In this guide 2 min read
A company that collects used oil from multiple businesses is a used oil transporterA company that collects used oil from multiple businesses, under 40 CFR Part 279, Subpart E. under 40 CFR Part 279, Subpart E.
Transporters must have an EPA identification number, keep records of their pickups and deliver the oil only to other authorized used oil handlers.
Before handing over your oil, make sure your collector can show that it meets those requirements.
Key takeaways
- A company that collects used oil from several businesses is a used oil transporter under federal rules.
- It needs an EPA identification number and can deliver only to authorized used oil handlers.
- Each pickup gets a tracking record, not a hazardous waste manifest. The transporter keeps it at least three years.
- Before the first pickup, ask for the EPA identification number, the state registration and the paperwork you will receive.
The collector's EPA identification number
Used oil transporters notify EPA, or the state agency administering the program, and receive an EPA identification number.
The number is associated with the facility operating the collection routes. UES collection facilities hold their own EPA identification numbers.
What the collector records at each pickup
For each pickup, the transporter records:
- The name and address of the business where the oil was collected
- The business's EPA identification number, if it has one
- The quantity collected
- The pickup date
- A dated signature from a representative of the business
Sample recordThe five items the federal rules require. The business, quantity, date and signature are made up for the drawing.
This is a used oil tracking record, not a hazardous waste manifest. Federal rules require the transporter to keep the record for at least three years.
UES emails you a service receipt, and your pickup history, including quantity and service date, is available through the Customer Portal.
For your business: Keep your pickup receipts with your environmental records. They document when the oil left your site and who collected it.
Where your used oil can go after pickup
A transporter can deliver used oil to another authorized transporter, a processor or re-refiner, or an approved burner.
Transporters can consolidate loads and separate incidental water, but processing beyond those activities is subject to additional requirements.
Much of the used oil UES collects goes to our re-refinery in Peachtree City, Georgia, where it is processed into recovered base oil for new lubricants.
Transfer facilities and the 35-day limit
A location where used oil is held for more than 24 hours during transportation is considered a transfer facilityA location where used oil is held for more than 24 hours during transportation..
Used oil can generally remain at a transfer facility for up to 35 days. Tanks and containers must be properly managed while it is there.
Holding the oil longer can cause the facility to fall under the requirements for a used oil processor.
How long used oil can wait on the way
Requirements for the transporter and truck
Used oil transporters must comply with applicable transportation and spill-response requirements.
States may add their own requirements. For example, Tennessee certifies qualifying transporters, Alabama issues a state used oil transporter permit, and other states require registrations, insurance or additional reporting.
See our state rules guide for examples.
For your business: Before choosing a collector, ask for its EPA identification number, confirm that it can legally transport used oil in your state and ask what documentation you will receive after each pickup.
Three things to ask a collector
- Its EPA identification number.
- Whether it can legally transport used oil in your state.
- What documentation you will receive after each pickup.
Questions businesses ask
Is a used oil pickup record the same as a hazardous waste manifest?
No. It is a used oil tracking record. Federal rules require the transporter to keep it for at least three years.
What should I ask a used oil collector before the first pickup?
Its EPA identification number, whether it can legally transport used oil in your state, and what documentation you will receive after each pickup.
Where does the oil go after a UES pickup?
Much of the used oil UES collects goes to our re-refinery in Peachtree City, Georgia, where it is processed into recovered base oil for new lubricants.
Written by Universal Environmental Services. Reviewed by Scott Eddings, VP of Operations. Checked against 40 CFR Part 279 on October 6, 2026.
Sources: 40 CFR 279.1 and 279.40 to 279.47 ยท EPA, Managing Used Oil: Answers to Frequent Questions for Businesses
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