A contractor in Ealing ordered a skip last month. Told us it was going on private land. When our driver arrived, turned out it needed to go on the road. No permit. We couldn't drop it. Wasted journey, project delayed three days while we sorted the permit, and the contractor paid extra for the delay.
After 25 years in the waste industry, here's the truth: skip permits aren't optional, they're not complicated, but people still get them wrong. Here's everything you actually need to know.
When You Actually Need a Skip Permit
You need a permit if the skip goes on:
- A public road
- A public highway
- The pavement (even outside your property)
- Any council-controlled parking space
- Anywhere that's not definitively private land
You DON'T need a permit if the skip goes on:
- Your driveway
- A private car park you have permission to use
- Your own designated parking space (on private property)
- Private land you own or have permission to use
- A building site compound (private land)
The line is simple: public land needs a permit, private land doesn't.
The Grey Areas That Catch People Out
"But it's right outside my house"
Doesn't matter. If it's on the road or pavement, it's public land. You need a permit.
"It's only there for two days"
Doesn't matter. Even one day on public land requires a permit. Councils don't care about duration when it comes to whether you need one—they care when it comes to how much it costs.
"I'll just say it's on private land"
Here's what actually happens: You tell us it's private land. Our driver arrives. It's clearly going on the road. We can't drop it without a permit. You've now got a wasted journey situation, your project is delayed while we obtain a permit (5-10 working days in most councils), and you're paying extra for the delay.
Be honest about where it's going. Saves everyone time and money.
What Happens If You Put a Skip on the Road Without a Permit
Council enforcement will spot it. Might be the same day, might be three days later, but they'll find it.
The fines:
- £500+ lump sum, OR
- £100-£250 per day it sits there without a permit
That's on top of what you've already paid for the skip hire. A £280 skip becomes a £380-£780 mistake.
Here's how we handle it:
WasteHub will never drop a skip on public land without verifying a permit is in place. We check with the council before our driver leaves the yard. If there's no permit, we don't drop the skip.
If you tell us it's going on private land but our driver arrives and it needs to go on the road, we can't drop it. You'll be charged for the wasted journey, and we'll obtain the permit before rescheduling delivery.
Sounds harsh, but it protects both of us from £500+ fines and project delays.
Who Issues Skip Permits (And Who Should Get Them)
Local councils issue skip permits. Each London borough has its own system, costs, and timelines.
Option 1: Get it yourself
You can apply directly to your local council. But here's the catch: most councils require you to register as a "skip operator" first. That registration costs hundreds of pounds upfront, and you'll need public liability insurance documentation.
For a one-off skip? That's expensive and time-consuming.
Option 2: WasteHub handles it
We're registered with all London boroughs as skip operators. We obtain permits for our clients as part of the service. You tell us where the skip's going, we handle the council paperwork, verify the permit, and coordinate delivery.
No registration fees for you. No council phone calls. No paperwork.
If you do want to obtain the permit yourself, that's fine—we'll need a verified copy before we can drop the skip. We check with the council to confirm it's legitimate and active.
How Much Skip Permits Cost in Your Council
Permit costs vary significantly by council. Some charge £68 for two weeks, others charge £170 for the same period.
Here are the costs for the councils where we obtain the most permits. These are the most common areas we serve, but we cover all London boroughs and can obtain permits anywhere in London.
All prices below are + VAT + £20 admin fee for obtaining the permit through WasteHub.
Skip Permit Costs - Top London Councils
Ealing
- Cost: £70 (14 days) or £140 (28 days)
- Time to obtain: 5 working days
- Note: Costs increase in restricted areas or CPZs
Brent
- Cost: £85 (14 days)
- Time to obtain: 7 working days from approval
Camden
- Cost: £89 (14 days) or £121 (28 days)
- Time to obtain: 5 working days
Greenwich
- Cost: £138 (28 days)
- Time to obtain: 3 working days before 4pm
- Note: Maximum skip size is 6 yards
Hammersmith & Fulham
- Cost: £170 per fortnight (14 days)
- Time to obtain: 5 working days
Harrow
- Cost: £99 (14 days), £95 per renewal (additional 14 days)
- Time to obtain: 10 working days
Richmond
- Cost: £96 (maximum 21 days)
- Time to obtain: 5 working days
Enfield
- Cost: £127 (14 days), £127 renewal (additional 14 days)
- Time to obtain: 3 working days (less if no site visit required)
These are the councils where we process the most permits, but WasteHub can obtain permits for any London borough. If your area isn't listed here, your account manager will provide exact costs and timelines when you book.
What These Costs Actually Include
The permit fee covers:
- Legal permission to place the skip on public land
- The specified time period (14 days, 28 days, etc.)
- Council processing and administration
What it doesn't include:
- The skip hire itself (that's separate)
- Lighting and safety equipment if required (usually £30-60 extra)
- Renewal fees if you need the skip longer than the permit period
Time to Obtain - What It Means For Your Project
Notice the variation: Greenwich can turn around a permit in 3 working days. Harrow takes 10 working days.
What this means in practice:
If you're in Greenwich and need a skip by Friday, we can get the permit sorted by Tuesday and deliver Wednesday. Job done.
If you're in Harrow and need a skip by Friday, you should've called us two weeks ago. The permit takes 10 working days before we can even schedule delivery.
Plan ahead. If you know the skip's going on the road, factor in permit time when you're scheduling your project. Your WasteHub account manager will tell you the exact timeline for your council when you book.
How Long Skip Permits Actually Take
The times listed above are council processing times—how long it takes them to issue the permit after we apply.
Fastest: 3 working days (Greenwich, Enfield in some cases)
Typical: 5-7 working days (Ealing, Camden, Richmond, Hammersmith & Fulham)
Slowest: 10 working days (Harrow)
These are working days, not calendar days.
Five working days submitted on a Friday means the permit arrives the following Friday—that's actually 7 calendar days. If there's a bank holiday in there, add another day.
For project planning:
If your skip needs to go on the road, add at least 7-10 calendar days to your timeline for permit processing. Better to have it early than delay your whole project waiting for council approval.
Permit Duration and Renewals
Most permits last 14 days. Some councils offer 28-day options for an increased fee (Camden, Ealing, Greenwich).
What happens if you need the skip longer?
You can renew the permit. Renewal costs vary:
- Some councils charge the same as the original permit (Enfield: £127 renewal)
- Some charge less (Harrow: £95 renewal vs £99 original)
- Some make you apply for a completely new permit
Renewals also take time. They're not automatic. You need to submit renewal requests 3-5 working days before the current permit expires, depending on the council.
If your skip permit expires and the skip is still on the road, you're back to the £500 fine or £100 per day situation.
WasteHub handles renewal coordination. Your account manager tracks permit expiry dates and will either arrange collection before expiry or process renewal requests if you need the skip longer.
The Alternative: Wait and Load Service (No Permit Needed)
If you can't wait for a permit, or the skip only needs to be on the road briefly, there's another option.
Wait and Load works like this:
- You gather all your waste in one accessible location
- You have it ready to load—no sorting, no last-minute bagging, everything prepped
- Our driver arrives with the skip on the lorry
- Skip goes on the road, you load it (30 minutes max), skip gets lifted back on the lorry and taken away
- No permit needed because it's only on the road during active loading
When this works:
- Small to medium jobs (6-8 yard skips)
- You're organised and have waste ready
- You have enough people to load quickly
- You can't wait for permit processing
When it doesn't work:
- Large volumes that need more than 30 minutes to load
- You're loading as you demo (waste not ready in advance)
- You need the skip to stay on site for gradual filling
If loading takes longer than 30 minutes, you may be charged additional waiting time fees. The driver has other jobs scheduled, and councils can still fine for unpermitted skips even during loading if it takes too long.
For most projects, getting the permit and having the skip on site properly is more cost-effective than trying to rush a Wait and Load.
Additional Permit Requirements (The Hidden Costs)
Some councils require extra safety equipment when a skip is on public land:
Lighting:
- Usually 2 lights and 2 batteries: around £30 + VAT
- Ensures the skip is visible at night
- Mandatory in most councils for road skips
Skip covers: (Always Recommended to stop others filling your skip)
- Around £30 + VAT in some councils
- Prevents waste blowing out onto the road
- Sometimes required, sometimes just recommended
Boards under the skip:
- Some councils (like Hammersmith & Fulham) require boards under the skip to prevent road damage
- Usually included in our service if required
Your WasteHub account manager will tell you upfront what's required for your specific council. No surprise charges on delivery day.
Special Restrictions to Know About
Some councils have additional rules that affect skip placement:
Size restrictions:
- Greenwich, Lambeth, Islington: Maximum 6-yard skips on the road
- If you need larger, it must go on private land
Traffic-sensitive areas:
- Barnet charges an extra inspection fee (£102.64) for traffic-sensitive roads
- We'll know if your location is affected and factor this in
Time restrictions:
- Some councils don't allow skips on certain roads during rush hour
- Some have weekend restrictions
CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) surcharges:
- Ealing: £140 for CPZ areas vs £70 for non-CPZ (14 days)
- Check with your account manager if you're in a CPZ
These restrictions are council-specific and can change. WasteHub stays updated on all London borough rules and will flag any issues when you book.
How WasteHub Handles Skip Permits
Here's the actual process when you book a skip that needs a road permit:
1. You tell us where it's going
Be specific. "On the road outside 43 High Street" not "near my house." Your account manager will verify if it's public or private land.
2. We check permit requirements
We confirm which council, what the costs are, how long it takes, and if there are any special restrictions (size limits, traffic-sensitive areas, CPZ surcharges).
3. We apply for the permit
We submit the application to the council with all required documentation. We're registered skip operators in all London boroughs, so we can do this immediately.
4. We verify the permit
Once the council issues the permit, we verify it's active and covers the correct dates and location. No skip gets dropped without confirmed permit verification.
5. We coordinate delivery
Only after the permit is verified do we schedule your skip delivery. Driver has permit documentation in the cab. Skip gets placed legally, no fines, no issues.
6. We track expiry dates
Your account manager monitors when the permit expires. We'll contact you before expiry to arrange collection or process a renewal if you need the skip longer.
If you're obtaining the permit yourself:
That's fine. We'll need a copy of the council-issued permit before delivery. We verify it with the council to confirm it's legitimate and active for the dates you need. Once verified, we schedule delivery.
This isn't us being difficult—it's protecting both of us from fines and wasted journeys.
The Real Cost of Getting Permits Wrong
Scenario 1: The "I'll Risk It" Approach
You put a skip on the road without a permit, hoping you'll get away with it for a few days.
Council enforcement spots it: £500 fine or £100 per day. Your £280 skip just cost you £780+.
Scenario 2: The "I'll Say It's Private Land" Lie
You tell us it's going on private land to avoid permit costs and wait times. Driver arrives, it's clearly public road, we can't drop it.
Now you've got a wasted journey charge, 5-10 days waiting for permit processing, project delayed, and you still have to pay for the permit anyway.
Scenario 3: The "I Forgot to Renew" Mistake
Your 14-day permit expires. Skip is still on the road. You meant to arrange collection but the project ran over.
Council enforcement: £100 per day until the skip is removed. Three days late = £300 in fines.
Scenario 4: The "I'll Do It Myself" Chaos
You decide to get the permit yourself to save money. Spend two days figuring out which council department. Discover you need to register as a skip operator first—£200-300. Need public liability insurance documents. Application rejected because you filled in the wrong form.
Two weeks later, still no skip, still no permit, project delayed.
Scenario 5: The WasteHub Approach
You tell us it's going on the road. We tell you permit cost (e.g., £89 + VAT + £20 admin for Camden) and timeline (5 working days). You approve. We handle everything. Skip arrives on time, legally permitted, no fines, no delays, no hassle.
Project runs smoothly.
Common Permit Questions
Can I move the skip once it's in place?
No. The permit is for a specific location. Move it 20 metres down the road, and it's no longer covered. You'd need a new permit for the new location.
What if I need the skip on the road for just a few hours?
Doesn't matter. Any time on public land requires a permit. Use our Wait and Load service instead if it's genuinely just for loading time.
Can I get a permit retrospectively if I've already put the skip out?
Technically yes, but councils take 3-10 working days to process. You're at risk of fines every day it's there without the permit. Never worth the risk.
What if my council isn't listed?
We obtain permits for all London boroughs. The eight councils listed are just our most common. Your account manager will provide exact costs and timelines for your specific area when you book.
Do I need a permit for a skip in a car park?
Depends if it's public or private. Council-run car park = public land, permit needed. Private supermarket car park (with permission) = no permit needed.
Get It Right the First Time
Stop guessing about skip permits. Your dedicated WasteHub account manager knows the exact requirements for your council, the real costs, and how long it actually takes.
We're registered with all London boroughs. We handle permit applications, verify with councils, coordinate delivery, and track renewal dates. You focus on your project, we handle the bureaucracy.
No surprise fines. No wasted journeys. No project delays because someone forgot the permit takes 10 working days.
Need a skip on the road? WhatsApp us at 07949 088642 or call 0208 036 3575. Tell us where it's going, and we'll give you the exact permit cost and timeline for your council. Sorted in one conversation.