Vans and trailers at Cardiff tips
Here are Cardiff's rules for vans, pick-ups and trailers at the tip, checked against Cardiff Council pages on 30 October 2026.
- A van, or a car with a trailer, can book 1 visit a month
- Small and camper vans up to 5m long and 2.2m high
- Trailers up to 2m by 2m go to Bessemer Close only
- Not allowed: sign-written vehicles, tipper or box vehicles, anything over 3.5t
- No permit is mentioned on the pages we checked
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Vans
The council accepts small or camper vans that do not exceed 5 metres in length or 2.2 metres in height. It also treats open-back pick-ups, combi vans and cars with no rear windows or blacked-out rear windows as vans. A van visit uses your one booking a month. Standard cars must have rear windows, and people carriers are fine with a maximum of seven seats and only the last row folded. The council gives two different height figures. The Lamby Way page mentions a 2m height limit on entry, while the vehicle page allows small and camper vans up to 2.2m high. If your vehicle is anywhere near 2m high, ring 029 2087 2087 before you book.
Trailers
A trailer can be up to 2 metres by 2 metres, and is only accepted at Bessemer Close. The council says trailers are not accepted at Lamby Way.
Not allowed
- Vans over the site size limits
- Any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes
- Sign-written or commercial vehicles
- Tipper or box vehicles
The council says business waste must go to the commercial recycling centre. Tell the council which vehicle you are bringing when you book.
Hire vehicles
The vehicle pages we checked do not mention hire vans or any permit. Ask the council when you book. A bulky collection or a licensed company may suit better if you would otherwise hire a van for one trip: council bulky collection or rubbish removal.