Licensing and permits

Skip permit licence

You need a licence to place a skip on a public road in Liverpool. You must also be a registered skip operator with Liverpool City Council.

Registered skip operators are responsible for applying for the licence on behalf of their customers. A licence is not needed for skips placed on driveways or unadopted roads.

How long does a licence last?

Your licence will last for a maximum of 7 days. If the placement of a skip is longer than 7 days, you will need to apply for a new permit on expiry.

All skips placed in city centre locations must be removed the same day unless they are enclosed lockable skips. Failure to comply may result in the skip being removed and associated costs will be passed to the operator.

Before you apply

You must:

  • be registered as a skip operator with Liverpool City Council
  • apply for the licence at least two working days before the skip is needed – although we will try to accommodate applications on the day.
  • have a valid waster carrier licence issued by the Environment Agency.
  • have public liability insurance with a minimum value of £5 million.
  • comply with all conditions for skips placed on the highway, including the requirements for guarding, lighting, positioning and siting of the skip.

How to apply

You can apply and pay online for a skip permit.

This application process is for skip placement within the Liverpool City Council boundary. If your skip is to be placed in an address outside of Liverpool, you will need to contact the relevant local authority for a permit.

The cost for a skip permit is £20 and you will need one for each skip you intend to place.

Apply and pay online

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

What happens next?

Once you have submitted your application and made payment, you will receive a confirmation email from us. This means the permit is now authorised and will be live from the start date on your application for a maximum of 7 days.

Your confirmation email will contain the details of the skip reference numbers that have been issued with each permit - please keep this safe as you may need to show it to an inspector as proof of permit.