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Henry County, GA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Earliest set-out
Dusk the day before collection
Latest set-out
6:30 a.m. or before truck arrival
Cart removal deadline
24 hours after collection
Can/bag capacity limit
35 gal cans, 39 gal bags
Bundle size limit
30 inches
Maximum penalty
$1,000 fine and/or 60 days jail

Summary

Henry County requires unincorporated-area residents to set refuse at the curb no earlier than dusk the day before pickup and no later than 6:30 a.m. on collection day, then pull the empty container back within 24 hours. Containers are capped at 35 gallons for cans or 39 for bags.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Henry County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Owners of single residential units, condominiums, or multiple residential units not served by commercial container, shall place refuse receptacles, plastic-lined paper bags or plastic bags securely tied, rubbish and bundles on assigned collection days, at front curbside locations in such a manner as not to obstruct vehicular or pedestrian passage. Owners shall place such refuse at appropriate curbside location at or before 6:30 a.m. or prior to the arrival of the collection vehicles. This placement shall not be made before dusk on the day prior to collection day. Any refuse placed on the curb after departure of the licensee's pickup crew shall subject the owner to prosecution for violation of this article.(b)Owners shall remove container from curbside location to a storage location, which shall be unit behind the building line located on the premises. Removal should be accomplished with twenty-four (24) hours following collection.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44).

Full Breakdown

Under Henry County Code of Ordinances Sec. 3-5-108(a), owners of single residential units, condominiums, or multiple units not served by a commercial container must place refuse receptacles, tied plastic bags, rubbish, and bundles at the front curbside on assigned collection days without blocking vehicle or pedestrian traffic. or before the collection truck arrives, whichever comes first. Anyone who sets refuse at the curb after the licensee's crew has already passed can be prosecuted under the article. Section 3-5-108(b) then requires the owner to move the empty container back to a storage spot behind the building line within 24 hours of collection.

Section 3-5-108(c) separately bars letting refuse pile up on the property or on adjoining public rights-of-way in a continued, excessive, or unsightly way. On container specifications, Sec. 3-5-108(g) caps plastic receptacles or metal garbage cans at 35 gallons, plastic bags at 39 gallons, and bundles at 30 inches; licensees may instead supply a 50-to-100-gallon wheeled cart with a lid, and no open (lidless) containers are permitted. Section 3-5-108(d) separately forbids setting out acid, explosives, flammable liquids, or other corrosive/dangerous material for collection. These placement rules run only through Henry County's licensed residential haulers under the zone-license system created by Sec. 3-5-103 and 3-5-104, and they apply to the unincorporated county; Stockbridge, Hampton, McDonough, and Locust Grove run their own separate municipal collection systems.

Violations & Fines

Placing refuse at the curb outside the dusk-to-6:30-a.m. window, leaving the empty cart at curbside past the 24-hour removal deadline, or letting waste accumulate on the property are each violations of Article 5 punishable under Sec. 3-5-113: a fine up to $1,000.00 and/or up to 60 days in jail, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. The code enforcement department, sheriff's department, or county police may issue citations under Sec. 3-5-114.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early can I put my garbage cart at the curb in Henry County?
Not before dusk on the day preceding your collection day. Sec. 3-5-108(a) of the Henry County Code bars curbside placement any earlier, and everything must be out by 6:30 a.m. or before the collection vehicle arrives on collection day itself.
When do I have to bring my empty cart back in?
Within 24 hours of collection. Sec. 3-5-108(b) requires owners to move the container back to a storage location behind the building line on the property within that 24-hour window after pickup.
What size garbage container does Henry County allow?
Metal cans or plastic receptacles up to 35 gallons, plastic bags up to 39 gallons, or bundles no larger than 30 inches under Sec. 3-5-108(g). Licensees may also supply a 50-to-100-gallon lidded wheeled cart, but open containers are never allowed.
What happens if I leave trash out too long or too early?
It is a violation of Article 5 punishable under Sec. 3-5-113 with a fine up to $1,000.00 and/or up to 60 days in jail, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense enforceable by code enforcement or the sheriff's department.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Henry County

All Henry County rules

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