Maidstone's two tips, Tovil and Allington, open 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sundays. You must book a slot; vans need a voucher.
Maidstone has two household waste recycling centres, both run by Kent County Council rather than the borough: the Maidstone centre at Tovil, next to the old burial ground, and the Allington centre on Laverstoke Road. Both keep the same hours, both need a booked slot, and both have a 2 metre height barrier. This page gives the hours, the booking rule, what costs money, and what we know about Christmas opening.
The quick answer
- Both tips open 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays.
- You must book a slot first. Booking is free, you can book the same day or up to two weeks ahead, and Tovil says entry without a booking is not permitted.
- Christmas 2026 hours are not published yet. Kent puts festive changes on each centre’s own page; we will add them when they appear.
The two Maidstone tips
| Centre | Address | Mon to Sat | Sun and bank holidays | Height barrier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maidstone (Tovil) | Burial Ground, Tovil, ME15 6RJ | 8am to 4.30pm | 9am to 4pm | 2 metres (6ft 6in) |
| Allington | Laverstoke Road, Allington, ME16 0LE | 8am to 4.30pm | 9am to 4pm | 2 metres (6ft 6in) |
Allington has a reuse shop. Kent says the shop is open whenever the centre is, and you do not need to book if you are only going to browse. To donate items you must book a slot like any other visit. Tovil is on Kent’s list of centres that accept donations for the reuse shops.
Booking a slot
Kent’s visiting a HWRC page sets out the rules:
- Book online before you go. You can visit on the day you book, or book up to two weeks ahead, and there is no limit on how many times you visit in a day.
- The booking system changed recently and no longer uses a customer account.
- If you cannot book online, call 03000 41 73 73, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Bring your booking reference (on your phone, printed or written down) and your vehicle voucher if you need one.
- You cannot walk in with waste: both centre pages say waste cannot be carried in on foot. Children should stay in the car.
What is free and what is charged
Household waste is free for Kent council tax payers. Kent’s charges page sets the limits:
| Item | Free limit | Charge over the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres (car and motorbike) | None | £3 per tyre, up to 5 a day |
| DIY waste | 4 visits in 4 weeks, 1 large item or 2 bags a visit | £5 per item or standard black bag |
| Plasterboard | 4 visits in 4 weeks, 1 large item or 2 bags a visit | £7.50 per sheet or standard black bag |
| Visitors who do not pay council tax in Kent (including Medway) | None | £10 per visit |
Payment is by debit or credit card only; cash and cheques are not accepted. Business waste is not allowed.
Vans, trailers and tall vehicles
Some vehicles need a voucher to get in. Kent’s vehicle restrictions page says it is moving to digital permits in November 2026. If you apply before then and are approved, you get up to six paper vouchers, and paper vouchers will still be accepted “for a while” after the switch. Check your vehicle against the list before you book.
Christmas and New Year
Kent County Council’s Christmas services page last winter did not list tip hours itself; it pointed residents to “the opening times for your nearest household waste recycling centre over the festive period”, meaning each centre’s own page (archived December 2025). We could find no archived copy of the Tovil or Allington page from that December, so we cannot tell you last year’s Christmas Day or New Year’s Day arrangements from the council’s own record.
What we do know is that Christmas brings real trees. Maidstone Borough Council tells residents who do not pay for garden waste to take real trees to the Tovil or Allington tip, with decorations, pots and stands removed. See our Maidstone Christmas bin collections page for the collection changes and the hospice tree collection.
What is still to be confirmed
- Tovil and Allington opening on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2026/27.
- The exact date the digital vehicle permits start in November.
We will check both centre pages again in late November. For your regular bin day, see Maidstone bin collection days; if you are driving across town, our Maidstone roadworks and travel page lists current closures.
Sources
- Kent County Council, Maidstone Household Waste Recycling Centre (fetched 25 September 2026)
- Kent County Council, Allington Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Kent County Council, Visiting a HWRC
- Kent County Council, Charges at HWRCs
- Kent County Council, Vehicle restrictions and vouchers
- Maidstone Borough Council, Christmas waste collections
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