Do you need a skip permit in Nottingham?
Yes, if the skip goes on the public highway, which includes the road, the pavement and the verge. A skip on a driveway or other private land needs no permit. Who issues the permit depends on the exact address: Nottingham City Council inside the city boundary, and Nottinghamshire County Council, as highway authority, in Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe.
What a skip licence costs in Nottingham
Nottingham City Council's highway licence fees for 2026/27, in force from 1 April 2026, set a fee of £50 for each builder's skip application. The city's schedule does not state how long a permit lasts, so ask your supplier how many days their permit covers.
In Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire County Council charges the skip company £52 per application, and the fee is not returned. A county permit lasts up to 7 days, and a skip that needs to stay longer needs a fresh application. Only skip companies can apply, not householders. A firm applying for the first time must send signed standard conditions and its insurance certificates. If a skip is found on a county road without a permit, the company is charged a retrospective £52 and must either remove it or take out a new permit.
Either way, your supplier arranges the permit, so check whether it is in the quoted price and how many permits a long job will need. Our skip permit guide explains the process in more detail.
Council rules for a skip on the road
Nottinghamshire County Council's standard skip conditions apply in Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe. The main ones are:
- The skip must be no more than 6.1m long and 2m wide.
- It must carry the markings required by the Builders' Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984.
- On the road it needs a lamp at each corner during darkness, plus a line of four cones on the approach side.
- It must not sit within 20m of a junction, and must be visible to traffic from at least 75m in both directions.
- It must not block drains, hydrants, manholes or access to other properties.
- A skip may only block a footway with express permission, and a protected walkway at least 1.2m wide must then be provided.
- On a verge it must stand at least 500mm back from the edge of the road.
- It should normally sit outside the property where the work is happening, and be removed promptly once full.
Recycling centres near Nottingham
Which recycling centre you can use depends on where you live.
- Lenton Household Waste and Recycling Centre, Redfield Road, Lenton Industrial Estate, NG7 2UJ, is for Nottingham City residents only, and you may be asked for your driving licence as proof of address. You don't need to register your vehicle. Each visit you can bring up to two 50-litre bags of soil, bricks or rubble, or one bulky DIY item, such as a bath, a window unit or unbagged plasterboard sheets, no larger than 2,000mm by 750mm by 700mm. Vans and pick-ups are allowed but not with a trailer, car trailers can be up to 3m by 2m, and trade waste is refused.
- Beeston (Lilac Grove, NG9 1PF), West Bridgford (Rugby Road, NG2 7HX) and Calverton (Hollinwood Lane, NG14 6NR) are run by Nottinghamshire County Council. You must register your vehicle before you visit, and vans, pick-ups, trailers and sign-written vehicles need registering too, as paper permits are no longer used. If you hire a van, contact the council at least 24 hours before your visit.
County sites accept up to two 50-litre bags of DIY waste, or one item up to 2,000mm by 750mm by 700mm, per visit, with no more than four visits per household every four weeks. Plasterboard is limited to two bags or one sheet up to 1.2m by 2.4m. Asbestos is not accepted at any county recycling centre, though residents who remove it from their own home can book a slot at a dedicated site for £140 if they meet the criteria. Renovation and demolition waste is not accepted even if you did the work yourself.
All four sites open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. In October they open 8am to 6pm, and from November to February 8am to 4pm.
Bulky waste collection in Nottingham
Nottingham City Council is moving to free bulky waste collections. Bookings open on 19 October and the first free collections take place from 26 October 2026, with paid bookings having closed on 12 October. The council says full terms and conditions will follow. Under the current terms, the service does not take building materials such as bricks, rubble, soil, tiles or plasterboard, nor fitted kitchen or bedroom units, asbestos, or waste from house clearances. Book through the council's online account.
Residents of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe book bulky collections through their own borough council, and some district collections are charged.
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 Nottingham: common questions
Who issues skip permits in West Bridgford, Beeston and Arnold?
Nottinghamshire County Council, as highway authority for Rushcliffe, Broxtowe and Gedling. Inside the city boundary it is Nottingham City Council.
How long does a county skip permit last?
Up to 7 days. A skip that needs to stay longer on a county road needs a new application, and each one costs the skip company £52.
Can I take rubble to Lenton recycling centre instead of hiring a skip?
Small amounts only, and only if you live in the city: two 50-litre bags of soil, bricks or rubble per visit. For a larger job a skip is usually the practical option.
Can I put a skip on my driveway without a permit?
Yes. A permit is only needed when the skip stands on the road, pavement or verge.
Nearby: skip hire in Derby and skip hire in Leicester.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.