September 14, 2018
5 important facts about skip licence permits
If you need to hire a skip, it’s possible that you may need to obtain a skip licence permit from your local council. If you don’t have private land space at your property, meaning if you don’t have a front garden or driveway which could accommodate a skip, then the skip would likely need to go on a public road.
Councils do have different arrangements, so if you intend to hire a skip, make sure you contact your local council in plenty of time to establish what their specific requirements are. However, sometimes your skip hire company will be able to obtain the skip licence – or skip permit – on your behalf.
Below, we’ve provided more information on skip licence permits and listed five things you need to know about them.
Do I need a skip hire licence?
Do I need a skip hire licence?
There are five important things to know if you intend to hire a skip (and this also applies to the use of skip bags and hippo bags):
1) If the skip is to go on private land – a driveway, your garden, a field – no licence is required.
2) If the skip is to go on a public road, you need a licence.
3) It is against the law to put a skip on the pavement. Yes, we do know that there are websites that talk about skips on pavements, but it’s illegal.
4) If the place on a public road where the skip is to go is a parking bay, you may have to get a parking bay suspension permit.
5) If the skip is to go on yellow lines, you will also need a parking permit.
What is a skip hire licence?
The second rule – that you need a licence to put a skip on a public road – is not exclusive to skips. You need a licence to put anything on a public highway (road). That can mean scaffolding or a hoarding, but it can also mean bags of cement and building materials. There’s only one bag? The number of bags may not trouble the council inspector who comes to see what you are doing.
The local council is responsible for issuing licences. In most cases, we can arrange the licence for you, but some local councils don’t permit that. They require that the person hiring the skip is the one who applies for the licence. If that’s you, you can apply for a licence easily enough by going by entering your postcode, which will take you to the website of the council responsible for issuing licenses where you are.
How much will I pay for a skip hire licence?
Fees charged by local councils are variable. The same is true if you need to have a parking bay suspended. The local authority looks at the amount of parking fee income likely to be lost, and may seek to recover it in full.
Do I need to mark the skip in anyway?
Rules vary between councils and depend on location, but you may be asked to make sure the skip has visible reflective markings, traffic cones, and night-time safety lamps. You may also be asked to indicate the name and telephone number of the company from which you rented the skip (none of this applies to skips on private land).
Suppose I simply ignore all these rules?
This can lead to a fine of £1,000. So, when you need a skip, contact us. Our skips will have reflective markings, and they will bear our name and telephone number. If you need traffic cones and safety lamps, we will know that you need them, and we will supply them. Unless the council insists on application by the renter (you), we will obtain the license and pay the fee for you. Only don’t leave it to the last minute – it can take four working days to obtain a licence.
Alternatively, you can find more information on our skip hire information page.
If you would like to hire a skip in Croydon, South Croydon, Sutton, Wimbledon, Clapham, Wandsworth or Streatham, get in touch with us today.
