The annual 'season ticket' waste transfer note explained
Last updated 17 August 2026
In short
An annual waste transfer note — called a season ticket — is a single WTN document that covers multiple transfers of the same non-hazardous waste between the same parties over a period of up to 12 months. A running schedule must be kept alongside it recording the date and quantity of each individual collection.
Regular waste collections — weekly bins, daily skips, recurring industrial loads — do not have to mean a new waste transfer note every time. An annual ‘season ticket’ lets you cover up to 12 months of identical non-hazardous collections on a single document. Here is exactly how it works, when you can use it, and what records you still need to keep.
What is an annual waste transfer note (season ticket)?
The duty to transfer waste only to an authorised person, accompanied by a written description, comes from section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The detail of what transfer notes must contain is set out in Regulation 35 of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. The Waste Duty of Care Code of Practice (November 2018) — a statutory document that courts and regulators must have regard to — defines the season ticket concept and the 12-month maximum. For Scotland and Northern Ireland equivalent provisions apply under separate regulations, but the season-ticket mechanism works the same way.
When can you use a season ticket?
All of the core details on the season ticket must remain the same for every transfer it covers. If multiple sites are involved, they can either be listed on the face of the season ticket or recorded in the accompanying schedule.
| Element | Fixed or variable? |
|---|---|
| Waste type and EWC code | Fixed — must be identical for every transfer under this note |
| Parties (transferor and transferee) | Fixed — same producer/holder and same carrier throughout |
| Carrier registration | Fixed — same registered carrier for the duration |
| Site of transfer | Can vary — multiple sites can be listed in the schedule |
| Quantity per collection | Variable — recorded in the running schedule, not on the face of the note |
| Date of each collection | Variable — recorded in the running schedule |
A season ticket can last a maximum of 12 months. It covers non-hazardous waste only. If the carrier, waste description, or any party changes, the season ticket is no longer valid and a new document must be completed.
What schedule do you need to keep alongside it?
The season ticket itself is the standing agreement; the schedule is the evidence that each collection actually happened. Regulators inspecting your duty-of-care records expect to see both documents together. The schedule does not need to be in any special format — a spreadsheet, weighbridge printouts, or invoicing records all work, as long as every transfer is traceable.
- Date of each individual transfer
- Site where the transfer took place (if not stated on the season ticket)
- Quantity of waste collected at each transfer
- Any additional details your carrier needs to reconcile with their own records
Does a season ticket cover hazardous waste?
If your regular collections include any hazardous waste — materials with EWC codes marked with an asterisk (*) — those loads need their own hazardous waste consignment note each time, completed and signed by both parties at each transfer. The same carrier and the same site make no difference: a season ticket does not apply.
How long can a season ticket run, and how long must you keep it?
The 2-year retention period is a legal minimum. It applies to both the season ticket itself and the accompanying schedule — losing either leaves you unable to demonstrate compliance if the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA, or NIEA asks to see your records. Hazardous waste consignment notes carry a longer 3-year retention requirement; the 2-year period applies specifically to non-hazardous WTNs.
What happens if the details change mid-season?
Common triggers for a new document include switching waste contractor, starting to separate additional waste streams (for example under Simpler Recycling rules), taking on a new site, or a change in the permitted waste facility receiving the load. The old season ticket and its schedule remain valid evidence for the transfers they covered — keep them for the full 2-year retention period.
This guide is general information about waste transfer note requirements, not legal advice. Check your obligations against the primary sources below and, where in doubt, your environmental regulator (the Environment Agency in England, Natural Resources Wales, SEPA in Scotland, or NIEA in Northern Ireland).
Frequently asked questions
- What is an annual waste transfer note?
- An annual waste transfer note — also called a season ticket — is a single WTN document that covers a series of repeated non-hazardous waste transfers between the same parties. Instead of completing a fresh note for every collection, you agree a single document that can cover up to 12 months of regular transfers, provided the waste type, carrier, and parties do not change.
- How long can a season ticket waste transfer note last?
- A season ticket can cover a period of up to 12 months (one year). It cannot run beyond 12 months — if the regular arrangement continues after that, a new season ticket must be agreed and signed.
- Can a season ticket cover hazardous waste?
- No. A season ticket can only be used for non-hazardous controlled waste. Hazardous waste requires a separate consignment note to be completed every time it is moved, regardless of how regular the transfers are. There is no season-ticket equivalent for hazardous waste.
- What must the schedule contain for a season ticket WTN?
- You must keep a running schedule — a log of every individual transfer made under the season ticket. At minimum the schedule must record the date of each transfer, the site where it took place (if not fixed on the face of the season ticket), and the quantity of waste collected. You can record this on a spreadsheet or as part of your invoicing or weighbridge records.
- What happens if the waste type or carrier changes?
- If any of the details covered by the season ticket change — the carrier, the waste description, the parties, or the site — the existing season ticket is no longer valid for those transfers. You must complete either a new season ticket or a one-off waste transfer note for the changed arrangement.
Related guides
This guide is general information from ComplyWaste, not legal advice. Always check the primary sources for your situation.