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POST
/
v1
/
verify-carrier
Verify Carrier
curl --request POST \
  --url https://api.example.com/v1/verify-carrier \
  --header 'Authorization: <authorization>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: <content-type>' \
  --data '
{
  "registration_number": "<string>",
  "business_name": "<string>",
  "postcode": "<string>"
}
'
{
  "status": "<string>",
  "verification": {},
  "registrations": [
    {}
  ],
  "compliance": {}
}

​
Verify Carrier

Verifies a waste carrier’s registration against the Environment Agency public register. Also available as a GET request with query parameters. Supports three search modes: direct lookup by registration number (fastest), search by business name, or search by postcode. If multiple fields are provided, registration_number takes priority.
Requires authentication via Authorization header. See Authentication.

​
Request

Method: POST (or GET with query parameters) Path: /v1/verify-carrier

​
Headers

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Authorization
string
required
Bearer token with your API key, e.g. Bearer wc_live_your_key
​
Content-Type
string
required
Must be application/json (POST only)

​
Body Parameters

At least one field is required.
​
registration_number
string
CBDU or CBDL registration number (e.g. CBDU217016). Direct lookup — fastest.
​
business_name
string
Business name to search for
​
postcode
string
Postcode to search for registered carriers

​
Response

​
Success Response (200)

{
  "status": "valid",
  "verification": {
    "checked_at": "2026-03-25T14:30:00Z",
    "source": "environment_agency",
    "cached": false
  },
  "registrations": [
    {
      "registration_number": "CBDU217016",
      "business_name": "ACME WASTE SERVICES LTD",
      "company_number": "12345678",
      "tier": "upper",
      "status": "valid",
      "expiry_date": "2027-01-15",
      "days_until_expiry": 298,
      "expiry_warning": false
    }
  ],
  "compliance": {
    "is_compliant": true,
    "flags": [],
    "recommendation": "Registration is valid and current."
  }
}
​
status
string
Overall status: valid, expiring_soon, expired, not_found, or lower_tier
​
verification
object
Metadata about the check including timestamp, source, and cache status
​
registrations
array
Array of matching carrier registrations
​
compliance
object
Compliance assessment with flags and recommendation text

​
Status Values

StatusMeaning
validActive registration, not expired
expiring_soonValid but within 90 days of expiry (upper tier only)
expiredPast expiry date
not_foundNo matching registration
lower_tierValid but lower tier registration only

​
Compliance Flags

FlagMeaning
EXPIRING_WITHIN_90_DAYSUpper tier registration nearing expiry
LOWER_TIER_ONLYMay not meet requirements for commercial waste
MULTIPLE_REGISTRATIONS_FOUNDName or postcode search returned multiple matches

​
Caching

Direct lookups by registration number are cached for 24 hours. Name and postcode searches are cached for 1 hour. The verification.cached field indicates whether the result was served from cache.

​
Error Responses

CodeHTTPWhen
CARRIER_NOT_FOUND404No registration matches the input
INVALID_REGISTRATION_NUMBER400Registration number doesn’t match CBDU/CBDL format
EA_REGISTER_UNAVAILABLE503Environment Agency register is down or unreachable

​
Example

curl -X POST https://api.wastecheck.co.uk/v1/verify-carrier \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer wc_live_your_api_key_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"registration_number": "CBDU217016"}'