Apply for a licence

If you are a resident or builder plea​se contact a skip hire company who can apply for the licence.

We only accept licence applications from skip hire companies that have registered with us.

Find out how to register

Apply for a skip licence as a registered skip company

It will take up to five working days for us to consider your application.

Additional payment

If we have asked you to make an additional payment for an existing skip hire licence please use this form to pay: 

Make an additional payment

Complaints about skips

If you believe a skip is not licensed or safe to be on the road, or a skip company is causing damage to the road, please report this. Your name will not be disclosed.

Report a problem with a skip​

If you are a resident or builder

We require a minimum of five working days' notice when submitting an application, so make sure you advise the skip company in advance of your request so they have enough time to apply for the licence before the skip is required.

The act of submitting a licence does not automatically grant permission to place a skip on the road. A licence application is submitted for consideration only; it needs to be approved before permission is granted. In some instances a licence can be refused if an officer deems the location to be unsuitable or dangerous. Therefore please confirm the application is approved before a skip is placed on the road.

Before you consider hiring a skip please be advised of the following:

• the skip must be licensed by us before it is placed on the road
• we only issue skip licences to private skip hire companies - not to residents or builders/contractors
• the skip must be clearly marked with the skip company name and telephone number
• the skip must be lit overnight to the standard specified in the conditions below
• the skip must be in a safe and suitable condition, fit for use on the public road
• the skip hire company must be a licensed waste carrier, registered with the Environment Agency
• other licence conditions must also be met (variable upon each situation and established after site inspection)

If a skip is on the road without a licence, the skip hire company is liable to be prosecuted. If you encourage a skip hire company to deliver a skip before the licence is approved you may also be committing an offence.

Waste regulation requirements

Companies transporting waste, such as skip hire companies, are required by law to be licensed carriers of waste. The Environment Agency maintains the register of these companies. Producers of waste have to satisfy the duty of care and declare the waste they have produced to the licensed waste carrier they use. This provides a documented process for the transportation, processing and disposal of waste. If you hire a skip you will have to provide this information to the skip company.
Check if a skip company is a registered waste carrier (Environment Agency website)

Restricted dates and locations for skips

During local events which are likely to attract large numbers of people, it is necessary to ensure that skips are not on the road. These events include the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships and local displays of fireworks.

Skip licences may be refused in the vicinity of these events or the licence period restricted. In considering a skip licence application we will try to identify any predictable restrictions in advance. Other restrictions may apply due to controlled parking zones in some areas; please see parking control section below.

Please note that a skip cannot be placed on a red route or on double yellow lines. In the event of this a side road may be considered. Contact TFL for advice on red routes.

Skip licence conditions

A skip licence grants permission to place a skip on the public road. Skip licences are only issued to skip hire companies. The skip company is responsible for the conditions contained within the licence.
Read full skip licence conditions

It is part of the licence conditions that:

• skips shall not exceed five metres in length by two metres in width
• skips must be marked, guarded and lit in accordance with the stipulated licence conditions show them or link to them
• skips must not contain explosive, noxious or dangerous materials
• skips must not be overloaded
• skips must be removed for emptying as soon as they are full
• no skip can remain on the road after a licence expiry date (unless that licence is in the process of being renewed)
• all materials placed in a skip must be properly disposed of by the registered waste carrier
• the road where the skip is being stored must be left in a clean and tidy condition after the skip has been removed
• No waste material, including concrete, mortar, grout, plaster, fats, oils and chemicals shall be washed down on the highway or disposed of into the highway drainage system

A skip licence application must be submitted to us at least seven working days prior to when the skip is required. A licence application can be cancelled within 24 hou​rs of us receiving it; after this time the fee is non-refundable.

Our skip licence period is two weeks (14 consecutive days). In the event that you wish to have the skip removed for a period of time and replaced at a later date, a new application for a licence will need to be made.

Skips that are to be placed in a resident's parking bay or pay and display bay incur extra charges, and are valid for any number of requested days, up to a maximum period of 14 days. 

Skip locations are inspected regularly; before the licences are issued, during the licence period and after the licence has expired to ensure that it has been removed and no damage has been caused to the road and to ensure the licence conditions are being met.

We reserve the right to remove any skip that is unlicensed or is in contravention of its licence conditions. In some situations an officer may decide that a location is unsuitable after a site inspection has been carried out and may either refuse the licence or suggest an alternative location nearby, where the skip can be store safely on the road.

How to register a skip company

To register please complete the skip company registration form.

We require current and valid documentation of the following documents before your skip company is eligible to apply for skip licences.

• articles of incorporation document (limited companies only)
• Environment Agency waste carrier's licence
• goods vehicle operators licence
• public liability insurance document

Licence fees

We charge skip hire companies a fee to consider an application for a skip licence. The fees are not refundable after the 24-hour cancellation period.

Licence fee for locations not in a controlled parking zone

The fee for a two-week licence application is £70

Licence fee for locations within a controlled parking zone

If the skip is placed on the road where parking controls apply, additional charges are payable for the suspension of these controls. These charges are paid on top of the standard fee as stated above.

Skips in a controlled parking zone (CPZ) are valid for the number of days requested, up to a maximum of 14 days.

There are additional charges if materials are to be placed in any of the following locations; these charges are calculated by Parking Services who can also provide additional information about dispensations and waivers:

• Worple Road, Wimbledon (outside and opposite "Elys")
• High Street, Wimbledon Village
• Church Road, Wimbledon Village
• The Broadway, Wimbledon

Prior to a licence being approved the location is inspected for suitability and for any prior damage. The site is also inspected throughout the licence period for safety and compliance with licence conditions. A final site inspection is carried out at the end of the licence period, once the skip has been removed, to establish if there is any damage to the road.

Skips on private property

It is advisable that you contact us for advice before crossing the pavement with a skip lorry to place a skip on your driveway. Skip lorries are heavy vehicles, which can cause damage to any paved pavement not designed to withstand the heavy weight. The person hiring the skip and instructing the skip company to place a skip on their property is liable for any damage caused to the pavement as a result of skip lorry operations.

If you are considering hiring a skip to place on your own property you may want to check that the surface of you driveway/front garden is strong enough to take the weight of the skip. If a skip is positioned carelessly it can break the cover of an underground drain, stopcock or other utility service or damage the surface it rests on.