Do you need a skip permit in Stoke-on-Trent?
Yes, if the skip is going on the public highway, such as the road, the pavement or a verge. Stoke-on-Trent City Council issues skip licences across the whole city, including Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton. A skip on private property, such as your driveway, does not need a licence.
What a skip licence costs in Stoke-on-Trent
Only licensed skip operators can apply, so your supplier arranges the licence and the council invoices the company. Before placing any skip, a company must register with the council as an approved operator, holding at least £5 million public liability insurance and a valid waste carrier's certificate. Applications are made online. Licences are shorter in town centres, on traffic-sensitive routes and in residents' parking zones, and a skip in a residents' parking zone also needs a parking bay permit, which costs extra.
The council's published fee schedule dates from 2017, so ask your supplier for the current licence charge and whether it is included in the hire price. Our skip permit guide explains the process.
Council rules for a skip on the road
- The skip must show the company's name and phone number and carry the markings required by the Builders' Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984.
- An amber lamp must be fixed to each corner and stay lit during darkness.
- A skip in the carriageway needs cones on the approach side and along the edge facing traffic, with intact reflective strips.
- It must be at least 20m from a junction unless the council agrees otherwise.
- It must not go on a grass verge without express permission, and then only on boards.
- If it partly blocks the footway, at least 1.2m must be left clear or a protected walkway provided.
- In the town centres of Hanley, Longton, Burslem, Stoke and Tunstall, skips must be lidded and lockable.
- On traffic-sensitive roads, skips can only be delivered and collected within set daytime hours, mostly 9.30am to 3.30pm.
- The skip must be moved if the council or emergency services ask, and the road left clean when the licence ends.
The council inspects skips at random and after complaints, and charges skip companies daily for unlicensed or non-compliant skips until they are put right. Repeated breaches can see a company removed from the approved list.
Recycling centres near Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent City Council runs two household waste recycling centres:
- Hanford, Campbell Road, Hanford, ST4 4DX. Closed Monday and Tuesday; open 9am to 4.30pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11.30am to 6.30pm Thursday, and 9am to 4pm Sunday and bank holidays. This is the site that takes mattresses, from city residents only after an ID check.
- Burslem, Federation Road, Burslem, ST6 4HU. Closed Monday and Tuesday; open 9am to 4.30pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 4pm Thursday, Sunday and bank holidays. It takes cement-bonded asbestos from homes, double-bagged and sealed, up to two 25kg bags every six months.
Last entry at both is 15 minutes before closing. Residents get a free DIY allowance of two 50-litre rubble bags, or one bulky or fitted item up to 2,000mm by 750mm by 700mm, such as a bath, per visit, with no more than four visits per household in four weeks. Have proof of address with you and expect to sign a form confirming the waste is not from trade work. Anything over the allowance, or brought by a non-resident, is charged as construction waste, paid by debit card only: £3.15 per bag of soil or hardcore and £4.15 per bag or sheet of plasterboard, rising to £125.25 for a full transit van of soil and hardcore. Fitted items such as doors, windows and cupboards are limited to one cubic metre every six months.
Bulky waste collection in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent City Council collects furniture and large household items, and you pay when you book online. Charges are non-refundable, and you can change the date until noon on the working day before. Items must be no bigger than 6ft by 4ft, and up to four 20kg bags of soil or rubble can be included per booking. Asbestos, gas cylinders, fluorescent tubes, car batteries, tyres and paint are not taken, and landlords and businesses cannot use the service. The council's price page has not been updated for some years, so check the charge when you book.
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 Stoke-on-Trent: common questions
Who issues skip licences in Stoke-on-Trent?
Stoke-on-Trent City Council, for all six towns. Only registered skip operators can apply.
Are the rules different in Hanley or Longton town centre?
Yes. In the town centres, skips must be lidded and lockable, and the licence period is shorter than on an ordinary residential street.
Can I take rubble to Hanford or Burslem tip?
Yes, free within the resident DIY allowance of two 50-litre bags per visit. Larger amounts are charged, so for a bigger job a skip is often simpler.
Do I need a licence for a skip on my drive?
No. A licence is only needed when the skip is on the public highway.
Nearby: skip hire in Derby.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.