Knowledge base
Placing a container on the pavement or the street: which permit do you need?
If you place a container, rubble bag or building materials on the pavement, a parking strip or the roadway, you need a public domain occupancy permit. You apply for it with the municipality via EagleBE, Spotbooking or the city's occupancy form. If the container stands entirely on your own driveway or property, a permit is usually not required.
A waste container or rubble bag during your renovation seems like a detail, but as soon as it stands on public domain, a permit is mandatory. Below you can read when this applies and how to arrange it.
When do you need a permit?
The location of the container determines everything:
- On the pavement, a parking strip or the roadway: public domain occupancy permit mandatory.
- Entirely on your own driveway, property or car park: usually no permit needed.
- If you take up a parking bay, temporary no-parking signage often goes with it (E1/E3).
How do you apply?
The application is made per municipality via EagleBE, Spotbooking or the city's occupancy form (for example via the City of Ghent website). Apply in good time: expect a few working days to two weeks. We submit the application for you and supply the necessary signage with it.
What do you risk without a permit?
Without a valid permit or correct signage you risk a municipal administrative fine and the municipality can ask you to remove the container. For a few days of paperwork, that is an avoidable risk.
Need construction site signage or a permit?
We arrange your construction site signage and your public domain occupancy permit, from the signage plan to delivery, installation and collection. Tell us about your site and you'll get a concrete proposal quickly.
Last updated on 1 september 2026.
Further reading
Other articles that will help you on your way.
- Who is responsible for putting up the construction site signage?Whoever carries out the works is responsible for ensuring that road signs are correctly installed, even if you put them up yourself. If they are installed incorrectly or do not meet the legal requirements, the police will not tow away illegally parked vehicles and may shut down the construction site.
- Putting up your own parking signs: a summary of the rulesIf you are putting up the parking signs yourself, you must position them exactly as specified in your permit: one set per 25 metres, with the start sign showing the arrow pointing upwards, the end sign showing the arrow pointing downwards, and the dates and times on the lower panels. Take photographs whilst performing the installation and send these, together with the number plates of the cars already parked there, to the police and the municipality.
- Applying for a public domain occupancy permit: how it worksFor works or a container on the pavement, parking strip or roadway you need a public domain occupancy permit. You apply for it per municipality via EagleBE, Spotbooking or the city's occupancy form. Expect a processing time of a few working days to two weeks. We take the entire application off your hands.
Apply for a permit in your municipality
We arrange public domain occupancy across Flanders. See how it works in your municipality.
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