When do you need a permit?
Any skip placed on a public road, pavement, grass verge or other public land requires a permit issued by the local council. Skips placed on private driveways do not need a permit.
The Highways Act 1980 (Section 139) is the legal basis. Skips on the public highway without a permit are illegal and can result in immediate removal, at the skip owner’s cost.
What we do
- We apply on your behalf for every booking that needs one. You don’t need to phone the council yourself or fill out any forms.
- The cost is included before you pay. The permit fee is added to your booking total at the review step. Typical permit cost: £40–£75 depending on the council.
- Lead time: councils take anywhere from 2 to 8 days to approve a permit, depending on the borough. Going on the road? Book as early as you can and we will start the application straight away.
- Reflective markings and night-time lighting are added by our driver at drop-off. Both are required under the Act.
- Bay suspensions (where the parking bay your skip needs to occupy is in use): depending on the council we can sometimes arrange this for you; some councils require the homeowner to arrange the suspension themselves. Ring the yard and we will tell you which applies.
Councils we apply for permits with
- Croydon Council: permits handled in-house; typical fee £55
- Sutton Council: permits handled in-house; typical fee £45
- Merton Council (covers Wimbledon & Mitcham): permits handled in-house; typical fee £60
- Bromley Council: permits handled in-house; £50 for a two-week licence
- Tandridge District Council (covers Caterham): permits handled in-house; typical fee £40
If you’re at the edge of these areas, phone the yard on 0203 369 9540 and we’ll confirm whether we can sort the permit for your address.
What you need to give us
- Your full postal address: including building number and street name (we use this to query the council’s permit map)
- Exactly where the skip will sit: outside which house, on which side of the road. A photo via WhatsApp helps.
- Drop-off and collection dates: permits are issued for specific date windows
- Skip size: permit fees can vary slightly by size
Common permit gotchas
Controlled parking zones (CPZs)
If your road is in a CPZ, the council may require a bay suspension as well as a permit. This stops other vehicles from parking in the bay the skip will occupy. Depending on the council, we can sometimes arrange this for you; some councils require the homeowner to apply for the suspension themselves. Ring the yard and we will tell you which applies to your road.
Bus routes, tram routes and red routes
Skips are not allowed on these. If your address is on one, we’ll need to find an alternative drop-off point, usually the nearest side street.
Conservation areas
Some councils restrict skip placement in conservation areas (Wimbledon Village, parts of Croydon, Sutton’s Mulgrave Road CA). These take longer to permit but are not impossible. Phone the yard to discuss.