Trash & Recycling in Charlottesville, VA (2026)
8 verified trash & recycling rules for Charlottesville, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Charlottesville's curbside collection rules in City Code § 26-27 spell out what a legal trash container looks like: a closed, nonleaking bin of no more than 96 gallons made of metal or plastic with a tight-fitting cover, or a securely tied plastic bag at least 1.5 millimeters thick. Paper and cardboard containers are never allowed.
Charlottesville Curbside Container Requirements
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 26-27
(a)All cooled ashes and kitchen garbage consisting in whole or in part of foodstuff and other damp garbage shall be drained and placed in a closed nonleaking container of not over ninety-six (96) gallon capacity. Containers shall be made of metal, plastic or other suitable material and shall have tight-fitting covers. Plastic bags used as containers shall, in lieu of having tight-fitting covers...
Bin Placement Rules
Where and when a Charlottesville household can set out trash depends on the zone: Downtown-area carts can never sit on a street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Uptown and other customers must put bins out between 6 p.m. the night before and 7 a.m. on collection day and pull empty cans back by noon.
Charlottesville Curbside Bin Placement and Timing
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code § 26-30(a)(2), (b)(2)-(3)
(2)It shall be unlawful for wheeled carts, receptacles, bags and bins to be placed on any street from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ... (b)Customers located in the Uptown Trash Collection Area shall be subject to the following collection procedures: ... (2)Such garbage and refuse shall be so placed for collection not earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day preceding the scheduled collection for such locati...
Bulk Item Disposal
The City of Charlottesville's Public Works department collects bulky items too large for a 32-gallon can under a scheduled curbside program. Customers must call, use the online form, or write in advance and pay a fee that rises from $35 for a first pickup to $100 for a third or later pickup within any rolling 365-day period. Brush qualifies, but construction debris does not.
Charlottesville Large-Item Trash Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-76, 26-77
City-wide large item collection service shall be provided by the city only to curbside customers of the city who comply with this article and other applicable code provisions. ... The fee shall be thirty-five dollars ($35.00) for the first collection; fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second collection and one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the third and all subsequent collections. ... Customers ar...
Recycling Requirements
Charlottesville runs a voluntary curbside recycling program under City Code § 26-46: any curbside customer can collect glass containers, aluminum cans, paper and cardboard, #1 and #2 plastics, and steel food cans, then set them out in a city recycling container the same way trash is placed for pickup.
Charlottesville Curbside Recycling Program Materials
Light RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-3, 26-46
Recyclable materials means the following materials: (1)All glass containers;(2)Aluminum cans;(3)Newspapers, cardboard, mixed paper, magazines and catalogs(4)Plastic soft drink bottles, milk, water jugs, #1 and #2 plastics;(5)Steel (tin) cans used for fruits, vegetables, soups, pet foods and other food items.(6)Any other items designated by the director of public works ... All curbside customers...
Illegal Dumping
Charlottesville outlaws dumping trash, litter or even a dead pet on public property or on someone else's land without written consent. City Code § 26-1 covers streets, rights-of-way and adjoining property, and a violation of the littering rule is a Class 1 misdemeanor, the code's most serious misdemeanor classification.
Illegal Dumping Banned in Charlottesville, Virginia
Heavy RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-1, 26-2
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to dump or otherwise dispose of trash, garbage, refuse, litter, a companion animal for the purpose of disposal, or other unsightly matter on public property, including a public street, right-of-way, property adjacent to such street or right-of-way, or on private property without the written consent of the owner thereof or their agent. ... A violation of an...
Yard Waste Collection
Charlottesville collects yard waste like brush and trimmings in stickered containers, but loose leaves follow a seasonal switch: bagged leaves are banned from November through January when only curbside vacuum collection is allowed, and leaves must go back into containers with a paid sticker from February through October.
Charlottesville Yard Waste and Leaf Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-28, 26-29
Yard waste may be placed in containers with the appropriate sticker or decal, if the material is secured so as to prevent the yard waste from being blown therefrom. ... During the months of November through January, it shall be unlawful to place leaves in containers for collection by the city. During such months, leaves shall only be placed loose at the curb or street edge for vacuum collection...
Collection Schedule
The City of Charlottesville provides citywide curbside collection of trash and recyclables to every qualifying property, with the collection schedule set by the Director of Public Works and available to any resident or business on request. Service under City Code §§ 26-30 and 26-61 is limited to customers who follow the chapter's rules.
Charlottesville Mandatory Curbside Collection Service
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-30, 26-61
The city or its agent will provide citywide curbside collection service of trash and recyclables to qualifying properties. The collection schedule shall be set by the director of public works, and a copy thereof shall be available to any city resident or business upon request. All collection services shall be subject to the regulations set forth herein, and the fee schedule set forth in this ch...
Recycling Rules
Once a Charlottesville resident sets recyclable materials out at the curb, title to them passes to the city, and City Code §§ 26-48 and 26-49 make it unlawful for anyone else to take those materials, misuse a recycling container for garbage, or steal, damage or remove a city-owned recycling bin.
Charlottesville Recycling Container Use Rules
Some RestrictionsCharlottesville City Code §§ 26-48, 26-49
Once a customer places recyclable materials in a recycling container at a designated curbside collection point, title to those materials shall be deemed to be vested in the city or its designated agent. No person shall remove, take, collect or transport any recyclable material that has been placed in a recycling container from any curbside, street right-of-way, alley or other designated collect...