Do you need a skip permit in Portsmouth?
Yes, if the skip will stand on the public highway in Portsmouth, including the road, the pavement or a verge. Portsmouth City Council is the highway authority for the city and issues skip licences there, not Hampshire County Council. A skip that sits entirely on private land, such as a drive or yard, needs no licence.
What a skip licence costs in Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council does not publish its skip licence fee on its website, and the GOV.UK listing for the licence says it cannot be applied for online and refers applicants to the council. Ask your supplier whether they arrange the licence for you, whether the fee is included in the hire price, and how much notice they need before delivery. Our skip permit guide explains how skip licences work in general.
Recycling centre in Portsmouth
Portsmouth's Household Waste Recycling Centre is at Paulsgrove Portway, Port Solent, PO6 4UD. It opens every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and closes for half an hour from 1pm each day. Opening hours change with the season:
- 1 October to 28 February: 9am to 4pm
- 1 March to 31 March: 9am to 5pm
- 1 April to 30 September: 9am to 6pm
You must book a slot online before you go. Bookings open up to seven days ahead in 30-minute slots, and late arrivals may be turned away. Residents in PO1 to PO6 and some PO7 addresses who cannot book online can book by phone. You cannot bring waste on foot, although bicycles can now book a slot.
A van, pick-up or trailer between 1.8 and 3 metres long needs a £20 digital permit. Each permit covers 12 visits or 12 months, whichever comes first, a household can hold one at a time and up to two a year, and every booking uses one visit. A commercial vehicle is only allowed if it is the resident's only means of transport and has a valid permit, and the permit covers household waste only.
DIY waste at Port Solent
Since 1 January 2024, each household can bring up to eight 50-litre rubble bags, or four bulky items, free every four weeks. Soil, rubble, plasterboard and cement-bonded asbestos all count towards the allowance, and work done by a tradesperson does not qualify. Above it, the Hampshire scheme charges £3 a sack for soil and rubble and £6 a sack for plasterboard, paid by card. The Portsmouth site is one of five that take cement-bonded asbestos, at £12 a sheet, up to 15 sheets, and only if you phone ahead to book.
Portsmouth residents can also use any Hampshire County Council recycling centre free of charge, as long as they book a visit.
Bulky waste collection in Portsmouth
Portsmouth City Council collects large household items for households that pay their Council Tax to the city council. The council's booking page asks you to phone for a quote and to book. Its published charges start from £40 a collection, with fridges and freezers at £40 each and American-style fridges at £60. If you receive Council Tax support, you get one free collection of up to 2 cubic metres, roughly a two-seater sofa, in any rolling 12-month period, with proof such as your award letter.
- Items must be no longer than 2 metres and light enough for two people to lift safely.
- Not collected: building and DIY waste such as soil, rubble, bricks, tiles and plasterboard, asbestos, ceramic sinks and toilets, garden waste, tyres, gas canisters, paint and trade waste.
- Put items out at ground level, easy to reach from the road, by 6am on the collection day. Crews do not go into homes or back gardens.
- Changes or cancellations within 2 working days of the collection carry a £25 fee.
For furniture in good condition, a furniture reuse charity may collect it free.
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 Portsmouth: common questions
Who issues skip licences in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth City Council, as the city's highway authority. Hampshire County Council's skip licences cover the rest of Hampshire but not Portsmouth. See skip hire across Hampshire for the county rules.
Do I need to book the Port Solent recycling centre?
Yes. Every visit has to be booked online in advance, and anyone using a van, pick-up or trailer also needs a £20 permit that covers 12 visits.
Can I take rubble to the Port Solent tip?
Yes. Each household can take up to eight 50-litre bags of rubble or other DIY waste free every four weeks. Anything above that is charged, at £3 a sack for soil and rubble.
Can Portsmouth residents use other Hampshire recycling centres?
Yes. Portsmouth residents can use any Hampshire County Council recycling centre free of charge, as long as they book a visit first, and the same DIY allowance applies.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.