Trash & Recycling in Virginia Beach, VA (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Virginia Beach, Virginia, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Virginia Beach collects household garbage weekly and recyclables every other week. Carts go curbside no earlier than 5 p.m. the night before and must be off the curb by the end of collection day.
Virginia Beach Trash & Recycling Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-28(a)
Privately owned residential refuse receptacles, including automated refuse receptacles and containers for recyclables, oversized household trash and bulky items such as refrigerators, water heaters, washing machines, other household appliances, furniture, mattresses and similar items, the contents of which are to be collected by the city or a city contractor, shall be placed on the curb line of...
Bin Placement Rules
Virginia Beach requires curbside trash and recycling carts out no earlier than 5 p.m. the night before collection, off the curb by 7 a.m. collection day, and carts stored out of public view the rest of the week.
Trash Cart Placement & Set-Out Times in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code §§ 31-26, 31-28
...shall be placed on the curb line of a city right-of-way no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day before collection and by 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection. All receptacles must be removed out of view of the public after collection on the day of collection, except as otherwise designated by the city manager or his designee.
Bulk Item Disposal
Virginia Beach collects oversized trash and bulky items like refrigerators and washing machines once a week at the curb, but only if you call the waste management division in advance to schedule a special pickup.
Bulk Item Pickup Rules in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-27(a)
Oversized household trash, and bulky items such as refrigerators, water heaters and washing machines shall be collected by the city one (1) time each week at the curbside; provided that, the service of collecting these articles shall only be provided when a special order is placed by telephoning the waste management division in advance.(b)Recyclables shall be collected every other week on the s...
Recycling Requirements
Virginia Beach picks up recyclables every other week on the same day as trash, using bins provided for automated collection; mixing in hazardous waste, medical waste, or nonrecyclables draws a $25 civil penalty.
Virginia Beach Curbside Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code §§ 31-26, 31-27(b)
No hazardous waste, refuse, medical waste, or any other refuse or nonrecyclables shall be placed in any container for recyclables used for collection by the city or a city contractor. No other types of receptacles are permitted for use in the automated collection areas. Exceptions to these requirements may be made by the city manager or his designee. Only yard waste containers or yard waste rec...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
Virginia Beach keeps refuse collection running on official holidays, with the schedule set by the director of public works rather than a citywide suspend-and-shift.
Holiday Trash Pickup in Virginia Beach
Light RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-30
Refuse collection service shall be provided by the city on official holidays as designated by the director of public works.
Illegal Dumping
Dumping refuse, hazardous waste, or construction debris on streets, alleys, or private property in Virginia Beach is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $250–$2,500 fine.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Virginia Beach
Significant RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-10
(a) No person shall store or place any accumulation of building and construction materials, hazardous waste or refuse in any street, median strip, alley or other public place of travel, nor upon any private property... (d) Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by confinement in jail for not more than twelve (12) months and a fine of not ...
Yard Waste Collection
Virginia Beach caps yard debris piles at 4x4x4 feet, limbs at 4 feet long, one pile per week, curbside for city pickup.
Yard Waste Collection Rules in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-33(b)
All limbs, branches, shrubbery and hedge trimmings generated from normal pruning to be collected by the city shall be cut into lengths not to exceed four (4) feet and shall be stacked neatly by the curbline for collection. Stacks shall not exceed four by four by four (4 × 4 × 4) feet, shall contain no material greater than six (6) inches in diameter, and shall contain no debris generated as a r...
Dumpster Rules
Virginia Beach commercial establishments must supply their own refuse containers, and resort-zone businesses must use a bulk or mobile container under City Code § 31-6.
Commercial Dumpster Rules in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-6
The owner, manager or occupant of any commercial establishment shall be responsible for the collection or handling of solid waste originating from their commercial property. Said owner, manager or occupant of the commercial establishment shall provide refuse receptacles for the commercial establishment, and shall maintain such receptacles and place them for collection in accordance with the pro...
Collection Schedule
Virginia Beach collects household garbage weekly and recyclables every other week on the same collection day, unless the city manager designates a different schedule for an area.
Virginia Beach Trash & Recycling Collection
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-27
(a)Garbage and household trash accumulated at residences shall be collected by the city one (1) time each week, except when otherwise designated by the city manager or his designee. Oversized household trash, and bulky items such as refrigerators, water heaters and washing machines shall be collected by the city one (1) time each week at the curbside; provided that, the service of collecting th...
Recycling Rules
Virginia Beach picks up recyclables every other week on the same day as trash, and only accepts specific paper, glass, plastic, and metal items, not everything goes in the bin.
Recycling Rules in Virginia Beach
Some RestrictionsVirginia Beach City Code § 31-1
Recyclables means recyclable items, including, but not limited to, newspaper, cardboard, chipboard, junk mail, and catalog grade papers; clear, green and brown glass bottles and jars; plastic containers #1—#7; aluminum beverage cans, aluminum foil and pie pans and steel/tin food cans. Refuse means solid waste accumulations consisting of garbage, household trash, vegetative waste, yard trash ...