Trash & Recycling in Norfolk, VA

If you live in Norfolk or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Norfolk has 8 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Illegal Dumping

Norfolk Code § 14.5-4 makes it unlawful to dump solid waste on any property, in any waters, or into the stormwater system without a permit. Violators face a Class 1 misdemeanor under § 14.5-1, with each day of the violation charged as a separate offense and court-ordered site restoration.

Key details: Governing chapter: Norfolk Code Ch. 14.5, Environmental Offenses. Core offense class: Class 1 misdemeanor, § 14.5-1. Repeat exposure: Each day of violation is a separate offense. Vehicle dumping rule: Owner/operator liable if material ejected from vehicle. Enforcement agencies: Police, health director, fire marshal.

A first dumping offense under § 14.5-1 is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and each day the dumped material remains or each day of continued violation is charged as its own separate offense, so a single dumping incident can generate ongoing daily charges until cleaned up. Beyond the criminal charge, a judge may order the violator to correct the violation, restore the polluted site, and perform public service tied to restoring the area, with each day of noncompliance with a restoration order counting as an additional separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Norfolk's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Dumpster Rules

Norfolk requires a permit from the director of public health before any commercial bulk container or roll-off dumpster is placed. City Code Sec. 41-13 sets the siting rules: the container must sit at least ten feet from any building or fire escape, stay off the public right-of-way except for temporary staging, and be screened behind an opaque fence.

Key details: Permit authority: Director of public health, § 41-13(b). Minimum distance from building: 10 feet. Base requirement: Firm concrete pad, marked line. Screening: Opaque fence from right-of-way. Pre-1985 sites: Waiver available for a fee.

Failing to meet the Sec. 41-13(c) siting standards, letting the pad fall into disrepair, or leaving a container unscreened lets the director of public health revoke the permit outright. Separately, Sec. 41-14(b) makes it a class 1 misdemeanor, Virginia's most serious misdemeanor class, for a permittee who ignores the section's maintenance, access, or collection-frequency duties, with each violation charged separately.

This is one of the stricter rules in Norfolk's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Collection Schedule

Norfolk sets residential garbage service by container ratio, not just a calendar. City Code Sec. 41-18 requires at least one automated cart per unit in buildings of four units or fewer, and one cart for every two units in larger buildings, with private collection stepping in wherever city equipment can't reach or keep up.

Key details: Small buildings (4 units or fewer): 1 automated cart per unit minimum. Larger buildings (5+ units): 1 cart per 2 units minimum. Noncollectible-site notice: 30 days' advance notice, § 41-18(b)(2). Access failure: Private collection required, § 41-18(d). First violation fine: $25 prepayment penalty.

A property that keeps fewer containers than Sec. 41-18 requires, or that keeps generating waste beyond what its assigned containers can hold without arranging private pickup, is in violation of the section. Under the chapter's general penalty scheme, a violation of Sec. 41-18 is a class 3 misdemeanor under Sec. 41-1, and a waste management inspector may instead issue the Sec. 41-6 prepayment penalty notice: $25 first violation, $50 second within twelve months, $100 for a third or later.

Recycling Rules

Norfolk runs recyclables on the same timing framework as trash collection, with one twist for the downtown business district: recyclables there go out only on Tuesday and Thursday nights, never on the Monday-Wednesday-Friday trash days. City Code Sec. 41-20(c) and Sec. 41-38 govern placement, containers and timing.

Key details: Downtown recycling days: Tuesday and Thursday only, § 41-20(c). Downtown trash days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Container source: SPSA-provided containers only, § 41-38. Nonrecyclables on recycling days: Barred entirely. Business recycling fee: $39.48/yr per container, § 41-21(g).

Setting out nonrecyclable waste on the Tuesday/Thursday recycling days, or placing recyclables outside the designated evening window, violates Sec. 41-20(c). As elsewhere in the chapter, Sec. 41-1 makes a violation a class 3 misdemeanor, rising to a class 2 misdemeanor after three violations in twelve months, and Sec. 41-6 lets an inspector issue a prepayment penalty of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, and $100 for a third or more within the same year.

Yard Waste Collection

Norfolk requires yard waste bagged in clear plastic or bundled to size limits before city crews will pick it up: bundles capped at four feet long, eighteen inches around and 75 pounds, or a 30-gallon container, with only twenty bundles or bags collected per property per day under City Code Sec. 41-35.

Key details: Bundle size limit: 4 ft long, 18 in diameter, 75 lbs. Container limit: 30-gallon yard waste container. Daily collection cap: 20 bundles/bags or 3 cubic yards. Excluded from pickup: Limbs over 6 inches diameter. Disaster waiver: Director of public works may waive limits.

Mixing yard waste with regular household trash, exceeding the twenty-bundle/twenty-bag/three-cubic-yard daily cap without the director's authorization, or setting out whole trees and oversized limbs without approval are all violations of Sec. 41-35. Chapter-wide, Sec. 41-1 treats a violation as a class 3 misdemeanor, escalating to a class 2 misdemeanor for a third violation by the same person within twelve months, and Sec. 41-6 lets an inspector issue a prepayment penalty of $25, $50 or $100 in lieu of a court summons.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Norfolk collects residential solid waste on a schedule the director of public works sets, and every single residence, duplex and small multi-unit building must pay for that city service under City Code Sec. 41-17. Waste cannot overflow or sit outside the container, and loose household waste must go into a bag first.

Key details: Mandatory service: Residences of 4 units or fewer, § 41-17(a). Overflow: Prohibited; won't be collected. Loose waste: Must be bagged before disposal. First violation fine: $25 prepayment penalty. 3+ violations in 12 months: Class 2 misdemeanor.

Presence of overflow solid waste is itself a violation of Sec. 41-17(b), and the city won't collect it. Under the chapter's general penalty at Sec. 41-1, a violation is a class 3 misdemeanor, with three or more violations by the same person within twelve months escalating to a class 2 misdemeanor. Sec. 41-6 lets a waste management inspector issue a prepayment penalty notice instead: $25 for a first violation, $50 for a second within twelve months, and $100 for a third or later.

Bulk Item Disposal

Norfolk residents get twelve free bulk waste pickups a year, capped at three cubic yards each, but only after calling the division of waste management to schedule it. City Code Sec. 41-32 bars leaving furniture, appliances or other bulk items at the curb without that advance appointment and sets fees once volume climbs past three cubic yards.

Key details: Free pickups per year: 12, up to 3 cubic yards each. Scheduling: Required call to waste management division. Set-out window: 5 p.m. night before to 7 a.m. pickup day. Over 22 cubic yards: $12-$15 per cubic yard. Tire limit: 4/day, 12/year, non-commercial sizes.

Placing bulk items at the curb without first scheduling with the division of waste management violates Sec. 41-32(a) outright, and unscheduled pickups are billed at the higher nonscheduled rate. Chapter-wide, Sec. 41-1 makes a violation a class 3 misdemeanor, rising to a class 2 misdemeanor for a third violation by the same person within twelve months, and Sec. 41-6 authorizes a $25/$50/$100 escalating prepayment penalty in lieu of court.

Bin Placement Rules

Norfolk gives residential and business customers a fixed set-out window: cart at the curb no earlier than 5 p.m. the night before, no later than 7 a.m. on collection day, and pulled back in by 11:30 p.m. that night under City Code Sec. 41-20, with carts otherwise kept five feet behind the building's front plane or screened from the street.

Key details: Earliest set-out: 5:00 p.m. the night before collection. Latest set-out: 7:00 a.m. collection day. Removal deadline: 11:30 p.m. collection day. Storage setback: 5 feet behind building's front plane. Alternative: Screened from street view.

Leaving a container out past 11:30 p.m., setting it out before 5:00 p.m. the night before, or storing it in view of the street outside the five-foot screening rule is a violation of Sec. 41-20. As with the rest of the chapter, Sec. 41-1 makes a violation a class 3 misdemeanor, escalating to a class 2 misdemeanor for a third violation within twelve months, and Sec. 41-6 authorizes an inspector to issue a prepayment penalty of $25, $50, or $100 depending on how many violations the same person has racked up that year.

The Bottom Line

Norfolk is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Norfolk, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

This guide is based on Norfolk's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.