Salt Lake City, UT Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest curb placement
- Evening before collection day
- Must be out by
- 7:00 AM collection day
- Spacing from obstructions
- 3 feet, where possible
- Empty cart removal
- Same day, once emptied
- Enforcing department
- Dept. of Sustainability
Summary
City-issued carts can hit the curb only the evening before pickup and must be out by 7:00 AM on collection day, spaced 3 feet from obstructions.
Automated refuse, green waste, recyclable glass, and recycling containers containing refuse, green waste, recyclable glass or recyclable items to be collected and hauled by the service provider shall be set out for collection on a city street adjacent to the property, or at the place and at such times as may be designated by the order of the department of sustainability. Such containers may not be set out upon the street for collection prior to the evening of the day before collection, and shall be set out on the day of collection by seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and spaced three feet (3') (where possible) from the curb, any parked vehicle, other container, and any other obstruction, as designated by the department of sustainability.
B. The property owner, manager, or resident is responsible for ensuring that automated containers placed for collection are accessible to the service provider's collection vehicle.
C. All empty automated containers shall be removed from the street as soon as practicable after being emptied and shall be removed from the street the same day they are emptied. (Ord. 49-16, 2016: Ord. 72-15, 2015)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Salt Lake City Code section 9.08.090, automated refuse, green waste, glass, and recycling carts must go to the curb adjacent to the property (or the spot set by the Department of Sustainability) no earlier than the evening before the scheduled collection day, and must be set out by 7:00 AM on collection day itself. Carts must sit roughly 3 feet from the curb, parked vehicles, other carts, and obstructions when possible. Owners, managers, or residents must keep carts accessible to the collection truck, and every emptied cart has to come back off the street the same day it's emptied.
Violations & Fines
Violating any Salt Lake City ordinance defaults to a class B misdemeanor under section 1.12.050 (up to $1,000 fine and/or 6 months) unless the code specifies otherwise; the sustainability department can also deny collection to noncompliant containers under section 9.08.070.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my cart at the curb in Salt Lake City?
What happens if my cart is out too early or blocks the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
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Bin Placement Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle bin placement rules.