Surprise, AZ Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 6:00 p.m. day before collection
- Must be curbside by
- 6:00 a.m. collection day
- Must be removed by
- 11:00 p.m. collection day
- Obstruction clearance
- 15 feet from cars/mailboxes
- Weight limit
- 200 lbs per 90-100 gal cart
Summary
Surprise requires trash and recycling carts to sit at the curb with wheels against the curb and lid facing the street, clear of mailboxes, parked cars, and other obstructions within 15 feet, under City Code Sec. 58-129(a). Carts can go out after 6:00 p.m. the evening before pickup, must be curbside by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, and must come back off the curb by 11:00 p.m. that night.
Placement. Containers set out for collection must be placed in the street in front of the house to which they are assigned, with the wheels adjacent to the curb of the sidewalk, and the lid opening toward the street. Where there is no sidewalk, the container must be placed at the edge of the street, within two feet of the pavement or improved road. Containers will not be collected from private property, or when placed within 15 feet of a vehicle, mailbox or other obstruction to safe collection. At no time may containers be left on the sidewalk... Containers may be placed at the curb after 6:00 p.m. on the day preceding collection. Containers for street collection shall be placed at the curb for service no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Containers must be removed prior to 11:00 p.m. of the day of collection. It shall be a violation of this Code to place or permit containers to remain adjacent to the curb except upon regular collection days. Containers shall be stored, between collection days, on the user's property so as not to interfere with pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 58-129(a) governs the automated cart system: containers must sit in the street or at the street edge with wheels toward the curb and the lid opening facing outward, never left on the sidewalk, and never blocked by a vehicle, mailbox, or other obstruction within 15 feet, a rule separately codified at Sec. 58-124(b). the same day; leaving a cart at the curb outside a scheduled collection day is itself a Code violation. Between collection days, Sec. 58-129(a) requires carts to be stored on the resident's own property so they do not block pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Sec. 58-125 layers on general upkeep duties: carts must stay in sanitary condition, free of odors, flies, or other nuisance conditions, lids must remain closed except while loading or being emptied, and any damage or loss must be reported to the city. Contents cannot exceed 200 pounds in a standard 90- to 100-gallon cart. Sec. 58-126 makes clear the city, not the resident, owns the containers it supplies and can enter the property to reclaim them if service ends, and the city furnishes one solid waste and one recycling cart per household, with extra carts available for a fee.
Violations & Fines
It is a Code violation under Sec. 58-129(a) to leave a cart curbside on a non-collection day or to block collection access by parking within 15 feet of a set-out cart under Sec. 58-124(b). Failing to keep a cart in sanitary condition or to report a damaged or missing city-owned container under Sections 58-125 and 58-126 can also draw a notice of violation, and an uncorrected condition is treated as an abatable public nuisance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my trash cart out in Surprise?
How long can my empty cart sit at the curb after pickup?
Can I park my car next to my trash cart on collection day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Surprise
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