Permits
Skip permit: City of Edinburgh Council
If the skip sits on an Edinburgh public road or pavement, the skip hire company applies for permission under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, sections 85 and 86 – not Highways Act 1980. The April 2026 application pack needs payment with the form and at least five working days’ notice. Road Services’ 2026/27 schedule lists £42 per week for skips up to 14 yards (and £126 per week for 20/40-yard skips).
You do not fill the Section 85 form as a householder. Edinburgh’s application pack (April 2026) is completed by the skip hire company. Roll-on/roll-off “dinosaur” skips are not permitted on the form’s conditions; maximum size on the pack is 5 m × 2 m (14-yarder).
When you need one
- Public road or pavement in Edinburgh: yes.
- Wholly on a driveway or other private land you control: no. National rule: Do I need a skip permit?.
- Skips are not permitted on Greenways, Clearways or double yellow lines. Parking-bay suspensions are a separate charge.
- Tram-route streets need extra contact with roadoccupation@edinburgh.gov.uk before works near the tram.
The statutory hook is Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, section 85.
Who applies
Skip hire company only – the application pack heading says “Application to be completed by Skip Hire company”. Return to roadpermits@edinburgh.gov.uk. A copy of the skip owner’s public liability insurance is required at application.
Fee, notice and size
Fees below are from Edinburgh’s Charges for Road Occupation from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 (Road Services schedule). Notice and who applies come from the Section 85 application pack (April 2026 version) and the road-occupation notice page. An older licences directory still shows £46 / £40 – prefer the 2026/27 schedule and the April 2026 pack. Recheck on the day you book.
| Item | What Edinburgh published |
|---|---|
| Skip up to 14 yards | £42 per week (2026/27 schedule) |
| 20/40-yard skip | £126 per week (2026/27 schedule); large roll-on/off needs prior Roads Officer agreement |
| Notice (application pack / road occupation page) | At least 5 working days (pack); road-occupation page also states 5 days for skip permits. Schedule lists 3 working days – use the longer pack figure unless Roads says otherwise |
| Max size (application pack) | 5 m × 2 m (14-yarder); roll-on/off not permitted on the pack conditions |
| Who applies | Skip hire company; PL insurance with application |
| Payment | Must accompany the application |
Neighbours
Country map: Skip hire in Scotland. Nearby: Glasgow, Dundee.
A sensible order
- Can it sit wholly on the drive? If yes, book that and skip the permit.
- If it has to go on the road, tell the hire firm at booking. They apply. Give them at least five working days.
- Check their waste-carrier registration on SEPA – how to check a waste carrier licence.
- Size the job on the size guide.
Skip Clerk has no hire partners yet and no skip-hire prices on this page. The £42 / £126 figures are Edinburgh’s published 2026/27 road-occupation charges, not a hire quote. When we add a booking link it will be marked as an affiliate link.
Towns in this council
Local skip-hire guides that sit under City of Edinburgh Council. The permit rules on this page apply when the skip sits on the public road.
All areas: Skip hire by town.
Sources
- Edinburgh: Section 85/86 skip application pack – skip hire company; ≥5 working days; April 2026 version. Checked 11 September 2026.
- Edinburgh: Road Services schedule of charges 2026/27 – £42 / £126 per week.
- Edinburgh: Road occupation statutory notice periods – 5 days for skip permits.
- Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, section 85.
- No invented provider list or hire prices on this page.