Lafayette, LA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Sec. 74-32 of the Lafayette City-Parish Code governs exactly where and when containers can sit at the curb. Containers "must be placed for collection within three feet of where the street meets the property of the residential or commercial unit," with an exception for sloped lots that prevent an upright container, in which case the container may go directly in the street next to the property. After pickup, the clock starts running: "Within 24 hours of the container being emptied on the regularly scheduled service day, the container must be brought to within three feet of the home or business to which they are assigned," though rural residents outside a subdivision only need to pull the container back at least ten feet from the street.

The section also requires containers to be kept sanitary, free of holes, and with lids "secure and completely closed" so insects, dogs and other scavengers cannot get in. 00 per calendar year, billed by the finance department and, if unpaid after 30 days, recorded as a lien against the property in the Lafayette Parish mortgage office. Separately, the department can inspect any container and give the owner seven calendar days to repair or replace one that's damaged or non-compliant, after which the department may seize and dispose of it.