Bradford tips: all five recycling centres
Bradford has five household waste recycling centres and you need a permit for each visit. Here's how they work, checked against Bradford Council pages on 28 October 2026.
- Five tips, run by Bradford Council. Cars need a free resident permit
- All five close on bank holidays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Three also close every Monday, so only Bowling Back Lane and Keighley open then
- Fridges and freezers are not being accepted at the moment
- Plasterboard and tyres: Bowling Back Lane and Keighley only, and chargeable
- Asbestos: Bowling Back Lane only, and you must book
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The five tips
| Tip | Postcode | Days | Plasterboard | Tyres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Back Lane | BD4 8SZ | Open 7 days, except bank holidays | Yes (chargeable) | Yes (chargeable) |
| Keighley | BD21 4BZ | Open 7 days, except bank holidays | Yes (chargeable) | Yes (chargeable) |
| Dealburn Road | BD12 0RG | Closed Mondays and bank holidays | No | No |
| Dowley Gap | BD16 1TP | Closed Mondays and bank holidays | No | No |
| Midland Road | BD8 7DQ | Closed Mondays and bank holidays | No | No |
Three of the five tips are closed one day a week. If you want a Monday run, your only choices are Bowling Back Lane and Keighley (and not on a bank holiday).
The permit
Residents need a household waste recycling centre permit to get in by car. It is a blue permit, it is free, and it doesn't expire. Without one you will be turned away. Full details are in the Bradford tip permit guide.
Opening hours
| Site | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Back Lane | 8am to 4.45pm (May to September) or 9am to 4.45pm (October to April) | 9am to 3.45pm | 10am to 3.45pm |
| Keighley | 8am to 4.45pm (May to September) or 9am to 4.45pm (October to April) | 8am to 3.45pm | 10am to 3.45pm |
| Dealburn Road, Dowley Gap, Midland Road | Tuesday to Friday only, same hours. Closed Monday | 9am to 3.45pm | 10am to 3.45pm |
Summer hours run May to September and winter hours October to April, so the later start applies now. The Saturday and Sunday hours are the same all year at every site. The council says all the tips are closed on bank holidays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, so a bank holiday Monday has no tip open at all.
Fridges and freezers
The council is temporarily unable to accept fridges and freezers at its tips. Its storage areas are full and there is a national shortage of specialist processing. Retailer take-back schemes and specialist waste collectors aren't affected. The council asks you to keep the appliance until the service restarts. See fridge and appliance disposal in Bradford.
What you pay for
Bowling Back Lane and Keighley have a weighbridge and a price list for a few things, including plasterboard, tyres, rubble and trade waste. See rubble and building waste in Bradford. Commercial waste of any kind isn't accepted at the tips.
Vans and trailers
A van needs a large capacity vehicle permit, and it only works at Bowling Back Lane and Keighley. The council page on how to apply is marked as being updated, so see the permit guide for what we could confirm.
Other rules
- Waste must come from your own home. The council says it may challenge the origin of waste if you visit often or arrive with big loads
- Tradespeople's leftover waste from jobs at your home (builders, electricians, joiners, gardeners, plumbers) isn't accepted
- Sofas and cushioned chairs must be kept separate from other waste, because of the legislation on disposing of these items
- On foot or by bike? There are restrictions, so read the council's policy page first
Live just outside Bradford? Leeds, Kirklees, Calderdale and North Yorkshire have their own tips. See the Leeds tips guide if you are on that side.
No permit, no car or the wrong van? A licensed company can collect instead: rubbish removal, single items, builders' waste, garden waste or house clearance.
Tip not an option?
A licensed Bradford company can collect from your home, with no permit and no Monday closures.
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