What goes into the price of a garden clearance? The costs before you get paid

Checked against official sources, October 2026. This guide uses England as its example. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.

A garden clearance quote has to cover more than the labour. Registration, tipping, council permits and paperwork all come out of the price before the trader earns anything. Here is what each one is, who it is paid to, and how to explain it to a customer.

Registration is paid to the regulator, not the council

Waste carrier registration goes to your national regulator. In England it is £191.02 for a new registration and £130.25 to renew, every three years, which works out at roughly £43 to £64 a year. Wales is £184 and £126, Scotland £284 and £180, and Northern Ireland £180 and £90. It is a business cost, so it belongs in your prices.

Tipping fees are the biggest hidden cost

Most council tips do not take trade waste at all, so a clearance firm usually pays to use a trade site that charges by the load or by weight. Examples from our research, which vary a lot by area: Cornwall charges about £135.76 plus VAT for a large van of green waste, and Derry City and Strabane charges £51.50 to £103 depending on the vehicle. In some places there is no council route at all.

Skip hire, plus a council permit

If a job needs a skip, the skip company charges for the skip. If it sits on a road, pavement or verge, the council also charges a permit. The skip company pays that, then passes it on. In the councils we checked it ranged from about £17 to £153 depending on the council and how long the skip stays. A skip on the customer’s own driveway or garden normally needs no permit.

Parking and van costs

If your van or a skip needs a parking bay, some councils charge for a suspension or a yellow-line dispensation. Examples range from tens of pounds for a few days to a daily charge that adds up on a long job. Check the council where the job is.

Waste transfer notes cost almost nothing, but they are not optional

There is no fee to make a waste transfer note. The cost is your time and keeping copies for two years. They are what protects you and the customer if the waste is ever traced, so the quote should reflect that you do them on every job.

Your own costs on top

Van, fuel, insurance and your time all sit on top of the items above. We have not priced these, as they depend on your business.

How to explain it to a customer

A short version that works: “The price covers the work, the cost of taking your waste to a licensed site, and the paperwork that proves it was disposed of properly. If I were much cheaper, something would have been missed.” Customers have a duty of care too, so a very low quote is a warning sign for them as well as for you.

Check the figures

These amounts are examples from official pages in October 2026. Fees change and differ by council, so check the council where the job is before you quote.

Want it all sorted in one go? The Garden Clearance Compliance Pack gives you a personalised set of paperwork for £39. See the pack

Working outside England?

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own regulator, fees and penalties. See Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, or working across borders.

More guides

General guidance, not legal advice. Check current rules on gov.uk. Disclaimer.