Small vans and visiting the recycling centre

There is a lot of confusion over whether you can you take a small van to the tip without a permit (known as an e-permit in most areas) especially with the likes of VW Transporters, Transits, Caddy’s and so on! Let us take a look at whether smaller vans need a permit for tipping domestic waste.

Recycling centre permit rules for vans at the tip

Every district in the UK typically has slight variations to their rules on which vehicles need a permit so it is worth double checking on your local council website.

However there is a general guide that you can apply to vans and tip permits.

Which small vans do not need tip permits

Van’s that are converted to campervans or vans that have rear seats and side windows (like the Caravelle/Kombi/Shuttle) are generally accepted without permits so long as it is domestic waste.

Our VW T4 started it’s life as a panel van but now has side windows, and a rock and roll bed. This fairly basic criteria qualifies it as a campervan and for that reason we have no problems using the local tip without a permit. We have never been asked or challenged.

Our VW T6 is an unconverted kombi – it has rear seats and side windows as standard and this also passes the test for no permit required with our local council.

The same rules would apply to converted Ford Transits, Renault Masters and so on.

Do VW Transporters T4 T5 and T6 need an e-permit to tip?

Whether you have a T4 T5 or T6 does not really matter, the deciding factor is the trim of your VW Transporter. If you have an unconverted Transporter in “panel van” trim then you will be asked for a permit each time you visit a tip.

It is worth knowing the rules thoroughly for your local recycling centre just in case you do accidently get challenged incorrectly as not all workers will know the rules in detail.

Do smaller vans need an e-permit to tip?

The same rules apply to smaller vans like the VW Caddy which seems a bit unfair considering you can probably fit more into an estate car! If you have a VW Caddy in panel trim and no rear seats then you will indeed need a e-permit to go to the tip.

Can I take my campervan to the tip

So long as you are dumping domestic waste then the majority of local recycling centres will allow you to tip rubbish in a campervan without the need for an e-permit.

You may also like

VW Transporter T6 Service Schedule

What is the best VW Transporter engine

Which VW Transporters are ULEZ compliant