Vehicle restrictions and vouchers

From 1 February 2027, you'll need a digital permit to use a restricted vehicle at our recycling centres. You can apply for digital permit from 4 November.

We are no longer accepting applications for paper vouchers because we will not be able to process and issue them before digital permits become available. You can continue to use your paper vouchers until 31 January.

If you need to visit urgently due to exceptional circumstances and cannot delay your visit in a restricted vehicle, contact us.

You need a voucher to use some vehicles at a household waste recycling centre. Some vehicles are not allowed.

It's illegal to bring business or commercial waste to a household waste recycling centre. We have 2 metre height barriers and restrict some vehicles to help prevent this.

Vehicles that are not allowed

You cannot use recycling centres if your vehicle:

is more than 2 metres tall (including removable items such as a roof rack or roof box)
is a hire van
tipper or drop-sided lorry
horsebox or agricultural trailer
has a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes.

Campervans, minibuses and disability adapted vehicles over 2 metres tall may be allowed with a voucher.

Vehicles that need a voucher

You need a voucher if your vehicle is a:

panel van
car-derived van with panels instead of windows or no rear seats
people carrier, 4x4 or minibus with panels instead of windows or no rear seats
minibus with 10 seats or more
campervan or minibus over 2 metres tall with windows and seats throughout
disability-adapted vehicle over 2 metres tall.

If you have a disability-adapted vehicle, include details of the adaptations in the 'extra information’ section of your application.

To apply for a voucher, you must live in Kent and the vehicle must:

be the only vehicle in your household
be no more than 2 metres tall, unless it's a campervan, minibus or disability-adapted vehicle
have a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tonnes.

Vehicles that do not need a voucher

You do not need a voucher if your vehicle:

is not listed above
is 2 metres tall or less
has a gross vehicle weight of less than 3.5 tonnes.

Disability-adapted vehicles

We cannot raise the height barrier at the following sites:

To visit one of these sites in a disability-adapted vehicle over 2 metres tall, call 03000 417373 to request special access arrangements for your vehicle.

Trailers

Vehicles that do not need a voucher can bring a trailer, but the trailer body must:

be no more than 2.05 metres in length
be within towing capacity
remain hitched to the towing vehicle, unless our staff say so
not have sides built up to allow for more capacity, as this is unsafe
not be overloaded.

Vehicles that need a voucher cannot bring a trailer.