What does C4 mean on a CAR?

C4 is risk category 4 under the Compliance Classification Scheme. It is assigned to breaches with no impact on human health, quality of life or the environment — often administrative errors. A C4 non-compliance scores 0.1 points.

Will a C4 score affect my permit fees?

C4 adds only 0.1 points to your year-to-date CCS score. A single C4 alone rarely moves a site into a higher compliance band, but scores accumulate over the calendar year. See the fees guide for band thresholds.

Should I ignore a C4 finding?

No — CARBrief treats every printed finding as a record to read. C4 is low severity but still documents non-compliance. Address administrative gaps and keep evidence; we do not advise ignoring EA actions.

United Kingdom · guide · 18 September 2026

What does C4 mean on a Compliance Assessment Report?

C4 is risk category 4 under the Compliance Classification Scheme (CCS). It appears on a Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) when the Environment Agency records a breach with no impact on human health, quality of life or the environment — often an administrative or paperwork gap. Source: EA assessing and scoring guidance (OGL v3.0).

Free CAR check · £19.99 Full CARBrief · £49.99 Permit + CAR Review — sourced reading only.

What C4 means

Category 4 — 0.1 points — associated with no impact on human health, quality of life or the environment.

C4 sits below C3 (minor impact, 4 points). Compare the full ladder in what CCS scores mean and what C2 means for higher-severity categories.

Examples of C4 breaches

EA guidance describes C4 as typically administrative, such as:

Missing or incomplete records that do not indicate environmental harm.
Minor documentation errors on returns or monitoring logs.
Procedural non-compliance with no foreseeable environmental consequence.

The EA officer assigns the category from published criteria. CARBrief quotes the category and points as printed — we do not re-score.

Reading a C4 line on the form

CAR states: "Condition 4.1 — annual return submitted late — Category 4 — 0.1 points".
You locate Condition 4.1 in the permit — see linking CAR findings to permit conditions.
You note: low points but still a recorded non-compliance with any stated corrective action.

Subsistence and compliance bands

C4 adds 0.1 points to the year-to-date total. Band C begins at 10.1 points — many C4 findings alone will not shift bands, but they still accumulate. See can scores increase fees.

Operators sometimes overreact to C4 (treating it as major) or underreact (ignoring administrative fixes). CARBrief lists every printed finding so you can prioritise reading — not so we can advise enforcement strategy.

Category cluster

C2 — significant impact (31 points)
C3 — minor impact (4 points)
C4 — no impact (0.1 points) — this guide

FAQ

Can several C4 findings add up?

Yes — each printed C4 adds 0.1 points unless consolidated under one condition on the CAR summary. Track the year-to-date total on the form.

What evidence should I keep after C4?

See what evidence to keep — administrative corrections still belong in your compliance file.

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