Apply for a skips or materials licence

You need a licence to put a builder's skip and/or materials on a public road. Note: we are unable to issue any licences if it is on a Red Route, we can only issue if the licence is in a side road.

You will also need a bay suspension if you take up a whole or any part of a controlled parking space for any of the above. You do not need to apply for this separately, this will be added once your licence has been processed.

Types of waste to be deposited in skips include:

  • Household waste
  • Builders' waste
  • Garden waste
  • Roofing waste
  • Rubble

Materials to be placed on the highway include:

  • Sand
  • Cement
  • Ballast
  • Slabs
  • Timber

When to apply

In order for your application to be processed on time, and warning notices to be given to other residents, all initial applications and payments must be received a minimum of five clear working days before you need the licence/suspension to start. The day of submission is not included in the notice period.

Your application must be received by 3pm on the day of submission for it to be accepted for that day. If your application is received after this time it will be deemed as received the next working day therefore the start date will change.

We do not count bank and public holidays or Saturday and Sundays as notification days, so you should take these into account when arranging a licence/suspension. All licences are consecutive days.

The email address used to send out emails about parking permits and parking charge notices and licences in Wandsworth has changed to donotreply_wandsworth@tarantocloud.com.

Please add this address to your address book so that these emails are not blocked by any spam or junk filters.

Please apply to Transport for London if on a Red Route:

You must get a licence or permission from TfL for all items to be placed on a Red Route.

How to apply

Householder

If you are a householder and you want to place a skip or materials on the road outside your property:

  1. Complete the householder application form
    • For skips, complete section 1A and section 2A
    • For materials, complete section 2B
  2. Return the form to us and pay (see below)
  3. Read the terms and conditions to view your responsibilities

Businesses

Sole owner or business partner should:

  1. Complete sole trader or partnership application form
    • Make sure the section stating ownership is completed. Fill in the business name, address and telephone number
    • For skips, complete section 1C and section 2A
    • For materials, complete section 2B
  2. Return the form to us and pay (see below)
  3. Read the terms and conditions to view your responsibilities

For a partnership, the letterhead must include the business name, details of partners and the business address.

Limited company

If you are a director, manager or employee of a business which is a limited company (though it may have a separate trading name) you should:

  1. Complete limited company application form
    • For skips, complete section 1B and 2A
    • For materials, complete section 2B
  2. Return the form to us and pay (see below)
  3. Read the terms and conditions to view your responsibilities

You can tell if the organisation is a limited company if its name ends with "Limited", "Ltd", or "Plc".

If you are an employee who is authorised to apply for a licence, you must state your full job title.

Submit and pay

The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application form has been received by us and that payment is made within the required timescales. You should ensure that you give us all the information required as we will return your application form if it is incomplete.

View our skip and materials licence charges.

The licence will not be granted unless full payment has been received within 24 hours of sending our payment request. If we do not receive your payment within the deadline, we will offer you the next available start date.

There is no need to email the office to confirm you have made payment as we will receive a copy of your receipt – please make sure the REF number is included when making payment online.

Once the payment email has been sent to you, your application is considered as processed, and an admin fee will apply at this stage. Your licence will be sent via email within four business days of receiving the payment.

Renewals

A new application will be required if a licence is not renewed before the expiry date and relevant charges will apply.

Renewals will be counted as continuous rolling days and the appropriate tier rate will apply.

Contact

How to get in touch:

Wandsworth Council
Environment and Community Services Department
Inspection and Enforcement Team
PO Box 56518
London
SW18 9BS

Up to Skips licensing

Updated: 13/03/2024