Household Waste Recycling Centre Booking System

The booking system will be in operation from Monday 3 November 2025, and bookings can be made from Monday 20 October 2025.

Bookings can be made up to two weeks ahead of your visit and up to 30 minutes before your visit, subject to availability.

Booking methods

You can book a visit to the recycling centres (once the system is live from 20 October) by completing the online booking form, operational 24/7.

If you cannot book online, you can make a booking through our customer service centre (once the system is live from 20 October) Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm on 0300 126 7000.

Bookings are required for all Household Waste Recycling Centres. Bookings are site-specific and cannot be transferred.

Eligibility for booking

The Household Waste Recycling Centres are for residents of West Northants only. You must have a West Northants household address to book a visit. 

People outside of West Northants and traders can:

• visit the Reuse shops to donate reuseable items and browse items for sale
• use the paid-for small trade waste service at Sixfields and Ecton Lane

Arriving without a booking after November 2025

All visitors must book in advance.

If you arrive without a booking, you may be asked to:

• make a booking on site (if slots are available)
• return at another time once a booking has been made

Visiting Reuse shops

No booking is required to visit the Reuse shops whether donating reuseable items or buying items.

Information required for making a booking

You will need to provide your:

• name
• email address
• postal address
• vehicle registration, type, and colour
• e-permit number (if applicable)

Your personal information will be kept confidential and used only to manage your booking, in line with our terms and conditions and privacy notice.

Booking slots

Booking slots are:

• 15 minutes for cars
• 30 minutes for vehicles that require a commercial type vehicle e-permit (vans, pick-ups and crew cabs, any vehicles towing trailers, campervans and minibus with rear seats and fitting removed, horseboxes)

For example: a 10am slot allows arrival between 10am and 10:15am.

Opening hours

All sites remain open 10am to 4pm, seven days a week. The last available slot is at 3:45pm.

E-permit requirement for commercial type vehicles and trailers

An e-permit is still required to make a booking for commercial type vehicles and trailers. Existing permits remain valid. If you are unclear if your vehicle needs an e-permit, check the criteria.

Booking confirmation

You will receive a confirmation email after booking and a reminder email the day before your visit.

You do not need to show the confirmation on site, but we recommend having it with you in case of any issues.

Changing or cancelling a booking

Your confirmation email will include a link to amend or cancel your booking. We ask that you cancel your booking as soon as possible to allow others to use the time slot.

If you have made a booking through our customer service centre and need to cancel or amend, please phone 0300 126 7000 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

Restrictions at Household Waste Recycling Centres

The amount of bookings you can make during a period is based upon the type of vehicle you arrive in and the waste you are bringing.

For example, a large car can make as many household waste trips as required and can make 4 free DIY waste trips per 2 months.

A vehicle requiring a E-permit can make 6 free trips per 12 months for household waste and/or DIY waste.

Find out more about Restrictions at Household Waste Recycling Centres.

We monitor visits to ensure fair use of the service.

Entry process

Entry is managed using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). If you experience issues, please use the intercom at the entrance.

Slot availability

We have analysed current site usage and added enough slots to meet demand. The booking system allows us to monitor site use and add additional slots during busy times as required.

Occasionally, slots may be fully booked; for example, over a busy bank holiday. We would recommend booking early for these occasions. Overall, there will be plenty of slots available.

On-site assistance

If you need assistance on site due to a protected characteristic, please indicate this on the booking form. You may be asked to provide supporting evidence of need.

Fly-tipping concerns

A review of other local authorities who have already introduced booking systems show that there is no evidence to suggest that the introduction of a booking system increased fly-tipping in their areas.

This is reflected in the results of a national report commissioned by Defra, which concludes that there is no evidence to suggest a link between booking systems and an increase in fly tipping.

We will be monitoring the introduction of the booking scheme very closely alongside our enforcement team.

Trade customer access

Trade customers of FCC (the contractor that operates our recycling centres) should contact them directly for advice on using the paid-for small trade waste service at Sixfields and Ecton Lane.

Trade customers do not need to book via the booking form.

Data storage and privacy

Please refer to our Data Protection and Privacy Statement for full details.

Last updated 22 September 2025