Do you need a skip permit in Guildford?
Only if the skip stands on the public highway, which includes the road, the pavement and the grass verge. In Surrey the county council is the highway authority, so the licence comes from Surrey County Council rather than Guildford Borough Council. A skip on your own drive or front garden needs no licence, and you can use any skip company you like. The county council asks for skips to go inside the property boundary where that's practical.
What a skip licence costs in Guildford
In Guildford the fee is £130 for up to 28 days on the highway, set by Surrey County Council. Your skip company makes the application, and the council issues it within 2 working days if nothing is missing. It can refuse a spot that would be hazardous or revoke a licence when conditions are broken, and the Surrey skip licence guide covers renewals and registration. For permits in general, see the skip permit guide.
Key skip conditions in Guildford
If your skip has to go on a Guildford road, the county expects it near the edge of the carriageway, clear of entrances and sight lines, and free of flammable or explosive waste. Every other condition is in the Surrey guide.
Recycling centres near Guildford
Guildford Community Recycling Centre is on Moorfield Road, Slyfield Green Industrial Estate (GU1 1RU), phone 01483 532187. It opens Monday, Thursday and Friday 8am to 4pm and at weekends 9am to 4pm, and is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It opens on most bank holidays but closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Pedestrians aren't allowed.
It takes hardcore and rubble, plasterboard and DIY waste, and is one of only three Surrey centres, with Epsom and Shepperton, that accept household asbestos cement: up to six sheets per trip, dampened and double-wrapped in heavy-duty polythene. Phone ahead to check there's room, and tell staff on arrival. Tyres cost £5 each. Business waste isn't accepted at the centre and has to go to a council waste transfer station, where it's weighed and charged.
Slyfield is for Surrey residents, who need proof of address such as a driving licence or this year's council tax bill, and it allows a free small DIY load once every 7 days, with charges above that payable by card; the Surrey guide sets out the limits and the van permit.
When Slyfield is closed midweek, Surrey residents can use other centres such as Woking (GU21 5NJ) and Witley (Petworth Road, GU8 5QW).
Bulky waste collection in Guildford
Guildford Borough Council's bulky collections are run on its behalf by a furniture reuse charity and booked online from the council's website, or by phone if you have no email address. Prices start at £49, with up to ten items per booking and a quote for more. American-style fridge freezers count as two items, and residents on means-tested benefits can get a discount. Items are collected from outside, at your property boundary where they're visible from the road, and you don't need to be in. It doesn't take asbestos, builders' rubble, garden waste, sheet glass, paint, oil tanks or pianos.
Guildford and West Surrey Council
Guildford is one of six boroughs forming West Surrey Council on 1 April 2027, and the new council takes on skip licensing for local roads from that date.
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.
Skip hire in Guildford: common questions
Does Guildford Borough Council issue skip permits?
No. The borough runs bins and bulky collections, but in Guildford, Merrow and Burpham it's Surrey County Council that licenses road skips, through your skip company. Your own drive needs no licence.
How much is a skip licence in Guildford?
It's £130 per licence for up to 28 days, and the same again for each extra 28 days. Ask whether it's already in your supplier's quote.
Can I take asbestos to the Guildford tip?
Yes, in small amounts. Slyfield takes up to six sheets of household asbestos cement per trip, dampened and double-wrapped. Phone first to check there's space, and ask your skip company before putting any asbestos in a skip.
Is the Guildford recycling centre open every day?
No. It's closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It opens 8am to 4pm on Monday, Thursday and Friday and 9am to 4pm at weekends.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.