A waste transfer note records what the waste is, its List of Wastes code, how much there is, who hands it over, who takes it, when and where, and both signatures. The Environment Agency publishes a free template on GOV.UK, or you can use your own document with the same information. (GOV.UK; GOV.UK)
This guide covers England. It is not legal advice; the official links give the full requirements.
What goes on the note
The law lists what the note must record: (regulation 35)
- the waste, identified by its List of Wastes code, with a description
- the quantity, whether it is loose or in a container, and if in a container, what kind
- the time and place of the transfer
- the names and addresses of the person handing over the waste and the person receiving it
- the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code of the person handing it over
- what each person is, for example the producer, a registered waste carrier (with its registration number) or a permit holder (with its permit number)
- confirmation that the person handing it over has applied the waste hierarchy
- both signatures
The official template
The Environment Agency publishes the duty of care waste transfer note form on GOV.UK, in three versions: a PDF you can fill in on screen, a printable PDF, and a Welsh language form. (GOV.UK)
You can use the form to fill in, sign and store your waste transfer notes, or you can use alternative documentation with the required information. (GOV.UK)
GOV.UK says that if you fill in the waste transfer note on screen, you must print it and sign it. (GOV.UK)
The rules around the note
For each load of non-hazardous waste you move off your premises, you need a waste transfer note or a document with the same information, such as an invoice. Your business and the business taking your waste both fill in the sections that apply to them, sign it, keep a paper or electronic copy for 2 years, and show it to an enforcement officer from your local council or the Environment Agency if asked. (GOV.UK)
A season ticket can cover repeat transfers of the same non-hazardous waste for up to a year, with a separate schedule listing each transfer. (GOV.UK)
More on what the note is for: what a waste transfer note must include and how long to keep waste notes.
Sources
Checked 3 November 2026.
CWR Micro fills the note in on the phone and the customer signs on screen. Try Pro free for 14 days.