This guidance applies to Northern Ireland and Scotland.
If you operate in England or Wales, see our guidance on environmental permits.
Transferring a waste management licence is passing it to another responsible person, without changing the activities or conditions.
Modifying or varying a waste management licence is changing the conditions of the licence, without changing the activities.
Surrendering a waste management licence is cancelling and ending the licence.
Contact your environmental regulator
In Northern Ireland, if you want to transfer, vary or surrender a waste management licence you should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
NIEA: Contact details
In Scotland, if you want to transfer, modify or surrender or transfer a waste management licence, you should contact your local SEPA office.
SEPA: Contacting SEPA
Transferring a waste management licence
If you want to transfer a waste management licence to another person you need to make a joint application to your environmental regulator. There is an application fee.
NIEA: Application to transfer a waste management licence (Adobe PDF - 144KB)
SEPA: Application form to transfer a waste management licence (MS Word - 90 KB)
Modifying or varying a waste management licence
You can apply to change the conditions of your waste management licence, but not the licence itself.
You will need a new waste management licence if you want to:
- carry out activities not covered by your licence
- carry out activities outside currently licensed sites.
NIEA: Application to modify a waste management licence (Adobe PDF - 118KB)
SEPA: Application form to modify the conditions of a waste management licence (MS Word - 142 KB)
Surrendering a waste management licence
If you no longer keep, treat or dispose of waste you must surrender (cancel) your waste management licence. You must continue to comply with the licence conditions until you have surrendered the licence.
Your environmental regulator will only accept the surrender if the condition of the land is unlikely to cause pollution or harm human health. You may have to continue to look after your site for some time.
NIEA: Application to surrender a waste management licence (Adobe PDF - 129 KB)
SEPA: Application form to surrender a waste management licence (MS Word - 142 KB)
Further information on changing a waste management licence
If you are unsure about how to transfer, vary or surrender your waste management licence, contact your environmental regulator.
NIEA: Contact details
SEPA: Contacting SEPA
In this guideline:
Waste management licensing exemptions
How do you apply for a waste management licence?
Transferring, modifying or varying and surrendering your waste management licence
Application forms and guidance on waste management licensing
Waste management licensing legislation
