Newcastle tip van permit: who needs one and how to apply
Newcastle tips ask vans, pick-ups and trailers to use a permit. Here's who needs one and how to get it, checked against Newcastle City Council pages on 29 October 2026.
- Vans, pick-ups, trailers and vehicles with company livery need a permit
- Apply by text message: text "waste" to 07492 880069
- Permit vehicles can only use Brunswick
- The council page says you get 6 permits for a 12 month period
- Bring your driving licence and proof of a Newcastle address each visit
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Who needs one
- A van, including a hire van
- A car-derived van or a pick-up truck
- A campervan or minibus
- Any vehicle or people carrier with more than 7 seats, even if some seats have been removed
- Any vehicle towing a trailer
- Any vehicle displaying company livery or a logo
- Any vehicle with the rear seats removed or modified
Not allowed on site
For safety, the council turns away vehicles over 2m high, over 6m long or over 3.5 tonnes, trailers over 3m including the tow bar, and dropside, tipper and flatbed vans, permit or not.
How to apply
- Text "waste" to 07492 880069
- Follow the instructions the WasteBot texts back, which ask you to confirm your name and address
- It takes about a minute
- If you are borrowing or hiring a van or trailer, apply using your own home address
The council page we checked states no cost, and a 2021 council news item said the permits are free. Check the current page before you rely on that. The permit details here come from a council page that also carries a Christmas 2024 notice, so it may not be fully up to date.
Permits and visits
The page says you are issued with 6 permits for a 12 month period, and that they renew automatically 12 months after you first signed up. It doesn't spell out whether each permit is one visit, so ask the council how a visit is counted. Each time you visit, take your driving licence or other photo ID, proof of a Newcastle address and your text message permit. Last entry for permit vehicles is one hour before closing.
Which site
Permit vehicles can only use Brunswick. The council says Byker and Walbottle don't accept van and large vehicle permit holders. Brunswick takes no rubble, soil, fridges or DIY waste, so a van carrying those has no Newcastle tip it can use. See rubble and building waste in Newcastle.
Got a van-sized load? A licensed rubbish removal or builders' waste company brings its own vehicle, with no permit.