Do you need a skip permit in Woking?
Only if the skip stands on the public highway: the road, the pavement or a grass verge. A skip on your own drive or front garden needs no licence, and any skip company can deliver it there. Woking is unusual in Surrey because two councils issue skip licences:
- Woking town centre: Woking Borough Council issues them, under an agreement with the county council. In the town centre, skips need warning lights from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, and some spots also need a refundable deposit against damage to the road.
- Everywhere else in the borough, including Horsell, Knaphill, Pyrford and the Byfleets: Surrey County Council issues them, as the highway authority.
What a skip licence costs in Woking
Outside the town centre, a Woking road licence costs £130 from Surrey County Council for up to 28 days, and is normally granted within 2 working days once your skip company has sent in a complete application. In the town centre the borough council handles the application instead. The Surrey skip licence guide explains renewals and who is allowed to apply, and the skip permit guide covers the basics.
Road conditions for a Woking skip
A skip on a Woking street must keep its long side parallel to the kerb, show four yellow corner lamps after dark and be collected within 2 working days of filling up, with the town centre adding its own lighting times as set out above. Every county condition is listed on the Surrey skip licence page.
Woking recycling centre
Woking Community Recycling Centre is on Martyrs Lane (GU21 5NJ). It opens 8am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm at weekends, and has a reuse shop on site. It's for Surrey residents only, so bring proof of address, such as a council tax bill or driving licence, on your first visit to get a resident sticker for your car window. It takes hardcore and rubble, plasterboard and household DIY waste, but not asbestos or business waste.
Martyrs Lane accepts a free small DIY load once every 7 days from Surrey residents, with charges above that (the Surrey guide has the limits), and vans or trailers there on a county permit can't bring doors, kitchen units, fencing or flooring. For larger DIY projects, the county council itself suggests hiring a skip.
Household asbestos cement, up to six sheets, is taken only at the Epsom, Guildford and Shepperton centres, so phone one of those ahead rather than going to Martyrs Lane.
Bulky waste collection in Woking
Woking Borough Council's bulky collections are booked online through the council's waste contractor. It takes large household items such as furniture, appliances, doors, floor coverings and mattresses, but not building waste such as rubble or business waste. The price is shown once you choose your items, and people on Council Tax support or Housing Benefit may pay a lower rate. New fridge and freezer bookings were suspended from 17 September 2026.
Woking joins West Surrey Council in 2027
Woking becomes part of West Surrey Council on 1 April 2027, and the new authority takes over skip licensing from both the county and the borough, so a hire running past that date is worth raising with your supplier.
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 Woking: common questions
Who issues skip licences in Woking town centre?
Woking Borough Council, under an agreement with Surrey County Council. Everywhere else in the borough, the licence comes from Surrey County Council. Either way, your skip company applies, not you.
How much is a skip licence in Woking?
Outside the town centre it's £130 from the county council for up to 28 days, with another £130 if the hire runs longer. Suppliers usually build it into the quote.
Can I take rubble to Martyrs Lane instead of hiring a skip?
Only a little at a time. The free allowance for Surrey residents is two 50-litre bags of rubble once a week, with anything over that charged, so a whole renovation is easier with a skip.
Does Martyrs Lane take asbestos?
No. Surrey residents can take up to six wrapped sheets of asbestos cement to the Epsom, Guildford or Shepperton centres instead. Check with your supplier first if you're thinking of adding asbestos to a skip.
Council details checked October 2026. Fees, opening times and booking rules can change, so confirm them with the council or your supplier.