West Palm Beach, FL Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 6:00 p.m. day before collection
- Removal deadline
- day of collection, after pickup
- Automated cart clearance
- 5 feet from other objects
- Storage rule
- must be screened from street view
- Non-automated container
- within 6 feet of street
Summary
West Palm Beach limits when and where trash containers can sit at the curb. City Code § 74-35(a)(1) bars putting a can out before 6:00 p.m. the evening before collection and requires it removed the same collection day, and § 74-34(a)(1)h bans storing a can anywhere visible from the street between pickups.
(1)Residential containers and automated service containers shall be placed for collection no earlier than 6:00 p.m. of the day preceding the scheduled day of collection and must be removed on the day of collection after having been collected.(2)Residential containers not serviced by an automated solid waste collection vehicle must be placed for collection no more than six feet from the street and must be placed on the premises served in an unobstructed location.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 76).
Full Breakdown
' For automated pickup, § 74-35(a)(3) requires the cart to go at the curb line, or alongside the street if there's no curb, at least five feet from any other object, including recycle bins, bulk items, fire hydrants, parked cars, utility lines, or mailboxes, and never on a sidewalk. Non-automated residential containers must sit no more than six feet from the street under § 74-35(a)(2). ' The code does carve out a defense: if a property's layout leaves no location where the cart can be hidden from the street, that configuration is a defense to prosecution under the same subsection.
Violations & Fines
A cart left visible from the street outside the set-out window, or placed so it blocks the automated collection arm, is enforced like any other Chapter 74 violation: a code enforcement officer cites under § 74-81, the owner gets ten days to correct a non-garbage placement violation under § 74-84(2), and an uncorrected citation before the special magistrate carries a fine of up to $250.00 per day under § 26-35(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my trash can out in West Palm Beach?
Do I have to hide my trash can when it's not collection day?
How far does my cart need to be from other objects for automated pickup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Palm Beach
Florida rules heatmap·Compare West Palm Beach to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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Bin Placement Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Palm Beach County handle bin placement rules.