Getting Your EPA Site ID for Hazardous Waste
An EPA Site ID (EPA Identification Number) is required before any facility can legally generate, transport, treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste regulated under RCRA. Here is what it is, who needs it, and how to get one.
What is an EPA Site ID?
An EPA Site ID — formally called an EPA Identification Number — is a 12-character identifier assigned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to facilities that handle hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The format is two letters identifying the state, followed by ten characters identifying the site.
Once registered, your facility appears in the EPA's national RCRA database and is visible to shippers, brokers, and regulators verifying your authorization to handle specific waste streams. Without a valid EPA Site ID, a hazardous waste shipment cannot legally leave or arrive at your facility.
Who is required to register
Hazardous Waste Generators
Any facility that produces hazardous waste regulated under RCRA — including manufacturers, labs, auto shops, and healthcare facilities.
Transporters
Carriers moving hazardous waste from generator to treatment, storage, or disposal facilities (TSDFs).
TSDFs
Facilities that treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste. TSDF registration requirements are more extensive than generator registration.
Importers & Exporters
Facilities moving hazardous waste across U.S. borders for treatment or disposal.
How to Register — Step by Step
Determine your generator category
RCRA classifies generators by monthly waste volume: Very Small Quantity Generator (VSQG), Small Quantity Generator (SQG), or Large Quantity Generator (LQG). Your category determines your reporting and storage obligations.
Complete EPA Form 8700-12 (Site Identification Form)
This is the primary federal notification form for RCRA hazardous waste activities. It covers site location, waste codes, activity descriptions, and responsible party information. Most states accept this form electronically through myRCRAid.
Submit through your State Environmental Agency or myRCRAid
Many states have EPA authorization and process applications through their own environmental agency. The EPA's myRCRAid system handles federal-only submissions. Processing time is typically 1 to 4 weeks.
Receive your 12-character EPA ID and update your manifests
Once issued, your EPA ID must appear on all hazardous waste manifests. Transporters and receiving facilities will verify it before accepting a shipment.
Maintain registration — renotify every two years
RCRA-regulated facilities must renotify the EPA every even-numbered year. Failure to renotify can result in your site ID becoming inactive, which blocks manifest acceptance.
Need help getting registered?
Our EPA registration service handles the Site ID application on your behalf — correct forms, correct waste codes, submitted to the right agency for your state.
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