Bulk trash and fall leaf collection rules by city

Regular pickup days are only half of a city's service. Furniture, appliances and brush follow separate rules, and fall leaves have their own season, bags and limits. This guide quotes what 79 city notices say about both: 66 cities state a bulky-item fee or limit and 57 state a leaf or yard-waste period or bag rule. Where a notice is silent the cell stays blank — that means "not stated on the page we captured", not "no rule".

City pages captured 2026-09-23. Rules change by season, so confirm on the linked city page before you set anything out.

Bulky items: what each city says

40 cities say what bulky pickup costs and 63 state a limit on items, size or number of pickups.

The other 39 cities do not state a cost on the page we captured.

City	Cost	Fee line	Limits	Source
Abilene, TX	Fee, no amount given	Hourly rates for scheduled pickup may apply based on truck required to collect items.	standard pickup must fit within 8 feet by 4 feet by 3 feet (8'x4'x3')	City page
Akron, OH			The city picks up these large items on a weekly basis if you set them out on your normal collection day and 3 feet apart from your city cart.	City page
Arlington, TX			up to two cubic yard of large household/bulky items (about the size of a washer and dryer)	City page
Augusta, GA	Free or included	There are no additional removal charges for compliant bulk waste.	Total size of all bulk waste placed at curb for removal is 10 cubic yards (one 5x5x10 pile) per week	City page
Austin, TX			Customers can schedule up to three collections for each service each calendar year.	City page
Bakersfield, CA	Free or included	This program is included in basic residential refuse fees.	up to two bulky items to be picked up by one appointment once every three months	City page
Baltimore, MD			City of Baltimore residents can put out up to 3 bulk items for trash collection each month.	City page
Baton Rouge, LA			maximum of 10 out-of-cart items / per collection day / up to three of those items can be bulk waste or recyclables.	City page
Cambridge, MA	Fee, no amount given	The following items require a permit and payment of a fee:	one piece of furniture out per week on trash day	City page
Cary, NC	Fee with amount	The fee for bulky trash pickup is $15 for the first item and $8 for each additional item collected during the same trip.	Bulky trash such as furniture and gas grills can be collected by appointment.	City page
Cedar Rapids, IA	Fee, no amount given	The fee for this service will be added to your next utility bill. Costs vary depending on the size and type of item. Prices are subject to change.	Please call at least one business day prior to your garbage collection day to schedule collection.	City page
Charlotte, NC			There should be 3 feet in between items.	City page
Columbia, SC			Yard trimmings and bulk items are collected separately and should not be in the roll cart.	City page
Columbus, OH	Free or included	The City of Columbus will pick up many bulk items as a free service to its residents.	No bulk items will be collected unless the resident schedules collection online through 311 or calls (614) 645-3111.	City page
Columbus, GA			Bulk items are collected once per week on the same day as yard waste.	City page
Corpus Christi, TX	Fee with amount	An $82.63+tax charge will be applied to your utility bill for each additional load.	No pile of brush or bulky items may be greater than 6’ in height, 10’ in length, and 6’ in depth.	City page
Dallas, TX			2026 Collection Calendar Set out up to 10 cubic yards of brush and bulky items the Thursday through Sunday before your collection week	City page
Dayton, OH			Bulk Pickups are limited to (5) five large items and/or up to (25) small bags or boxes	City page
Denver, CO			A maximum of 5 large items (such as furniture) and up to 10 bags will be collected from each service address.	City page
Detroit, MI	Fee, no amount given	Paid collection — arrange through the city's bulk collection page		City page
Fairfield, CA	Free or included	two (2) free curbside bulky waste collections per year	approximately 3 cubic yards of solid waste and 2 large items such as sofas, furniture, or household appliances	City page
Fort Worth, TX	Free or included	at no extra charge to each household that receives curbside garbage and recycling collection.	Bulky item pick-up is limited to 10 cubic yards (about eight feet long, six feet wide and six feet tall)	City page
Fresno, CA			Operation Clean Up pickup is limited to 10 cubic yards equal to 2 piles measuring approximately 8’ x 4’ x 4’ or the size of 2 pickup truck beds loaded to the top of the cab.	City page
Gainesville, FL			Set your bulk items within four (4) feet from the curb or the traveled edge of the road. Items set back more than four (4) feet cannot be collected.	City page
Grand Rapids, MI	Fee with amount	City bulk sticker can be purchased for $40 for bulky items.	The maximum size of any one item is 6 ft. x 5 ft.	City page
Hampton, VA			Bulk limbs (limbs and brush no larger than 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length) are accepted.	City page
Hartford, CT	Free or included	two (2) free collections each calendar year	You may put out up to 5 items each collection.	City page
Honolulu, HI			bulky items such as appliances and furniture, should be set out at the curb no earlier than the evening before the scheduled collection day	City page
Houston, TX			Heavy Trash: Collected every other month (up to six curbside collections per calendar year for eligible addresses)	City page
Lexington, KY			The city will pick up to four small truck or car tires a week from homes that receive city collection services.	City page
Little Rock, AR	Free allowance, then a fee	The first four (4) bulky item or appliance pick ups in each calendar year will be at no charge. Each additional pick-up will be $25.00 for two (2) cubic yards and $10.00 for each cubic yard above that.	The first four (4) bulky item or appliance pick ups in each calendar year will be at no charge.	City page
Long Beach, CA	Free or included	12 Special Collections / per calendar year / at no additional cost / A regulatory fee may apply for items requiring special handling	Each scheduled pickup allows up to 8 large items or 25 bags/bundles/boxes.	City page
Los Angeles, CA	Free or included	the Bureau of Sanitation will remove the items for free		City page
Madison, WI	Fee, no amount given	For curbside collection, you will pay any required fee when scheduling large item collection.	Items must be less than 8 feet long.	City page
Memphis, TN			Twice per month on your regular collection day, the City will pick up your yard debris in excess of two bags and outside the cart bulk waste such as tree limbs and furniture.	City page
Miami-Dade County, FL	Free or included	Bulky waste pickup service is provided through the residential solid waste service fee	Each household is entitled to two bulky waste pickups per calandar year of up to 25 cubic yards each.	City page
Milwaukee, WI	Fee with amount	$75 - 1- 4 cubic yards	Special pickup requests for more than 6 cubic yards, loose material, or mixed materials (construction waste, recyclables, tires, brush/yard waste, etc.) are not eligible for special pickup service.	City page
Miramar, FL	Fee, no amount given	Residents who missed their allocated bulk pick-up date or would like to schedule a special pickup may do so by contacting Waste Pro at 954-967-4200. Please be advised that a charge will apply.	Bulk shall not be placed more than 7-days prior to the properties scheduled collection day.	City page
Montgomery, AL			Every 1st and 3rd Saturday from 7 am - 1:30 pm	City page
New Haven, CT	Free allowance, then a fee	Homeowners who qualify receive ONE FREE APPOINTMENT per calendar year; additional appointments within the same year cost $50 each. Tenants must pay $50 for each appointment they schedule.	Homeowners who qualify receive ONE FREE APPOINTMENT per calendar year / additional appointments within the same year cost $50 each / Tenants must pay $50 for each appointment they schedule.	City page
New Orleans, LA			Residents must contact 311 to request collection of bulky waste. Bulky waste should not be placed out for collection 24 hours prior to the scheduled solid waste collection day.	City page
Oklahoma City, OK	Free or included	The first four cubic yards of bulky trash -- about the size of two large refrigerators -- are included in your monthly fees.	The first four cubic yards of bulky trash -- about the size of two large refrigerators -- are included in your monthly fees.	City page
Olathe, KS	Fee with amount	Household items, construction debris or brush pick-up is $30 per 15 minutes of loading time with a $30 minimum.	Do not set bulk items at the curb prior to 5 p.m. the day before your scheduled bulk pick up.	City page
Orlando, FL	Free or included	pick up some furniture, appliances, and other large items for free on yard waste day	up to two large items on the curb on yard waste day	City page
Oxnard, CA	Free or included	free community drop-off day events for large, bulky items		City page
Pasadena, CA	Free or included		two free pickups of bulky items per year / Limit 3 cubic yards	City page
Pembroke Pines, FL	Fee with amount	residents will be charged $15 per cubic yard / for each cubic yard over the limit	Collection is limited to 10 cubic yards per residential unit, per pickup	City page
Philadelphia, PA			Limit of four (4) bulk items per appointment.	City page
Providence, RI	Free or included	There are no additional fees for this service, except mattresses.	Buildings with more than 6 living units are not eligible for free bulky waste removal through the City.	City page
Rancho Cucamonga, CA	Free or included	bulky item pick-ups four times per calendar year at no charge	bulky item pick-ups four times per calendar year	City page
Richardson, TX	Free or included	Bulky item collection is provided to residents at no additional cost.	large and bulky items (over 50 lbs.) / limit service requests to 8 calls each year / Business and other waste brought from other properties are not eligible for collection	City page
Richmond, VA	Fee with amount	bulk and brush collection requests are available for$100 per request	Bi-weekly collection on your trash collection day during your recycling collection week	City page
Rochester, NY			Bulk items (e.g., household furniture, bedding and mattresses, large appliances, etc.) and bundled tree and hedge trimmings may be placed at the curb for collection on your normal refuse day.	City page
San Antonio, TX	Fee, no amount given	The fee is based on the size of the pile.	Piles should be no more than eight cubic yards and placed within eight feet of the curb.	City page
San Francisco, CA	Free or included	two curbside Bulky Item Collections / per year / at no additional charge	You may leave up to 10 items per collection appointment.	City page
Seattle, WA	Fee, no amount given	Charges for special item collections will appear on your combined utility bill.	cannot exceed 300lbs, 8 feet in height, or 4 feet in diameter	City page
Shreveport, LA			1 pile per request and the pile must not be larger than (L) 15ft x (W) 6ft x (H) 6ft.	City page
St. Paul, MN	Fee with amount	you can pay $30 per bulky item (plus tax) to have them collected.	12 bulky item pickups per garbage cart, per calendar year	City page
Sunnyvale, CA	Free or included	on-call curbside collection twice a year at no additional charge	on-call curbside collection twice a year	City page
Syracuse, NY			No more than 2 cubic yards, which is the size of a washer and dryer next to each other.	City page
Thornton, CO	Fee with amount	The minimum fee is just $72 per collection for up to 6 cubic yards of stuff	up to 6 cubic yards of stuff	City page
Toledo, OH	Free or included	bring a truck or trailer load of bulky solid waste items for free disposal to the Hoffman Road Landfill	Beginning January 5, 2026 / residents can place up to / 5 bulk items at the curb each week / Each item must weigh / under 40 lbs.	City page
Tucson, AZ			Twice a year, crews visit each of Tucson's 26 residential trash service areas to provide Brush and Bulky collection.	City page
Waco, TX	Free or included	one bulky waste pickup every month! You have to request the pickup, but there is no additional charge.	one bulky waste pickup every month	City page
Washington, DC			from residential households that receive DPW trash collection services / These households include single-family homes and residential buildings with three or fewer living units / NO MORE THAN SEVEN ITEMS will be collected per appointment.	City page
Worcester, MA	Fee with amount	all items are a flat fee of $5 each except mattresses and box springs.	Residents can have an unlimited number of items collected per appointment.	City page

Fall leaves and yard waste: season and bag rules

40 cities state when leaf or yard-waste collection runs and 52 state what the leaves must go in.

When collection runs

Fall or seasonal leaf program 10 cities
Akron (OH), Baltimore (MD), Denver (CO), Madison (WI), Milwaukee (WI), Rancho Cucamonga (CA), Richmond (VA), Rochester (NY), Seattle (WA), Worcester (MA)

Yard-waste season with start and end dates 5 cities
Cambridge (MA), Cedar Rapids (IA), Detroit (MI), Providence (RI), Syracuse (NY)

Regular weekly or alternating-week service 24 cities
Arlington (TX), Augusta (GA), Austin (TX), Baton Rouge (LA), Cary (NC), Charlotte (NC), College Station (TX), Columbus (GA), Fort Worth (TX), Gainesville (FL), Jacksonville (FL), Lexington (KY), Little Rock (AR), Macon-Bibb (GA), Memphis (TN), Montgomery (AL), New Orleans (LA), Oklahoma City (OK), Olathe (KS), Orlando (FL), Pembroke Pines (FL), San Antonio (TX), Shreveport (LA), Waco (TX)

By appointment 1 city
Washington (DC)

What the leaves go in

Paper bags named, plastic not accepted 8 cities
Augusta (GA), Charlotte (NC), Columbus (OH), Fort Worth (TX), New Haven (CT), Olathe (KS), Syracuse (NY), Washington (DC)

Paper, compostable or biodegradable bags named 11 cities
Cary (NC), Fort Wayne (IN), Gainesville (FL), Grand Rapids (MI), Lexington (KY), Providence (RI), Richardson (TX), Richmond (VA), San Antonio (TX), San Francisco (CA), Worcester (MA)

Plastic bags not accepted 4 cities
Detroit (MI), Hartford (CT), Milwaukee (WI), Seattle (WA)

Plastic bags named 2 cities
College Station (TX), Miramar (FL)

Bags allowed, material not specified 16 cities
Arlington (TX), Baton Rouge (LA), Columbia (SC), Corpus Christi (TX), Huntsville (AL), Jacksonville (FL), Little Rock (AR), Memphis (TN), New Orleans (LA), Oklahoma City (OK), Orlando (FL), Pembroke Pines (FL), Rochester (NY), Roseville (CA), Shreveport (LA), Waco (TX)

Other container, bundle or loose-leaf rule 11 cities
Akron (OH), Baltimore (MD), Cambridge (MA), Cedar Rapids (IA), Columbia (MO), Columbus (GA), Dayton (OH), Hampton (VA), Pasadena (CA), Rancho Cucamonga (CA), Toledo (OH)

City	When	Period line	Bag rule	Source
Akron, OH	Fall or seasonal program	Beginning in October, the City of Akron will start its annual leaf removal program.	DO NOT bag leaves unless you have called 311 to arrange for one of your (3) three Sanitation bulk pickups.	City page
Arlington, TX	Regular service	Each week, residents may put out for collection their trash cart(s), their recycling cart, up to two cubic yards of bundled brush/yard waste/ bagged leaves (approximately 12 30-gallon bags)	up to two cubic yards of bundled brush/yard waste/ bagged leaves (approximately 12 30-gallon bags)	City page
Augusta, GA	Regular service	Residential, Unoccupied Locations, and Vacant Lot customers are provided weekly yard waste collection services.	Do not use plastic bags; Do use paper Kraft bags or 32 gallon containers	City page
Austin, TX	Regular service	weekly / composting collection		City page
Baltimore, MD	Fall or seasonal program	first Monday in October through the last Monday in January	tie branches into bundles	City page
Baton Rouge, LA	Regular service	Once weekly out-of-cart waste collection / This includes bulky items, bagged leaves and grass, and yard and woody waste.	Leaves and lawn trimmings should be placed in bags for collection, with brush, branches, and tree trimmings in bundles.	City page
Cambridge, MA	Season with dates	free weekly collection of yard waste, April 1-December 31	Place yard waste in barrels marked with “Yard Waste Only” stickers facing the street, or in lawn refuse bags.	City page
Cary, NC	Regular service	is collected each week at the curb on your regular garbage collection day	paper bags / 25 pounds max	City page
Cedar Rapids, IA	Season with dates	Early March–Mid December	Separate brush into 2x3 foot bundles weighing less than 40 pounds. The maximum diameter for branches is 5 inches. Use biodegradable twine to bundle and set next to your YARDY cart for collection.	City page
Charlotte, NC	Regular service	Yard waste is collected from the curb once a week on your scheduled collection day	Leaves and grass clippings should be placed in paper bags or containers no larger than 32 gallons. Plastic bags, including compostable plastic bags, are not accepted.	City page
College Station, TX	Regular service	Garbage, brush and bulky is collected each week.	Use heavy-duty plastic bags. Bags must weigh less than 50 lbs for collection.	City page
Columbia, SC			Loose or bagged leaves, branches (less than 6 ft in length)	City page
Columbia, MO			Only regular household trash and yard waste can be put into the carts.	City page
Columbus, OH			Plastic bags cannot be recycled with yard waste. Do not place waste in plastic bags or line the paper bags with plastic bags.	City page
Columbus, GA	Regular service	Leaves, grass clippings, pine needles and similar yard waste debris are collected once a week.	Yard waste must be placed in the green rolling cart	City page
Corpus Christi, TX			Yard waste may be bagged and placed in garbage carts for regular collection.	City page
Dayton, OH			Yard waste (brush, clippings, tree limbs, etc.) must be tied into bundles not larger than 4 feet long and 18 inches in diameter. Bundles are limited to 25 pounds each	City page
Denver, CO	Fall or seasonal program	seasonal Leafdrop service at multiple locations during the fall		City page
Detroit, MI	Season with dates	2026 yard waste collection runs March 31 through December 19. Yard waste collection will be picked up weekly at the curbline with the rest of your solid waste.	The City’s contractors, Waste Management and Priority Waste, will not collect yard waste in plastic bags.	City page
Fort Wayne, IN			place your leaves in brown paper biodegradable leaf bags	City page
Fort Worth, TX	Regular service	weekly yard trimmings and brush collection	No leaves, grass or other yard trimmings in plastic bags. These items should be set out in paper yard bags for weekly yard trimmings and brush collection.	City page
Gainesville, FL	Regular service	Yard Waste materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and branches are collected curbside weekly from residential homes in the City of Gainesville.	Leaves and grass clippings, along with small piles of limbs and twigs, must be containerized in brown paper lawn & leaf bags or personal reusable yard waste containers weighing no more than 40 pounds per bag or container.	City page
Grand Rapids, MI			Only City Yard Waste Paper Bags, weighing no more than 30 pounds when full, or the City Yard Waste Carts, weighing no more than 180 pounds with Yard Waste Cart Tag attached, shall be used for leaves, grass clippings, brush and garden plants.	City page
Hampton, VA			Leaves and grass should be bagged in clear bags so we can see it’s recyclable.	City page
Hartford, CT			Leaves placed in plastic garbage bags will not be collected. Plastic Bags are not biodegradable	City page
Huntsville, AL			Leaves should be bagged. Bags should not exceed 50 pounds	City page
Jacksonville, FL	Regular service	Yard waste is collected weekly.	Bags must be sealed closed.	City page
Lexington, KY	Regular service	Yard waste pickup is provided weekly through the city waste collection services.	Please do not bag materials in your gray cart. Material that does not fit in your cart can be placed in a paper yard waste bag next to your gray cart on collection day.	City page
Little Rock, AR	Regular service	Yard waste is collected once per week by the City; the business day following your scheduled garbage collection day.	Leaves, grasses, and small twigs must be placed in bags, boxes, or cans smaller than thirty (30) gallons with a total weight of container and contents not exceeding fifty (50) pounds.	City page
Macon-Bibb, GA	Regular service	Yard debris in Macon-Bibb County will be picked up by Ryland every other week on the same day as your garbage pickup.		City page
Madison, WI	Fall or seasonal program	We collect again in the fall. Usually the fall collections start in October. There are three guaranteed pickups during this season.		City page
Memphis, TN	Regular service	Yard Waste collection is a weekly service provided to the City of Memphis residential customers.	up to one half a cubic yard of bagged yard waste debris a week.	City page
Milwaukee, WI	Fall or seasonal program	beginning in fall 2026, residents have another option during the Fall Leaf Rake-Out (October 1 to November 15)	do not use plastic bags	City page
Miramar, FL			Bagged leaves or other loose material must be placed in plastic bags and weigh no more than 50 pounds.	City page
Montgomery, AL	Regular service	Once per week		City page
New Haven, CT			Leaf bags must be paper, composable, contain no branches, dirt, or rocks, and placed out at the curb on your refuse collection day (DO NOT USE PLASTIC CONTAINERS OR PLASTIC BAGS).	City page
New Orleans, LA	Regular service	Yard waste should be bundled and/or bagged, and placed next to the cart on the scheduled solid waste collection day of the week.	Less than 6 bags of leaves, weeds, grass, small vegetation/hedge clippings, with each bag weighing 50 pounds or less	City page
Oklahoma City, OK	Regular service	Weekly, residential Big Blue Trash Service is / bagged leaves and grass clippings	Please put all bags inside your Big Blue cart. Do NOT set them next to carts or set them out with your monthly bulky waste. This includes all bags for yard waste, grass clippings and leaves.	City page
Olathe, KS	Regular service	The City of Olathe offers year-round weekly collection of yard waste for residential customers on the same day as the customer's trash day.	Grass clippings, leaves and small plant trimmings must be placed in compostable paper yard waste bags or a 95-gallon green City Yard Cart (see below for more information). Plastic bags are prohibited.	City page
Orlando, FL	Regular service	your yard waste for the city to collect / Up to 4 cubic yards is collected each week	Yard waste should be tied in bundles or bagged.	City page
Pasadena, CA			Branches 3” or less in diameter and trimmed to fit in the container	City page
Pembroke Pines, FL	Regular service	Bulk and Yard Waste collection is provided on your regularly scheduled bulk pickup day, twice per month.	bagged, tied, or bundled	City page
Providence, RI	Season with dates	Yard waste is collected every year from mid-April through December.	brown paper debris bags OR in your own container marked as yard debris.	City page
Rancho Cucamonga, CA	Fall or seasonal program	Excess green waste can be bundled and placed beside your green waste container for pick-up on a seasonal basis.	Tie your trimmings into bundles no larger than eighteen inches in diameter and four feet long.	City page
Richardson, TX			small twigs, grass clippings and/or leaves composted / place these in brown compostable bags and set them in the front on the parkway / request a Brush or Bulky Item Collection	City page
Richmond, VA	Fall or seasonal program	The Department of Public Works will begin its Annual Leaf Collection Program on Monday, October 5, 2026.	Preferably biodegradable/compostable plastic bags	City page
Rochester, NY	Fall or seasonal program	Loose leaves are picked up in November of each year	Residential and commercial refuse customers may always place bagged leaves at the curb for pickup on their regular refuse collection day.	City page
Roseville, CA			Place only front yard leaves in a sealed bag. Each bag must weigh less than 40 pounds.	City page
San Antonio, TX	Regular service	Green organics carts are collected each week on the same day as the blue recycle carts.	Materials should be either loose or placed in paper bags.	City page
San Francisco, CA			Place your extra yard trimmings next to your green Recology cart in a compostable bag or bundle them together with string into a manageable size (2’x3′).	City page
Seattle, WA	Fall or seasonal program	free extra yard waste pick up in the month of November	Please do not put leaves and other yard waste in plastic bags.	City page
Shreveport, LA	Regular service	will be collected by our Solid Waste crews on your regular collection day.	All bagged waste, such as grass clippings and leaves, should be placed in 35 gallon yard waste bags / These bags should not exceed 50 pounds	City page
Syracuse, NY	Season with dates	Yard waste includes brush, small twigs, branches, limbs, and leaves. We pick up yard waste once a month from April to October.	Bag leaves in a paper bag (no plastic bags allowed)	City page
Toledo, OH			Dispose of leaves in your gray trash container.	City page
Waco, TX	Regular service	Green yard waste carts are picked up every other week on your designated day.	You can bag up to twenty bags of leaves in addition to your cart	City page
Washington, DC	By appointment	year-round by appointment only	Since August 26, 2021, Yard waste is only collected in paper bags, unlike previous years when plastic bags were acceptable for collection.	City page
Worcester, MA	Fall or seasonal program	Starts the first week in November, depending on weather.	Use biodegradable paper bags if you are bagging leaves.	City page

Questions

Is bulky-item pickup free?

It depends on the city. Of the 40 cities whose notice says what bulky pickup costs, 20 say it is free or included in the service fee, 2 give a free allowance and charge after it, 10 state a dollar amount and 8 mention a fee without an amount. Free or included, for example: Augusta (GA), Bakersfield (CA), Columbus (OH), Fairfield (CA), Fort Worth (TX) and 15 more.

Do leaves have to go in paper bags?

Where a city names a bag type: 8 name paper bags and say plastic is not accepted, 11 name paper, compostable or biodegradable bags, 4 say plastic bags are not accepted without naming an alternative and 2 name plastic bags. 16 allow bags without specifying the material and 11 give another container or bundle rule. Check your city's row in the table.

When does fall leaf collection start?

It differs by city: 10 publish a fall or seasonal leaf program with its own timing, 5 give a yard-waste season with start and end dates, 24 describe regular weekly or alternating-week yard-waste service and 1 collects by appointment. The table quotes each city's own wording.

Bulk trash and fall leaf collection rules by city

Bulky items: what each city says

Free or included in the service fee 20 cities

Free allowance, then a fee 2 cities

Fee with a dollar amount 10 cities

Fee mentioned, no amount given 8 cities