Amarillo, TX Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out time
- 5:00 p.m. day before collection
- Latest set-out time
- 7:00 a.m. on collection day
- Cart removal deadline
- 11:59 p.m. on collection day
- Horizontal clearance
- At least 5 feet
- Vertical clearance
- At least 12 feet
Summary
Amarillo requires bagged trash and Refuse Storage Carts to sit within three feet of the curbline, placed no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the evening before pickup and no later than 7:00 a.m. on collection day under Sec. 8-3-30 and Sec. 8-3-33(d). Carts must clear 5 feet from horizontal obstructions and 12 feet from vertical ones, and come off the curb by 11:59 p.m. that night.
(a)Location. Bagged Garbage and Trash shall be collected only when it is placed within three (3) feet of the Curbline or of the edge of the roadway in front of the residence. Under special circumstances, the Superintendent may approve an alternate location for a specific Residence.(b)Time restriction. Bagged Garbage and Trash shall be placed at the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day before the scheduled collection day and no later than 7:00 am on the scheduled day of collection. ... Refuse Storage Carts shall be placed adjacent to the street on the side so designated by the Solid Waste Division to facilitate cost effective and efficient service. Every resident shall ensure the Refuse Storage Cart is at least five (5) feet from any horizontal obstruction as well as twelve (12) feet from any vertical obstruction. Refuse Storage Carts shall be removed from the curb no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day of collection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 81).
Full Breakdown
Placement rules differ slightly by service type but share the same clock. Residents on hand-collection bag service fall under Sec. on pickup day. Residents on automated curbside cart service fall under Sec. window, and the resident must keep the cart at least five feet from any horizontal obstruction, like a mailbox or parked car, and twelve feet from any vertical one, like a tree or utility pole, so the automated arm can reach it. Carts cannot linger at the curb after collection: Sec. on the day of pickup.
The City provides one cart free per residence under Sec. 8-3-33(b) unless it was lost, stolen, or destroyed through abuse or neglect, and the Superintendent can approve a second cart at no extra charge for a household that consistently overfills one. Each resident is also responsible for keeping the cart clean and keeping its lid closed so flies and insects cannot reach the contents inside, per Sec. 8-3-33(e).
Violations & Fines
Setting bagged trash or a Refuse Storage Cart out before 5:00 p.m. the day before collection, leaving it past 7:00 a.m. or past 11:59 p.m. on the wrong side of those windows, or placing a cart closer than 5 feet from a horizontal obstruction or 12 feet from a vertical one violates Sec. 8-3-30 and Sec. 8-3-33(d), enforced by the Solid Waste Division and code enforcement under Chapter 8-3's civil and criminal violation provisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When do I have to bring my cart back in?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amarillo
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