Guide
The competence assessment explained
Last updated 15 September 2026
From 22 July 2027, anyone applying for a transporter, controller or combined permit in England must show they are technically competent before the Environment Agency will grant the permit. The route for doing that is the Controllers and Transporters (CaT) competence scheme, which the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) is building with the EA. People registering an exemption do not need it.
Why it exists
The current registration system does not ask whether you know anything about waste. In 2026 the trade press reported that a cow had been successfully registered as a waste carrier, which Defra used as an example of how little the system checks. The new regime asks you to show that you can classify waste, know where it is allowed to go, and keep the right records.
Who has to take it
The permit holder, or a nominated person employed by the business. If you are a sole trader, that is you. If you run a limited company with staff, you choose who holds the competence. Choose carefully: the nominated person has to be employed by the business, and what happens if they leave has not yet been confirmed.
Your consultant cannot take it for you. This is the one part of the process that has to be done by someone inside the business.
What it is expected to cover
Defra has said the assessment will be modular and proportionate, with different content depending on whether you transport waste, control it, or do both. CIWM has said it is producing learning materials, assessments and digital certification. The detailed content has not been published, but based on what the regime is trying to fix, expect the transporter module to cover the duty of care, what a transfer record must contain, checking that the site you deliver to is authorised, and what to do when a site refuses a load. Expect the controller module to add classifying waste, choosing a lawful destination, and your responsibilities when you arrange movements for other people.
Format, cost and time
Not published yet. CIWM has said the resources will be flexible and available before the regime starts.
How to prepare now
You do not need to wait for the scheme to open. The material it will test is already public.
Read the waste duty of care code of practice on gov.uk. It is short and it is the foundation of everything else.
Learn the List of Waste codes (often called EWC codes) for the waste you actually handle. Most small businesses only ever use a handful.
Understand what a waste transfer note must record and start keeping yours properly now, whether on paper or through digital waste tracking.
Make a habit of checking that the sites you use hold a permit or a registered exemption. The public register is on the EA's website.
Everything you do to prepare also makes your business easier to run, because compliance monitoring under the new regime will look at these same records.
Still to be confirmed
- The assessment format, cost, duration and where you take it.
- Whether competence expires and needs refreshing at renewal.
- What happens when a nominated person leaves the business.
- Whether existing qualifications such as WAMITAB certificates count towards it.
Frequently asked questions
- Can my consultant or accountant take the assessment for me?
- No. It has to be the permit holder or an employee of the business.
- Is it the same as a WAMITAB qualification?
- No. It is a new scheme run by CIWM. Whether existing qualifications are recognised has not been confirmed.
- Does an exemption need it?
- No.
Want a checklist of what to learn before the scheme opens? It is included in the readiness checklist you get with the permit checker.Check which permit you need
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The Environment Agency makes the final decision on any application.