Greater Manchester
Tip and van-permit checker
Find out whether you need a permit, what you can take, and which recycling centre to use. This covers the nine Recycle for Greater Manchester boroughs and Wigan’s separate system.
Last checked 15 Nov 2026.
Reliance Street Recycling Centre in Manchester (M40 3EZ) is temporarily closed for improvement works. The official works page says it will reopen in early 2027; the Manchester area page still says 6 to 8 months. Both wordings were published on 15 November 2026. Nearby sites listed on the works page are Spring Vale, Arkwright Street and Ash Road.
The two systems at a glance
Recycle for Greater Manchester covers Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford. Visits are walk-up; official pages do not describe a pre-booked timeslot for ordinary household visits. A free van and twin-axle trailer permit is processed within 2 working days. Cars and cars with a single-axle trailer can visit 52 times a year; vans, pick-ups and twin-axle trailers can visit 18 times a year (1 April to 31 March). No vans over 5.3m or 3.5 tonnes are allowed. Soil and rubble are limited to five 900 mm × 600 mm rubble sacks per visit. Official pages do not say whether those allowances are combined or separate. 2 metre height barriers remain only at Spring Vale (Rochdale) and Every Street (Bury). Asbestos is not accepted at household recycling centres.
Wigan is not on that system. It has three council recycling centres, for Wigan Borough residents only, and its own free waste permit, which you can apply for on the same day. Each permit is valid for one visit within seven days. The centres page says each household is entitled to 12 permits in 12 months; the FAQs describe a review after 12 permits have been redeemed. On 15 November 2026 winter hours apply: everyday, including bank holidays, 9am to 5:45pm; sites may close early if traffic is queuing; closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Take a photo driving licence to the gate. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are not allowed. Trailers are limited to 4m at Kirkless and 3m at Slag Lane and Chanters. Soil, rubble and plasterboard are accepted in “small amounts” only, with on-site monitoring; no numeric sack limit is published. Asbestos is accepted at Kirkless only, by appointment, on Saturday mornings 9am to 12 noon — call 01942 825755.
Bulky collections and skip-on-road permits
Published fees from official council pages, last checked 15 Nov 2026. Where a figure was not on the page, or the page could not be read, it is marked “Not published, check council”. Do not treat these as quotes — confirm on the official link before you book.
| Borough | Bulky collection | Skip on the public highway |
|---|---|---|
| Bolton | £41 for up to 5 items; £82 for 6 to 10 items. Pay by credit or debit card. Official page. | Prices stated as valid until 31 March 2027. Registered companies, seven-day licence (renewable): Band A (non traffic-sensitive roads) £12.90; Band B (traffic-sensitive roads) £16.50; Band C (town centres) £37.50. Companies not on the register: Band A £18.50; Band B £22; Band C £43. Unlicensed skip charges: first seven days (all road types) £58; additional seven days £15.90. Official page. |
| Bury | £49 per collection, including up to five items. The charge is non-refundable. Official page. | Skip supplier registration scheme £150. Registered skip suppliers: £30 per permit. Unregistered skip suppliers: £55 per permit. Official page. |
| Manchester | One free collection of up to three items a year (365 days from your first free collection). On that free collection, an additional three items can be removed for £32. After the free collection has been used, it is £32 for up to three items and £64 for up to six items. The live council page could not be read on 15 November 2026 (timeout / Cloudflare); these figures are from the official page as archived on 10 May 2026. Official page; archive, 10 May 2026. | £44 for each skip permit, valid for a maximum of 7 days. The skip operator applies; a permit is not needed on a driveway or private land. Skip companies must register first (the last official registration-page copy that could be opened, 16 April 2026, stated £167 a year). The live council pages could not be read on 15 November 2026; the £44 fee and 7-day limit are from the official page as archived on 25 September 2026. Official page; archive, 25 September 2026. |
| Oldham | Standard bulky items £10 per item. Selected smaller household items £5 per item. Official page. | Fees for April 2026 to March 2027: registration £250; application £47 per 28 days; one-off permit for unregistered applications £145; retrospective application following officer visit £150. Optional annual permissions: up to 100 skips £1,775; up to 300 skips £5,300; up to 500 skips £8,800; additional skips after 500 £25 each. Official page. |
| Rochdale | The official page, as opened on 15 November 2026, still states: 2 free collections of 3 items for each property each year; any additional items on those collections charged at £8 each (£8.40 each from 1 April 2026). After the free collections are used, further collections of up to 3 items are £12 (£12.60 from 1 April 2026), with additional items at £8 each (£8.40 from 1 April 2026). You can request up to 6 items on each booking. Official page. | Not published, check council. The official Skip operator's licence page confirms a permit is required to put a builder's skip on a public road, and that a licence can be valid for any period between 1 and 28 days, but it does not publish a fee. Official page. |
| Salford | The minimum cost is £52.50 for up to four items of bulky waste. Extra items can be collected for an additional cost, but the official pages opened do not state that extra-item price. Collecting electrical items such as white goods costs £52.50 for the first item, with extra electrical items at an additional cost that is also not stated as a figure. Official page. | Costs from 1 April 2026, as published on a page last updated 30 September 2026. New skip registration fee £186.84. On the register, booked in advance: domestic or residential sites £20.76 per skip; builders or commercial sites £40.00 per skip; skips greater than 12 cubic yards £72.66 per skip. On the register, found on the highway without a permit/extension: £41.52 / £60 / £92.66 respectively. Not on the register, booked in advance: £41.52 / £80.00 / £103.80. Not on the register, found without a permit/extension: £72.66 / £110 / £133.80. Official page. |
| Stockport | The cost depends on how many household items are collected: 1 item £30; 2 items £50; 3 to 8 items £80; DIY and building £150 minimum, with additional hours charged at £150. Official page. | Skip company registration fee £149 a year. Skip permit for a registered company requested in advance: £42.50 for up to 28 days. Retrospective permit for a registered company: £84.50 for up to 28 days. Unregistered company: £159 for up to 28 days. Official page. |
| Tameside | £38.00 non-refundable administration charge, payable in advance, for a maximum of 5 household items (for example a 3-piece suite is classed as three items). Official page. | Skip registration (annual fee) £130.00. Skip permit (registered companies) £28.00. Skip permit (unregistered) £114.00. Skip non-permit fee (registered companies) £84.00. Skip non-permit fee (unregistered companies) £169.00. Official page. |
| Trafford | Minimum, non-refundable charge of £44.10, covering up to five items. Additional items are charged at the same rate of £44.10 per five items (for example, seven items cost £88.20). The main bulky-item page still says only “an extra cost”; the per-five-items figure is from the official booking page, opened 15 November 2026. Official page; booking page. | £49.35 for each skip permit application. If a skip is required for longer than the permit, a new application and fee must be submitted. Official page. |
| Wigan | The main bulky waste collections page states: 2 free collections of up to 5 bulky waste items per property in a 12-month period; extra collections in a 12-month period cost £27 for up to five items. Official page. | £58 for each skip licence, payable when the application is made. £65 for each skip licence in a town centre location (Wigan or Leigh). Official page. |
Last checked 15 Nov 2026.
Common questions
Do I need a van permit for the tip in Greater Manchester?
If you live in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside or Trafford, you need a free Recycle for Greater Manchester permit to visit a recycling centre in a van, hire van, pick-up truck, or a vehicle towing a twin-axle trailer. Cars and 4x4s that are not pick-ups do not need a permit, and nor does a single-axle goods trailer. Apply at least 2 working days before your first visit. Wigan has a separate system.
How long does a Greater Manchester van permit take?
Permits are processed within 2 working days, not including weekends and bank holidays. The permit is free, linked to the vehicle registration, and is valid from 1 April to 31 March. Cars and cars with a single-axle trailer can visit 52 times a year; vans, pick-ups and twin-axle trailers can visit 18 times a year. Mid-year applications are pro-rated at 1.5 visits a month, with half visits rounded up.
What are the soil and rubble limits at Greater Manchester tips?
You can take soil, rubble and hardcore, but only five 900 mm by 600 mm rubble sacks per visit. Official pages do not say whether soil and rubble share one combined five-sack allowance or each have a separate five-sack limit. For a large DIY project, Recycle for Greater Manchester advises hiring a skip. Trade waste, including waste from a tradesperson you hired, is refused.
Is Wigan on the same tip system as the rest of Greater Manchester?
No. Wigan Council runs its own three recycling centres, for Wigan Borough residents only, and its own free waste permit scheme. You can apply on the same day; the permit is emailed within 2 hours and is valid for one visit within seven days. The centres page says each household is entitled to 12 permits in a 12-month period; the FAQs describe a review after 12. Wigan sites also close on Boxing Day, which the Recycle for Greater Manchester network does not list as a closed day. On 15 November 2026 winter hours of 9am to 5:45pm apply.
Can I take a hire van to the tip?
In the nine Recycle for Greater Manchester boroughs, yes, if the hire van is under 5.3 metres and you have a permit. Create an account to confirm you are a resident before you hire the van, and apply 2 working days ahead. In Wigan, hire the vehicle and then order a free permit; take the hire documents, permit and driving licence with you.