Dover’s Kent County Council tip is at Whitfield, on the edge of town on the Canterbury side. Queues can build up on busy days, which makes a booked slot and a correctly sized vehicle essential.
Kent County Council can change rules and hours, so check its website before you set off. Details below were checked in October 2026. If a clearance is bigger than a few loads, our house clearance in Folkestone team also covers Dover and the surrounding area.
Where is the Dover tip?
The recycling centre is on Honeywood Road in Whitfield, just off the A2 north-west of Dover town centre. It’s the site people mean when they search “Dover tip” or “Dover recycling centre”.
| Official name | Dover Household Waste Recycling Centre |
|---|---|
| Address | Honeywood Road, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 3EH |
| Run by | Kent County Council |
| Booking | Required for every visit |
Opening times
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 8am to 4:30pm |
| Sunday | 9am to 4pm |
| Bank holidays | 9am to 4pm |
The hours are the same all year. Sites can close at short notice, 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.
The only exception is the council’s reuse pop-up shop at the site. You don’t need a booking to visit the shop, but you do if you’re dropping waste off. Check the council page for the shop’s opening days.
What it takes
The Dover site takes household waste: general rubbish, furniture, electricals, garden waste, cardboard, textiles and scrap metal. Kent County Council lists the full range and what is chargeable on its “what you can bring” page.
You can’t carry waste in on foot, and children and pets should stay in the car. The height barrier is 2 metres.
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
Most household waste is free. You pay for tyres and for DIY waste over the 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.
Vans, trailers and 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
- Strap sofas and mattresses down well: Whitfield is exposed and the A2 can be windy.
- Sort recycling in advance and keep general rubbish separate.
- If you’re using a trailer, make sure the sides aren’t built up, as these are turned away.
- Take good furniture to a charity shop rather than skip it. Our furniture guide has ideas.
Other tips near Dover
- Folkestone tip, the next site along the coast.
- Canterbury tip at Vauxhall Road (CT1 1HD).
- Margate tip on the Thanet coast.
- Ashford tip inland.
Every Kent site is covered in our Kent tips and recycling centres guide. Dumping waste to avoid the booking system is fly-tipping. See fly-tipping in Kent: fines and how to report it.
When a house clearance makes more sense
A few loads is a tip job. A full property, a loft or a garage of heavy items usually isn’t, because bookings, vouchers and DIY charges add up and you do all the lifting.
Clearing a property in Dover, Deal or the surrounding area? We’ll take it all in one visit. See our house clearance in Folkestone page, our garage clearance and loft clearance services, or get a free quote below. Our cost guide shows what to expect.