Cape Coral, FL Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Bulky waste threshold
- Over 50 pounds or too bulky for cart
- Compliant pickup
- Weekly, free for 1-4 unit dwellings
- Clearance from fixed objects
- 5 feet
- Notice-to-remove window
- 48 hours
- Daily nuisance penalty
- Up to $250/day
- Lien contest window
- 30 days from invoice
Summary
Cape Coral's franchise hauler picks up unlimited compliant bulky waste once a week at no extra charge under City Code § 9-67(b)(11), covering items over 50 pounds like sofas and mattresses. Non-compliant piles left at the curb become a nuisance case under § 9-71, with civil penalties up to $250 per day.
(a)Unlimited compliant bulky waste, as described in Subsection b. below, will be collected by the franchise hauler once per week at curbside or edge of street. Bulky waste collection is a separate service from normal trash, recycling, and horticulture pick-ups and may be scheduled on a different day than those services. Compliant bulky waste collection will be provided to residential dwellings, containing one to four dwelling units, at no additional cost. b.Compliant Bulky Waste. Bulky waste shall be placed for collection in a neat manner, separated from other refuse, along the curbside or edge of street for the convenience of the franchise hauler in order to provide safe and efficient accessibility to the franchise hauler's crew and vehicles. Bulky waste shall not be placed within five (5) feet of a fixed object, such as a fire hydrant, mailbox, storm drain, or utility pole.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38).
Full Breakdown
Section 9-65(7) defines BULKY WASTE as garbage or trash weighing more than 50 pounds or too bulky for a cart, can or refuse bag, including furniture, mattresses, carpet and tires, but excluding vehicles, boats and liquid or hazardous waste. Under § 9-67(b)(11), the franchise hauler collects unlimited compliant bulky waste once per week at curbside as a service separate from normal trash, recycling and horticulture pickup, provided at no additional cost to residential dwellings with one to four units. Compliant bulky waste must be placed neatly, separated from other refuse, and kept at least five feet from fixed objects like fire hydrants, mailboxes, storm drains or utility poles so it cannot fall into the roadway or endanger the hauler's crew.
When bulky waste does not meet those requirements and the City requests removal as part of a code compliance case, § 9-71 treats the pile as a declared public nuisance. The Director of Community Development must inspect, then notify the owner by certified mail or hand delivery and by posting the property, giving 48 hours to bring the material into compliance before the City or hauler can remove it and bill the owner at the contracted per-cubic-yard rate. 03(1) and the owner liable for the City's attorney fees if a foreclosure action is filed.
Violations & Fines
Section 9-71(l) sets a civil penalty of up to $250 per day for maintaining non-compliant bulky or horticultural waste, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; property owners have 30 days to contest an abatement invoice before the Code Compliance Special Magistrate before a lien is recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cape Coral pick up large items like furniture for free?
What happens if bulky waste at my Cape Coral property does not meet the rules?
What is the fine for leaving non-compliant bulky waste out in Cape Coral?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cape Coral
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Cape Coral to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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Bulk Item Disposal in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle bulk item disposal.