Nashville, TN Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Set-out window
- 7pm night-before to 7pm collection day
- Coverage
- General services district countywide
- Off-window storage
- Rear or side of property only
- Scavenging
- Prohibited from any set-out container
- Cart ownership
- Metro-issued carts remain city property
Summary
Metro Nashville limits curbside garbage and recycling containers to a set window, 7 p.m. the night before collection to 7 p.m. on collection day, under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 10.20.110.
Containers may be placed for collection along public alleys, streets and sidewalks only between the hours of 7:00 p.m. on the day prior to the scheduled collection day and 7:00 p.m. on the scheduled collection day. At all other times, containers must be stored at a location at the rear or side of the premises or at a location approved by the Director so as to not be on a public street or within the public right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 10.20.110(A), garbage and recycling containers anywhere in the general services district, the full county outside the six satellite cities, may only sit at the curb, alley, or sidewalk between 7:00 p.m. the day before collection and 7:00 p.m. on collection day itself. Outside that window, containers must be stored at the side or rear of the property, off the street and right-of-way. The same section bars anyone but the owner, a Metro employee, or a licensed hauler from moving or scavenging a set-out container (§ 10.20.110(B), (D)).
Violations & Fines
Setting containers out early or leaving them past 7 p.m. collection day, or letting anyone but the owner or a licensed hauler move them, is a code violation carrying up to a $50-per-day fine under Metro Code § 1.01.030.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my trash cart at the curb in Nashville?
Does the Nashville cart placement rule apply in Belle Meade or Goodlettsville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.