DEFRA receipt error

A hazardous waste receipt has no consignment code

At least one EWC code on the receipt is a hazardous one. DEFRA then wants the consignment note code, or a reason why there is none. The receipt sent the consignment code as null and gave no reason. A code that is missing altogether, or an empty string, gets a different message that asks for the reason.

The message DEFRA sends

"hazardousWasteConsignmentCode" is required when hazardous EWC codes are present

The usual cause

  • The consignment note code was sent as null for a hazardous load.
  • The code was lost when the row was copied, or the note did not travel with the waste.

How to fix it

  1. Send the code from the consignment note.
  2. If there is no code, send one of the reasons below in the reason field instead.

Fix the value in your software or spreadsheet, then send the receipt again.

The reasons the validator accepts for having no code

  • NON_HAZ_WASTE_TRANSFER
  • NO_DOC_WITH_WASTE
  • HWRC_RECEIPT

All DEFRA receipt errors

Sources

The message wording and the formats listed come from DEFRA's validator code, version 1.18.0, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The causes and fixes are our reading of its rules.

Need the waste code? Look up the right EWC code in the List of Wastes.New to a term? The glossary explains POPs, HP codes, duty of care and the rest in plain English.

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CarrierNote is on the GOV.UK software provider list, connected to DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking service. Receiving sites are in scope from October 2026 and carriers from October 2027, and you can be recording to DEFRA's standard from your first load, whenever you start.