Tempe, AZ Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 6:00 p.m. day before collection
- Must be removed by
- 8:00 p.m. on collection day
- Lid direction
- Must open toward street or alley
- Sidewalk rule
- Cannot block pedestrian or vehicle path
- Late-removal charge
- City may bill owner to relocate cart
Summary
Tempe requires trash, recycling and green-organics carts at the front curb, lids facing the street, no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before pickup and off the curb by 8 p.m. the day of collection. Blocking the sidewalk or leaving a cart out late can bring a City relocation charge.
(a)All garbage, recycling or green organics containers used for City collection service shall be placed at the front curb in a position that is easily accessible to collection vehicles, unless otherwise authorized by the Public Works Director.(b)All containers must be placed in such a manner that the container lid opens toward the street or alley, in order to facilitate proper emptying of the container by the collection vehicles.(c)Containers shall be placed for collection no earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day preceding the scheduled collection day, and no later than 6:00 a.m. the day of collection. Containers must be removed from the curb no later than 8:00 p.m. on the day of collection, unless otherwise instructed by the Public Works Director. If a violation of this subsection necessitates the City to move the container from the front curb, the City may assess a charge to the property owner. This subsection shall not apply to containers the City has placed permanently at the front curb.(d)Containers shall not block the sidewalk or otherwise impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Code: Supplement 33 Update 4 | Zoning and Development Code: Supplement 11 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 28-34 governs where and when Tempe's garbage, recycling and green organics containers go out for pickup. Subsection (a) requires the containers to sit at the front curb, positioned so collection vehicles can reach them easily, unless the Public Works Director authorizes something different. Subsection (b) requires the lid to open toward the street or alley so the collection vehicle can empty it properly. on collection day itself, unless the Public Works Director instructs otherwise; that window does not apply to containers the City has placed permanently at the curb.
If a resident's late or early placement forces the City to move the container off the front curb, the City can charge the property owner for that. Subsection (d) adds a clear-path rule: containers cannot block the sidewalk or otherwise get in the way of pedestrians or vehicles. These placement rules sit alongside Section 28-35, which bars anyone from uncovering, tipping over, or otherwise disturbing a container that has been properly set out, and bars moving a City-owned 300-gallon container from its assigned spot without Public Works authorization.
Violations & Fines
Leaving a container at the curb outside the 6:00 p.m.-to-8:00 p.m. window, blocking a sidewalk, or failing to point the lid toward the street or alley violates Section 28-34 and lets the City move the container itself and bill the property owner for that service. Disturbing, tipping over or relocating a City-owned container without authorization is a separate violation of Section 28-35, and both fall under the general Chapter 28 penalty scheme in Sections 28-11 through 28-13, including notice of violation, civil fines and misdemeanor charges after three violations in a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my Tempe trash cart at the curb?
Which way does the cart lid need to face?
What if my cart blocks the sidewalk?
What happens if I leave my cart out too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tempe
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