Thinking about booking skip hire in Bolton, but not sure where you can put a skip? Wondering about whether or not you need a permit for hiring a skip somewhere in the UK?
Not to worry, because this blog will explain everything you need to know about skip hire permits. When you need to apply for one, who can get a skip permit, rules for skip licences – whatever questions you might have about them, we’ve got you covered.
When do you need a skip hire permit?
The first big question is: when do you need a permit to hire a skip? The answer to this question is that permits are required for any skip that you intend to place on a public highway. This means any type of public road, footpath, or area of land that you don’t own.
You can’t put a skip or skip bag on a pavement, and they can’t block junctions or access points, but a permit will allow you to place a skip up to 8 cubic yards in size on the public road. The local council monitors skip permits to ensure there isn’t too much disruption to traffic.
Councils will usually only reject skip licence applications if there isn’t a safe area to store the skip for the duration of hire. If they do issue a permit, they’ll expect you to follow the safety rules for skips on public roads, including the use of traffic cones and night-time lighting.
Where can you put a skip without a permit?
As skip permits are an extra expense, it’s understandable that you might want to know how to get around needing a licence to hire a skip. The only way you can place a skip on a road, path, or other area of land is if it’s privately owned, and you have the owner’s permission.
In some cases, you may live on a private street that counts as an ‘unadopted road’ – a highway that isn’t maintained by the council. Since it isn’t their responsibility, you may not need their permission to place a skip on such a road. Of course, you’ll need to double-check with them first.
Wherever you place your skip, you must make sure the ground is strong and stable enough for the skip to sit there. If people or vehicles will be passing through the area, you’ll need to mark the space around the skip with safety cones and use lamps to light it up overnight.
What happens if you put a skip on a public road without a permit?
It’s against the law to put a skip on public land without a permit, so both yourself and the skip hire company could be liable for expensive fines if you’re caught doing this. It’s important to note that simply applying for a permit doesn’t mean you actually have one yet.
You cannot accept delivery of a skip on a public highway until after the council has approved and issued your permit. They might refuse to issue a skip licence if they don’t think your placement is safe or practical, so you don’t want to find this out after your skip is already there.
Should you have a skip on a public road without permission, with or without the appropriate safety measures, enforcement officers from the council can arrange for it to be removed without notice. They can also issue a fine of up to £1000, so it’s really not worth it.
How do you get a skip hire permit?
When you want to get a licence to put a skip on a public highway, you must submit an application to the relevant local authority. In most cases, the skip hire company will sort out the application on your behalf, given a few working days’ notice to arrange the permit in time for delivery.
Sometimes, it’s the responsibility of the hiring customer to arrange a skip licence. The provider should let you know at the time of booking whether you need a permit and if they can get one on your behalf or not – if they can, they’ll add the cost to your overall booking price.
Another relevant question is: how much does a skip hire permit cost? There’s no straightforward answer to this, though, as the price varies from council to council. You can check the cost of skip hire permits for your local area through the government website.
What are the conditions for skip hire permits?
The full conditions of a skip licence should be provided to you by the council when they issue the permit, or passed on by the skip company if they’re arranging it for you. Generally:
- Only one skip is allowed on the site under the permit
- The skip must not obstruct road users, including pedestrians
- Materials must not exceed a set height, length, and breadth
- The skip must clearly display the company’s name and phone number
- There must be at least 4 traffic cones and suitable night lighting
- Skips must be removed as soon as they’re full and/or the permit expires
- No overfilling or storing loose materials on the road around the skip
- Hazardous waste is prohibited (including washing items into the public drainage system)
- Skips should be covered when unattended to prevent unauthorised dumping
- Suppliers must leave the road clean and tidy after removal
If there is any damage to the public road or pavements, or if you place a skip there before or after the permitted length of time, then council officers will recover costs as they see fit.
How long do skip hire permits last?
Just as the price of a skip permit depends on the local council rates, so does the length of time a skip licence is valid for. This could be one week, two weeks, or any number of days up to a general maximum of 28. This means you can usually keep a skip on a public road for up to a month.
It also depends on the maximum hire period that your skip provider will allow – if you can only have the skip for two weeks, you don’t need to worry about getting a permit for longer than that. On the other hand, if you’re extending the skip hire term, you’ll have to re-apply for another permit.
If you intend to keep a skip in a residential parking bay or public pay-and-display parking space, you’ll also need to apply for a parking bay suspension separately. These are normally available for up to 28 consecutive days, as well. You could be fined if you exceed the permit’s time limit.
Staying safe with skip hire permits
The point of skip licences isn’t to frustrate you with paperwork, it’s to keep everyone safe. The permit system not only ensures that roads aren’t clogged up with skips all the time, but it also makes sure that licensed skip hire companies are providing proper waste disposal services.
From skip hire in Chorley to anywhere else across Lancashire and beyond, it’s best to stay on the side of the law when it comes to skip hire permits. Always check whether you’re going to need one or not when contacting a skip hire business to book a skip.
