Our recycling centres are for household waste only. This is why we restrict what type of vehicles can use our recycling centres.
You do not need a permit for:
- cars
- camper vans
- minibuses
- people carriers
- estate cars
- trailers with a bed size up to 1.8m x 1.2m (6ft x 4ft) towed by a vehicle that doesn't need a permit
- hire vans (excluding van types not allowed on site) - maximum 3 day hire and hire agreement must be shown to staff on site
You need a permit for:
- vans up to 3.5t
- single cab pick ups and dual cab pick ups
- car derived vans
You are not allowed on site in:
- vans over 3.5t
- vans towing trailers
- single and dual cab pick ups towing trailers
- any trailer with a bed size over 1.8m x 1.2m (6ft x 4ft)
- Luton box vans
- flatbed vans
- tipper vans
- tractors
- horse boxes
- agricultural vehicles
- hire vans - over 3 day hire
You do not need a permit for a van you have hired, but you can only take it to a recycling centre if:
- the hire agreement is for no more than 3 days
- you show the hire agreement to site staff when you arrive
- it is a vehicle type that is allowed on site
Vans with a hire agreement of more than 3 days are not allowed at household recycling centres.
You can use a trailer towed by a vehicle that does not need a permit, unless the vehicle is a hire van. The maximum trailer bed size we allow is 1.2 metres wide and 1.8 metres long (approx. 6ft x 4ft).
Hire vans and vehicles that need a permit cannot take a trailer into a recycling centre.
If you are a charity and want to use our household recycling centres, email us.
Vehicle restrictions
See our guide to vehicle types and restrictions:
Apply for a permit
Vehicle permits are for Dorset Council residents only and can be used for either 6 or 12 site visits a year. How many visits you are eligible for will be based on the information you provide when you apply. We will let you know how many visits you’re eligible for when we send your permit.
The permit will start from the date you apply. As an example, if you apply on 1 April, you will have until 31 March the following year to use your visits. We do not allow additional visits within the year.
You can use your permit at any of our household recycling centres.
Renew or change your permit
You must renew your permit each year. This is to make sure that we have your correct details and you still agree to our terms and conditions of use.
You can amend your permit at any time. If you are changing your vehicle details, we will transfer any remaining visits to your new vehicle.
How many visits you have left
We check your vehicle registration against our database when you visit a recycling centre, and record each visit you make.
After each visit, you’ll get an email confirming your visit and telling you how many visits you have left.
Cancelling your permit
You can cancel your permit by emailing us at wasteteam@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk. Please include the following information in your email:
- your name
- your post code
- first line of the address the permit is registered to
- the vehicle registration number that is registered on the permit
- a contact number in case we need to contact you