If you have a large trailer or a commercial vehicle designed to carry goods, you need a permit to use the Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs). 

Permits are free for households in Cornwall and you can use them at any of our HWRCs. Please note that we cannot accept trade waste.

The following rules apply:

1. Only one permit per household is allowed; if there is more than one vehicle at your property, you will need to decide which one to register for a permit.
2. The permit must be registered to a domestic property that is registered for Council Tax.
3. The permit allows you up to 12 visits in the 12 month period from the date of issue to dispose of household waste
4. Your permit is valid until all 12 visits have been used.
5. Once you have used all 12 visits, you can apply for a new permit providing it is more than 12 months' since your last permit was issued.
6. You must apply for a new permit if you have changed your vehicle or lost your permit.
7. You must not recycle or dispose of any commercial or industrial waste at an HWRC; you are only permitted to dispose of household waste

How do I apply for, renew or replace a lost vehicle permit?

Due to government advice on COVID-19, all 14 of our Household Waste and Recycling Centres are CLOSED and we cannot process applications for vehicle permits at this time. Any permit requests that have already been submitted will be processed in due course but will not be issued within the usual 14 working days.

Please check the vehicle table below to see if you require a permit and read the terms and conditions of our Vehicle Permit system before you apply.

Do I need a vehicle permit?

The list below shows which vehicles are allowed at the HWRC and whether they need a permit.

Vehicle	Allowed on site	Permit Required
Car- including estate cars	Yes	No
4X4 for example, Jeep Cheroke, Land Rover Discovery, Mitsubishi Shogun, Nissan X-Trail	Yes	No
Pick-up truck or light goods vehicle (or equivalent) with either open back (sample photo open back pick-up) or enclosed canopy/top (sample photo enclosed back pick-up). For example, Ford Ranger, Isuzu Rodeo, Nissan Navara, Mitsubishi L200, Toyota Hilux (See note below re exempted vehicles)	Yes	Yes
Van under 3.5 tonnes for example, Fiat Ducato, Mercedes Vito, Renault Traffic (See note below re exempted vehicles)	Yes	Yes
Any vehicle over 3.5 tonnes	No	N/A
Any van/pickup with any trailer (See note below re exempted vehicles)	No	N/A
A car/4x4/exempted vehicle with a trailer/horsebox under 1.8m (6 feet) internal length	Yes	No
A car/4x4/exempted vehicle with a trailer/horsebox between 1.8m (6 feet) and 3m (9.8 feet) internal length	Yes	Yes

Which vehicles are exempt?

A van or pick-up under 3.5 tonnes, registered as a mobility vehicle, with a blue badge clearly displayed will be allowed on site without a permit. The vehicle will also be allowed on site towing a trailer under 1.8 m (6 feet) internal length. If the mobility vehicle is towing a trailer between 1.8 m (6 feet) and 3 m (9.8 feet) it will require a permit for the trailer. Please contact us on 0300 1234 141 for further details. 

Can I bring a trailer to an HWRC?

Trailers under 1.8 m (6 feet) internal length are only permitted for vehicles that do not require a permit (subject to any vehicle exemption)

Vehicles that need a permit aren’t allowed to bring trailers on site, subject to any vehicle exemption.

Please note:  Trailers are measured on their original internal length, even if their internal dimensions have been adapted.

What if I change vehicles or move house?

If you change vehicles, please return your original permit along with the details and registration number of your vehicle. As long as your new vehicle is not over the size limit, we will issue a replacement permit for the remainder of its 12 months' validity.

If you move house, please let us know using the contact details on this page.

Do I need a permit for a hired vehicle?

If you’ve hired a van for seven days or less, you don’t need a permit to use it to bring household waste to an HWRC. You will need to show your hire agreement to site staff and may be asked to complete a Trade Waste Disclaimer to confirm you only disposing household waste.

If you’ve hired a van for more than seven days, you will need a permit - please call us on 0300 1234 141 for details.

Why do I have to complete a Trade Waste Disclaimer?

Cornwall Council prohibits the disposal of commercial and industrial waste at HWRCs.  If site staff are not sure whether your waste is household waste or trade waste, you may be asked to complete a form to declare that you only have household waste.