Do you need a skip permit in Surrey?
Only if the skip stands on the public highway, which includes the road, the pavement and the grass verge. 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.
Who issues skip permits across Surrey
Surrey is a two-tier county, so skip licences don't come from the borough council that collects your bins. Surrey County Council is the highway authority and licenses skips on the road across all eleven boroughs and districts, with one small exception:
- Most of Surrey: Surrey County Council charges £130 for a licence covering up to 28 days, and another £130 for each further 28 days, issued within 2 working days of a complete application. This covers Guildford, Camberley, Farnham, Reigate and Redhill, Epsom and most of Woking.
- Woking town centre: under an agreement with the county council, applications go to Woking Borough Council instead.
- Epsom Market Place: under a similar agreement, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council issues building materials licences there, but skip licences still come from Surrey County Council.
Whichever council issues it, your skip company applies, not you. Only companies on Surrey County Council's skip register can apply for a county licence, and to register, a company needs at least £10 million public liability insurance, a waste carrier registration and a goods vehicle operator's licence. The county council can refuse a licence where the spot would be hazardous to road users, and can revoke one if the conditions are broken. Ask your supplier whether they're registered and whether the licence is in their price. See the skip permit guide for the general rules.
Council rules for a skip on the road
- No larger than 5m long and 2m wide, placed near the edge of the road with its long side parallel to the kerb.
- At least 30m from a junction and clearly visible from 100m in each direction.
- Yellow ends with red and yellow reflective markings, and the owner's name and a phone number or address shown on the skip.
- Four yellow lamps, one on each corner, lit after dark, and at least three cones in a slanted line on the side traffic approaches from.
- Kept clear of drains, hydrants, manholes, entrances, access to properties and sight lines.
- On the pavement only with the council's express permission, and then with a protected 1m walkway for pedestrians.
- No flammable, explosive, rotting or noxious waste, and dusty loads damped down or covered.
- Taken away within 2 working days of being full.
Surrey's councils change in April 2027
From 1 April 2027, Surrey County Council and the eleven borough and district councils are replaced by two unitary councils, which take over skip licensing on the roads:
- East Surrey Council: Elmbridge, Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, and Tandridge.
- West Surrey Council: Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking.
If your hire runs across that date, ask your supplier how they're handling the licence.
Recycling centres in Surrey
Surrey County Council runs the community recycling centres, and they're for Surrey residents only. If you live in any of the eleven boroughs and districts you can use any of the county's centres, but you need proof of address, such as a driving licence, this year's council tax bill or a recent utility bill, and on your first visit you're given a resident sticker for your car window. People from outside Surrey can't use them, and are directed to the county's waste transfer stations at trade rates instead.
- DIY waste: residents can bring a small amount of rubble, concrete, turf or plasterboard free once every 7 days, up to two 50-litre bags, one item up to 200 by 75cm or one plasterboard sheet. Above that, charges apply, payable by Visa or Mastercard only, and a loose carload costs £50.
- Asbestos: household asbestos cement, up to six sheets per trip and double-wrapped, is taken only at the Epsom, Guildford and Shepperton centres. Phone ahead to check there's space.
- Vans, pickups and trailers: need a county permit, which allows 12 visits in 12 months.
- Not every centre takes DIY waste: Farnham's Bourne Mill centre, for example, no longer takes chargeable waste such as rubble, or any vans or trailers, so check your local centre before you load up.
Bulky waste collections are run by the borough and district councils, not the county, so prices and rules differ from one area to the next. Each town page covers its own council's service.
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 Surrey: common questions
Does my borough council issue skip permits in Surrey?
Usually not. Surrey County Council licenses skips on the road across the county. The exception is Woking town centre, where applications go to Woking Borough Council. In Epsom Market Place, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council issues building materials licences, but skip licences still come from the county council.
How much is a skip licence in Surrey?
Surrey County Council charges £130 for up to 28 days and £130 for each further 28 days, issued within 2 working days of a complete application.
Can I apply for a Surrey skip licence myself?
No. Only skip companies on the county council's skip register can apply, so your supplier applies for you. A skip on your own drive needs no licence at all.
Who will issue skip licences after April 2027?
East Surrey Council or West Surrey Council, depending on where you live. Both take over the county council's road services on 1 April 2027.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.