E-Waste Refurbisher Registration (Refurbisher Authorisation)
If you repair or assemble used electronics and sell them again, the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 require you to register as a refurbisher on the CPCB EPR portal before you operate. Registration costs ₹15,000 and is valid for five years. We prepare the application, upload it and handle the queries and returns that follow.
What it is
A refurbisher is a person or business that repairs or assembles used electrical and electronic equipment to extend its working life beyond what was originally intended, for the same use, and then sells it in the market. A unit that buys old laptops, replaces parts, tests them and resells them is a refurbisher. Repairing your own equipment, with no plan to sell it, is not refurbishing.
Refurbisher registration is the permission granted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on its EPR portal for e-waste (eprewaste.cpcb.gov.in) under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, notified as G.S.R. 801(E) and in force from 1 April 2023. The rules cover the 106 items of electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I. The certificate is issued digitally on the portal and is valid for five years.
Who it applies to
You resell repaired phones or laptops
Workshops and factories that buy used mobile phones, laptops, desktops or tablets, repair or rebuild them and sell them on through shops, marketplaces or dealers.
You recondition home appliances
Businesses that recondition used refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners or other Schedule I equipment for resale.
You run a brand take-back line
A brand or its service partner that takes back used devices, refurbishes them and puts them back on sale needs the refurbisher registration for that facility, in addition to its producer registration.
Why it matters
You can operate legally
The rules do not let a refurbisher carry on business without a valid registration. Unregistered units face environmental compensation and action by the pollution control boards.
You can collect e-waste across India
A registered refurbisher may collect and transport e-waste from any part of the country to its facility for refurbishing.
Your work earns refurbishing certificates
Registered refurbishers generate refurbishing certificates on the portal. Producers use these to defer part of their EPR obligation for the extended life of the product, which gives brands a reason to work with you.
Documents required
Business documents
- PAN of the business
- GST registration certificate
- CIN, if a company (optional field)
- Details of the authorised person: name, email, mobile; Aadhaar optional
Pollution control approvals
- Consent to Establish (CTE) under the Water and Air Acts
- Consent to Operate (CTO) under the Water and Air Acts
- Authorisation under the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016, where you hold one
Facility details
- Facility address with geo-coordinates and year of establishment
- List of Schedule I items you refurbish
- Annual refurbishing capacity as per your CTO
- Geotagged video of the working facility
- Self-declaration on occupational safety and fire safety
How it works
Check your pollution consents
Here is the catch: CPCB will not look at your file without a valid CTE and CTO from your State Pollution Control Board. In Haryana that means HSPCB consent to establish and operate. If yours are missing or do not mention refurbishing, we fix that first.
Build the application file
We collect your documents, list your Schedule I items, set out your capacity as per the CTO and guide you on the facility video.
File and pay on the CPCB portal
We create your login on the e-waste EPR portal, fill in the refurbisher form, upload everything and pay the ₹15,000 registration fee online.
Reply to CPCB queries
If CPCB finds gaps, it raises them within 30 working days. You get 7 working days to reply, and we draft the reply for you.
Receive the digital certificate
CPCB grants registration within 30 working days of a complete application. A physical or virtual verification of the facility can follow within 120 working days of the grant.
Refurbisher, recycler or dismantler?
The 2022 rules treat these three activities differently.
| Activity | What you do | Register on CPCB portal? |
|---|---|---|
| Refurbisher | Repair or assemble used equipment for the same use and sell it | Yes, ₹15,000 for five years |
| Recycler | Recover materials from e-waste | Yes, ₹15,000 for five years |
| Dismantler | Take e-waste apart | No separate registration under the 2022 rules |
If your unit does more than one of these, we map each activity to the right registration before filing.
Timelines
Before you start operating
Registration must be in place before you refurbish and sell. A Faridabad workshop that has resold repaired phones for years should file now, not wait. CPCB grants registration within 30 working days of a complete application.
Every quarter and every year
Registered refurbishers file quarterly and annual returns on the portal and pay annual maintenance charges of ₹5,000. In practice, returns are easy when stock records are kept monthly, which our compliance and accounting team can do for you.
Storage and renewal
E-waste may be stored for up to 180 days, which CPCB can extend to 365 days. Registration lasts five years; renewal costs ₹7,500 plus ₹0.625 per MT of refurbishing certificates transacted in the preceding five years.
What happens if you refurbish without registration
Environmental compensation
Under Rule 22, CPCB can levy environmental compensation on anyone who breaks the rules, including operating without registration or giving false information.
Penalty under the EP Act
Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 provides a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, with a further amount of up to ₹10,000 for each day the breach continues.
Lost business
No registration, no refurbishing certificates. Brands will buy them elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Who needs refurbisher registration under the E-Waste Rules 2022?
Any person or business that repairs or assembles used electrical and electronic equipment listed in Schedule I, to extend its life for the same use, and then sells it needs refurbisher registration. The registration is granted by CPCB on its e-waste EPR portal. If you only repair equipment for its owner and do not sell it, you are not a refurbisher under the rules. Tell us how your unit works and we will confirm where you stand.
What is the fee for refurbisher registration?
The fee for a new refurbisher registration is ₹15,000, and the registration is valid for five years. Annual maintenance charges of ₹5,000 apply to all registered stakeholders. An amendment or addendum to the registration costs ₹3,000. Renewal after five years costs ₹7,500 plus ₹0.625 per MT of refurbishing certificates transacted in the preceding five years. All fees are paid online on the portal, and we confirm the current amount before you pay.
Do I need a CTO before applying to CPCB?
Yes. The refurbisher form on the CPCB portal asks for your Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate under the Water and Air Acts, issued by your State Pollution Control Board. In Haryana these come from HSPCB. The form also has a field for authorisation under the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016. If your consents are not yet in place, we sequence the work so the CPCB filing goes in as soon as the CTO is issued.
How long does CPCB take to grant registration?
CPCB grants refurbisher registration within 30 working days of receiving a complete application. If there are gaps, it raises them within 30 working days and you have 7 working days to reply. A physical or virtual verification of your facility may be carried out within 120 working days after the grant. We aim to file it complete the first time.
What is a refurbishing certificate?
A refurbishing certificate is a credit generated on the CPCB portal by a registered refurbisher for equipment it has refurbished. Producers can use these certificates to defer part of their EPR obligation for the extended life of the product. Certificates come only from registered refurbishers, so registration is the starting point. We help you keep the records the portal needs so that certificates reflect your actual output.
What do I do with e-waste generated during refurbishing?
E-waste that comes out of refurbishing, such as dead boards, batteries removed from devices or unusable parts, must be sent to a CPCB-registered recycler and recorded on the portal. You may store e-waste for up to 180 days, which CPCB can extend to 365 days. We help you set up a simple register so your quarterly return matches what actually left your facility.
Which returns does a registered refurbisher file?
A registered refurbisher files quarterly and annual returns on the CPCB e-waste EPR portal. They report what you collected, refurbished and sent onward to registered recyclers. Missing or wrong returns can draw action from CPCB. We can file the returns for you each period, so the data stays consistent from one quarter to the next.
Can a refurbisher collect e-waste from other states?
Yes. CPCB’s FAQ confirms that registered recyclers and refurbishers can collect e-waste from anywhere in the country for recycling or refurbishing. You still need proper transport documents and your records must show where each lot came from. A Faridabad unit can, for example, source used laptops from corporate offices in Bengaluru or Pune, as long as it is registered and logs every lot.
What is the penalty for refurbishing without registration?
Operating without registration can attract environmental compensation under Rule 22 of the E-Waste Rules. Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 also provides a penalty of ₹10,000 to ₹15 lakh, plus up to ₹10,000 a day if the breach continues. The pollution control board can also act against the unit. Registering costs far less, and we can start the filing once your consents are ready.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
CPCB charges for refurbishers (paid online on the portal):
| Item | Government fee |
|---|---|
| New registration (valid five years) | ₹15,000 |
| Annual maintenance charges | ₹5,000 |
| Amendment or addendum | ₹3,000 |
| Renewal after five years | ₹7,500 + ₹0.625 per MT of refurbishing certificates transacted in the preceding five years |
Ready to begin?
Send us your CTO and a list of what you refurbish, and we will tell you exactly what the CPCB filing needs.