Bradford tip permit: resident and van permits
You can't use a Bradford tip by car without a permit. Here's how to get one, and what vans need, checked against Bradford Council pages on 28 October 2026.
- A free blue permit, one per household, and it doesn't expire
- Get it straight away at Bowling Back Lane or Keighley, with a council tax bill and ID
- Keep it in the car. Photocopies aren't allowed
- Vans, pick-ups and trailers need a separate large capacity vehicle permit: 12 visits a year, Bowling Back Lane and Keighley only
- The council's page on applying for the van permit is marked as being updated
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The resident permit
Anyone in the Bradford district taking household waste to a tip needs a permit, and holiday homes in the district need one too. Each household gets one blue permit. It is free, replacements for lost ones are free, and it doesn't expire, so there is no yearly renewal. You can move it between cars, but it must be in the car when you visit. It works at all the Bradford tips. The council's policy page also says only two cars per household can be registered to the permit.
How to get one
- If you had a council tax bill by post in March 2024, a permit came with it. Households billed by email had theirs posted
- If you moved here after that, go to Bowling Back Lane or Keighley. Replacements for lost permits are free too
- Bring your council tax bill and ID with your name and address, such as a driving licence or passport
- You are given the permit straight away
- Anyone still holding an old green permit must swap it for a blue one at one of those two sites
The council's page mentions no online application for the resident permit.
Friends and relatives
| Who takes your waste | What they need |
|---|---|
| Someone in a van | A large capacity vehicle permit |
| Someone in a car from outside Bradford | They can use your permit |
| Someone in a car from inside Bradford | Their own permit or yours |
Vans and trailers
The council has a large capacity vehicle permit for minibuses and vans up to 3,000kg, and for pick-ups and trailers up to 750kg. It allows 12 visits a year and works at Bowling Back Lane and Keighley only. Its policy page describes the vans as short wheelbase, low roof and no more than 3 tonnes gross vehicle weight or 1.8m high, and a trailer as a car with a single-axle trailer of 750kg, no longer than 1.8m (6ft).
Applying for the van permit
The council's page for the van permit currently says only that it is being updated, with no form, fee or contact details. We can't tell you how to apply, so use the council's contact form before you plan a van trip. Even with a permit the same rules apply: commercial waste of any kind is refused, and so is leftover waste from tradespeople working on your home.
Got a van-sized load or a trade vehicle? A licensed rubbish removal or builders' waste company brings its own vehicle and doesn't need a tip permit.