Dallas County, TX Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Dallas County, Texas does not operate a municipal solid waste collection service for residents in unincorporated areas. Under Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 363, counties are authorized but not required to regulate solid waste management. Dallas County has chosen not to adopt countywide bin placement rules, leaving residents to contract directly with private haulers such as Waste Management, Republic Services, or Community Waste Disposal. Each hauler sets its own rules about when containers may be placed at the curb (typically the night before pickup), how far from driveways or mailboxes they must sit, and when empty bins must be retrieved. If your property lies within an incorporated city (Dallas, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Richardson, etc.), that city's municipal code governs bin placement and enforcement, not the county. HOAs in master-planned communities often impose stricter rules — commonly requiring bins to be stored out of street view except on collection day. Illegal dumping on county roads or vacant lots is prosecuted under state law (TX H&S Code 365.012) with fines up to $2,000 for a first offense.