Skip licences come from Surrey County Council
In Surrey the highway authority is the county council, so a licence for a skip on the road, pavement or verge comes from Surrey County Council rather than Guildford Borough Council. Only skip companies on the county council's skip register can apply, so if the skip is going on the road, check your supplier is registered. A skip on your own drive or private land needs no licence.
From 1 April 2027 the county and borough councils are replaced by two unitary councils, and Guildford moves to West Surrey Council, which takes over skip licensing. If your job runs across that date, ask the supplier how they are handling it. See the skip permit guide for the general rules.
Placing a skip in Guildford
The town centre's steep High Street is paved with granite setts and closed to traffic for much of the day, which leaves little room for skips, so jobs close to the centre often need careful placement or a smaller skip. The suburbs are often easier: many homes in Merrow and Burpham have driveways, which avoids the licence entirely. Onslow Village is a conservation area where many houses sit above the road with no off-street parking, so a road licence is more likely there.
Choosing a size
For heavy waste like soil or rubble, most suppliers limit you to a smaller skip, often 6 yards or less, because weight rather than volume is the limit. The size guide works it out from what you are clearing.