Van and trailer permits
You need a permit to use some vehicle types at a household waste recycling centre.
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A van or trailer permit allows you to use a registered vehicle to dispose of your household waste only.
Vehicles and trailers that require a permit
A permit for your vehicle
You need a permit for commercial vehicles, including vans and 4 x 4 pick-up trucks. These vehicles typically but not exclusively have a DVLA Category N classification.
Apply for a permit if your vehicle:
- is designed to carry goods, not people (typically a DVLA N1 classification)
- has no rear windows (meaning rear windows are side-facing)
- has no rear seats
- is an open back
- has a back that is separate from the cab area
To be eligible for a permit, the commercial vehicle must:
- be no more than 6.7 metres long
- weigh no more than 3.5 tonnes fully laden
A permit for your trailer
A permit is only needed for trailers over 1.8 metres (6ft) and under 3 metres (10ft).
We do not allow trailers over 3 metres long on a waste site, and trailers under 1.8 metres long do not need a permit.
To be eligible for a permit, the towing vehicle must:
- be a non-commercial vehicle
- have a clear view out of the rear window
- be a maximum of 6.7 metres long
- be a maximum of 3.5 tonnes fully laden
You cannot use the following vehicle types to tow your trailer onto a waste site:
- commercial vehicle
- camper van
- motorhome
- minibus
Help to identify your vehicle type
Our van and trailer picture guide (.pdf format, 1.42 MB) may help you identify your vehicle before you apply for a permit.
Hire (or borrowed) commercial vehicles or trailers
All the restrictions on vehicle sizes, weight, trailer length and operating of mechanical functions still apply to hire vehicles.
Vehicles hired for three days or less
You do not need to apply for a permit if you hire a commercial-type vehicle or trailer for three days or less and meet all restrictions. To take a hire vehicle to a waste and recycling centre, you will need:
- the hire papers
- proof you live in Oxfordshire
Vehicles hired for more than three days
If you hire a commercial-type vehicle or trailer for over three days, you cannot visit a waste site. However, if you can prove the origin of the household waste, contact Waste Management to arrange temporary access.
Borrowed commercial-type vehicle
If you borrow a commercial vehicle or trailer from a friend, family member, or neighbour, you will need a permit. If the vehicle has a permit, we will take the visit from that permit. If the vehicle doesn't have a permit, you'll need to apply for one.
You must be in the borrowed vehicle. We will turn the van away if you do not travel to the site with your waste.
Vehicles not allowed at a waste site
The following vehicle types are not eligible for a permit and are not permitted at a waste site:
- Box vans
- Luton vans
- horsebox vans
- vehicles over 3.5 tonnes laden
- tractors (unless exceptionally small - contact Waste Management in advance)
- trailers with a load bed longer than 3m (10 ft)
Other restrictions
You can bring a vehicle with a tipping mechanism, lift or ramp onto an HWRC, but you must not use them on site.
No trailers (regardless of size) can be towed onto the site using a commercial-type vehicle.
View the scheme policy for more information about vehicles that are not allowed at an HWRC.
Vehicles that do not require a permit
The following vehicles do not need a permit to use a waste site.
- cars without a trailer
- cars with a trailer less than 1.8 metres long
- camper vans up to the size of a transit van and no trailer
Non-commercial vehicles used for commercial purposes
If we class your vehicle as non-commercial, for example, a car you use for your business, you do not need a permit. However, if the car has business signage, we may ask you to complete a declaration of domestic waste form.
Your taxi cab
You will need a non-standard permit to use your taxi to deposit household waste. Contact Waste Management to apply. Note that there are restrictions. We may ask you to complete a declaration of domestic waste form, and staff may turn you away if they believe you are depositing commercial waste.
Hiring a taxi to bring waste to site
If you hire a taxi to take household waste to the waste site, you must be in the vehicle. We will turn the taxi away if you do not travel to the site with your waste. We will ask you to complete a declaration of domestic waste form and show proof of address.
We will not deduct a visit from the taxi owner's permit if they have one.
Quad bikes
You do not need a permit to bring a quad bike onto a waste site. You can use your quad bike to tow a trailer permit within the bed length limit.
How to use the permit
Permits do not allow you to deposit any form of commercial (trade) waste, including waste originating from a business or charity.
A van or trailer permit is valid for 12 months. During that time, you can have 12 individual visits to any Oxfordshire waste recycling centre.
When you enter the waste site with your permitted vehicle, we will check your registration for a permit and take a visit from it. If you visit a waste site more than once in one day, we will count each visit separately and update your permit.
Your permit will expire if you don't use it for 24 months
We will send you a notification two months before your permit expires, so you can either use it or reapply at a later date.
Your permit will renew every 12 months if you use it at least once in that time
You do not need to contact us to renew your permit.
Only one permit per vehicle and address
You can only have one active permit at a time for your home and vehicle.
You cannot apply:
- for a permit for multiple commercial-type vehicles
- for a permit for both a commercial-type vehicle and a trailer
- to have a permit with a vehicle registered to multiple addresses
Apply for a van or trailer permit
Only Oxfordshire residents with a valid household address can apply for a van or trailer permit.
Check how many visits you have left
Use the permit check app to see:
- how many visits you have remaining
- when your permit renews.
We can also email your permit details to you at the email address on your permit.
Update details on your permit
Use the change form to update the name, address, vehicle or email address on your permit.
Using waste and recycling centre in place of kerbside collection
You may choose to use a commercial-type vehicle or trailer to dispose of your waste at a waste centre if:
- kerbside collection is not available to you
- you have chosen to opt out of using kerbside collection
Contact Waste Management to request an increase of visits on your permit.