waste exemption charges to find out about charges for multiple site registrations. 

8. Linear network registrations

Some waste activities take place along a stretch of road, river, canal or railway. These stretches are known as linear networks. 

The areas where waste activity takes place along a linear network are called operational areas. 

There are only 4 waste exemptions you can register along linear networks: 

How to register along a linear network

Go to Register linear network waste exemptions.

Read the guidance on the page before starting your registration using the online form.

You’ll need to know the exemptions you need and where you’ll be working (operational areas). You can show your operational areas in one of the following ways:

  • for simple operational areas, give grid references of the start and end points, with a name and short description of the areas
  • for complex networks, upload a map showing all the operational areas

When you submit the form, the Environment Agency will assess the information and contact you to discuss the registration and charges. 

9. Exemptions due to expire

If you still need your exemptions after 3 years, you can register them again for another 3 years.

The Environment Agency will contact you a month before they expire to tell you what to do. You cannot register them again until the Environment Agency contacts you.

If you miss the expiry date, your exemptions will be removed from the public register of exempt waste sites. 

10. Deregistering or updating your details 

Use the waste exemption service to: 

  • deregister waste exemptions you no longer need 
  • update your contact details if they’ve changed 

You’ll need: 

  • your waste exemption (WEX) registration number 
  • the email address you used to register the exemption

11. Contact the Environment Agency 

General enquiries

National Customer Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY

Email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

Telephone 03708 506 506

Telephone from outside the UK (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT) +44 (0) 114 282 5312

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

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