The Margate tip is the main recycling centre for Margate, Cliftonville, Westgate-on-Sea, Birchington and much of Broadstairs. Here’s how to use it without a wasted trip.
Kent County Council can change rules and hours, so check its website before you set off. Details below were checked in October 2026.
Where is the Margate tip?
The tip is on Manston Road on the southern edge of Margate, heading out towards Manston. Use CT9 4LX in your sat nav.
| Official name | Margate Household Waste Recycling Centre |
|---|---|
| Address | Manston Road, Margate, CT9 4LX |
| Run by | Kent County Council |
| Booking | Required for every visit |
Margate tip opening times
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 8am to 4:30pm |
| Sunday | 9am to 4pm |
| Bank holidays | 9am to 4pm |
Kent tips use the same hours all year. Sites can close at short notice for safety or maintenance, so check the council page on the day.
How to book a slot
- You must book a slot before you go. Entry without a booking is not allowed.
- Book online at hwrcbookings.kent.gov.uk, on the day or up to two weeks ahead.
- No internet? Call Kent County Council on 03000 41 73 73, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Bring your booking reference (on your phone or written down) and a vehicle voucher if your vehicle needs one.
What the Margate tip takes, and what it doesn’t
- General household rubbish, furniture, mattresses, garden waste, electricals and fridges.
- Books and good furniture, collected for reuse.
- Not taken here: household chemicals and pesticides. The nearest Kent tip for those is Richborough, near Sandwich.
No Kent tip takes Calor gas bottles, petrol, fireworks, clinical waste, plaster powder, oil tanks, bitumen, commercial paint or business waste. Medicines go back to a pharmacy.
Charges at the tip
Most household waste is free. You pay for tyres, and for DIY waste once you go over the free allowance.
| Item | Free allowance | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Household rubbish, furniture, mattresses, garden waste, electricals | No limit | Free |
| DIY waste (rubble, soil, hardcore, tiles, bathroom ceramics) | 1 large item or 2 x 50L bags a visit, 4 visits in 4 weeks | £5 per item or bag over the limit |
| Plasterboard | Same DIY allowance (1 sheet = 1 bag) | £7.50 per sheet or bag over the limit |
| Car and motorbike tyres | None | £3 per tyre, up to 5 a day |
| Visitors who don’t pay Council Tax in Kent | None | £10 per visit |
Payment is by debit or credit card only. Business and trade waste is not accepted at any Kent tip.
Vans, trailers and vehicle vouchers
- No voucher needed: cars, estates, people carriers and 4x4s with windows and seats, and pick-ups.
- Voucher needed: panel vans, car-derived vans, and people carriers or 4x4s with panels instead of rear windows or no rear seats. Vouchers are free but can take up to 28 days to arrive, and they are only for a household’s only vehicle.
- Not allowed at all: hire vans, tippers, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and anything over 2 metres tall, including roof boxes.
- Trailers: body no longer than 2.05m, no built-up sides, and it must stay hitched to the car.
Tips for a quicker visit
- Sort your load before you leave: electricals, paper, textiles, garden waste and general rubbish in separate bags.
- Bring someone to help. Staff can’t lift heavy items, builders’ bags or HIPPOBAGs for you.
- Wear sturdy shoes and keep children and pets in the car.
- Take good furniture and books separately so they can go for reuse.
Other tips near Margate
- Richborough tip, near Sandwich, which takes chemicals and pesticides.
- Herne Bay tip on Westbrook Lane (CT6 8DD).
- Canterbury tip on Vauxhall Road (CT1 1HD).
When a house clearance makes more sense
A few car loads is a job for the tip. A whole house, a packed loft or a garage full of heavy furniture usually isn’t. Multiple bookings, van vouchers and DIY charges add up fast, and you still have to do all the lifting.
Clearing a house or flat anywhere in Thanet? We’ll take the lot in one visit, including the bulky and awkward items. See our house clearance in Margate page or get a free quote below.