United Kingdom · guide · 7 September 2026
What happens after a CAR report?
After you receive a Compliance Assessment Report (CAR) from the Environment Agency, several things typically follow: the report goes on the public register, CCS scores are recorded against your site, you must take the actions required, and the EA may schedule follow-up compliance checks. This note describes the usual next steps. Source: EA assessing and scoring guidance (OGL v3.0).
Publication on the public register
The EA must place the CAR on the public register for your permit. Newer CARs for waste, installations, and water-discharge activities are also published on Public Register Online, where anyone can search by operator, site, or postcode.
CCS scoring and compliance bands
If the CAR recorded breaches, the risk categories and points are added to your site's year-to-date CCS score. These scores accumulate over the calendar year and determine your compliance band (A to F) at year end. Compliance bands affect subsistence charges for the following year.
Actions and deadlines
The CAR will specify what you must do and by when. This might include:
- Correcting a breach or infrastructure defect.
- Submitting missing reports or monitoring data.
- Providing photographic or written evidence that work has been completed.
- Updating management systems, procedures, or records.
The deadlines are set by the EA officer based on the severity and urgency of the issue. You should take action to comply by those dates.
Follow-up assessments
The EA may schedule a follow-up site inspection or desktop review to verify that the required actions have been completed. In some cases, written evidence or photographs are sufficient. If you remain non-compliant after the deadline, the EA may escalate enforcement action.
Enforcement decisions
If the CAR notes that enforcement is being considered, the EA will decide what action is proportionate. Options include warning letters, formal enforcement notices, civil sanctions, prosecution, or permit variations or suspension. The enforcement and sanctions guidance published by the EA sets out the factors considered.
Raising concerns or appealing
If you disagree with the findings on the CAR, you can raise concerns with the issuing officer within 14 days of receipt. If unresolved, you may request a regulatory appeal within 28 days of the officer's response. See our deadlines guide for more on appeal timescales. This guide does not advise whether to appeal.
What CARBrief does after a CAR
We organise the findings, actions, deadlines, and CCS scores from your CAR into a plain-English brief with a priority checklist. We do not advise how to respond or what enforcement outcome to expect.
Common questions
Will the EA always do a follow-up inspection after a CAR?
Not automatically. The EA may schedule a follow-up assessment if non-compliances were found or if evidence is needed that actions have been completed. For minor issues, written evidence or photographs may be sufficient.
When are CCS scores published?
CCS scores from individual CARs accumulate over the calendar year and are consolidated into a year-end compliance band (A to F). The Environment Agency publishes compliance ratings for regulated sites annually.
Can I appeal a CAR after it is issued?
You can raise concerns with the issuing officer within 14 days of receipt if you disagree with the findings. If unresolved, a regulatory appeal may be requested within 28 days of the officer's response. This guide does not advise how to appeal.