Richmond, VA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Richmond City Code § 23-72
- Standard container
- 90-gallon or 95-gallon City cart
- Weight limit
- 180 pounds when filled
- Resident-caused damage fee
- $55.00 replacement
- Extra container fee
- $55.00
- Lost/stolen
- Replaced free with a filed report
Summary
Richmond issues 90-gallon or 95-gallon City containers for curbside collection under Richmond City Code § 23-72, capped at 180 pounds when full. A container damaged through no fault of the City costs $55.00 to replace, and any extra container the City provides also costs $55.00.
(a)All refuse to be collected by the City shall be limited to containers approved by the Director of Public Works or to bulk or brush items.(b)Refuse receptacles must be City-provided 90-gallon or 95-gallon mobile containers which weigh no more than 180 pounds when filled and placed for collection. Bagged refuse and boxes will be collected as part of the weekly collection.(c)Any refuse container provided by the City that becomes lost or stolen shall be replaced by the City, provided a report is filed with the Director of Public Works. Containers that are damaged through normal usage shall be repaired or replaced by the City based upon the availability of funds. Containers that are damaged through no fault of the City will be replaced by the City for a fee of $55.00 and shall be paid for by the owner of the premises to which the container is assigned, unless such damage is a result of lightning or other severe weather conditions. When an additional refuse container is provided by the City at the expense of the owner of the premises, a charge of $55.00 shall be made for each such container.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Recodification).
Full Breakdown
Section 23-72 sets the physical standards for the carts Richmond residents use for regular collection. Refuse eligible for City pickup must go into containers the Director of Public Works approves, or be presented as bulk or brush items outside the cart system; everything else does not qualify for curbside service. The standard container is a City-provided 90-gallon or 95-gallon mobile cart, and it cannot weigh more than 180 pounds once it is filled and set out, a limit aimed at keeping the automated collection trucks from jamming or injuring crews.
Bagged refuse and boxed items are picked up as part of the same weekly collection alongside the cart. Ownership and repair responsibility depend on how the container was damaged: if a City-issued container is lost or stolen, the City replaces it once the resident files a report with the Director of Public Works, and normal wear-and-tear damage is repaired or replaced by the City as funding allows. 00 for the City to replace, billed to the property owner, unless the damage came from lightning or other severe weather.
00 for that extra cart. The containers themselves stay City property: they are limited to storing refuse for the assigned premises, and a container found being used for other purposes can be reclaimed by the City.
Violations & Fines
There is no separate fine in § 23-72 itself; noncompliance is addressed through replacement fees and the general chapter enforcement path. Resident-caused damage or loss outside the lost/stolen-report process costs $55.00 to replace, an extra requested container costs $55.00, and a container the City finds diverted to non-refuse use can simply be reclaimed. Ongoing violations of the chapter's receptacle standards can still be escalated through the § 23-7 written-notice and abatement process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size trash can does Richmond provide?
How much does it cost to replace a damaged Richmond trash cart?
Can I get a second trash cart from the City?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richmond
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