Manchester tip van permit: the rules and how to apply
Greater Manchester tips need a permit for vans, pick-ups and twin-axle trailers. Here's who needs one and how to get it, checked against Manchester City Council and Recycle for Greater Manchester pages on 28 October 2026.
- A free permit for vans, hire vans, pick-ups and cars towing a twin-axle trailer
- Apply online at least 2 working days before your first visit
- 18 visits a year, with the year running 1 April to 31 March
- Vans must be under 5.3m and 3.5 tonnes
- One permit per household. Business and trade waste is not allowed
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Who needs one
Anyone bringing household waste in a van, car-derived van, campervan, pick-up truck or a vehicle towing a twin-axle trailer, including a hired van. A car or people carrier that has been adapted to work like a van, for example with the seats removed, may need one too. You don't need a permit for a car or a 4x4 that isn't a pick-up, a single-axle trailer, or a wheelchair-adapted vehicle.
Vehicles and sizes
- No vans over 5.3m long or 3.5 tonnes are allowed at any site
- A car-derived van has no rear seats, seatbelts or seat mountings
- Trailers can be longer than 5.3m in total, but trailers not built for carrying goods (caravan conversions, trailer tents, sub-frames) are refused
- Pick-ups, campervans and minibuses can only use the larger sites listed below. Campervans and minibuses over 5.3m need those sites but not a permit
How to apply
- Take the council's online "Do I need a van permit?" test if you are not sure
- Apply online at least 2 working days before your first visit. The permit is free
- Have your V5C log book ready (for the towing vehicle if you are towing) and proof of address: a UK photo driving licence, a utility bill dated in the last 3 months, a council tax or water bill, or a screenshot of an online account
- The vehicle must be registered at a home address in one of the nine boroughs. Leased vans need the lease agreement, and company vans need a letter from your employer allowing personal use
- Applications are processed within 2 working days. Check your junk folder for the email
For problems, the page gives gmcavanpermit.uk@Suez.com. A borrowed van needs the owner to apply, and a hire van needs your account set up before you hire. New-build postcodes may need a council tax bill uploading.
Visits
The permit gives 18 visits a year, and the count resets on 1 April. Applying part-way through the year gives 1.5 visits for each calendar month, including the month you are approved, with half visits rounded up. The permit is linked to your number plate, so staff enter it on arrival and you don't show anything. It only covers household waste from your own home, and work done by tradespeople counts as trade waste. If the permit goes unused for 12 months the account is deleted.
Which sites
A permit works at any Greater Manchester recycling centre. Pick-up trucks, campervans and minibuses can only use these larger sites: Salford Road (Bolton), Cemetery Road (Radcliffe), Longley Lane (Sharston), Arkwright Street (Oldham), Chichester Road (Rochdale), Boysnope Wharf (Eccles), Lumns Lane (Clifton), Bredbury Parkway, Bayley Street (Stalybridge) and Chester Road (Stretford). The Longley Lane site page, though, says pick-up trucks cannot use it, so confirm before you go with a pick-up.
Got a van-sized load? A licensed rubbish removal or builders' waste company brings its own vehicle, with no permit.