Des Moines, IA Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Large-item sticker fee
- $5.00 each
- Extra trash sticker fee
- $1.00 each
- Earliest curb placement
- 12 hours before pickup
- Scheduling required
- Public Works 24-hr service center
- Appliance disposal sticker
- $35.00
Summary
Des Moines residents must buy a $5 large-item disposal sticker and schedule pickup with Public Works before setting out furniture, mattresses, or other bulky items: unstickered items are simply left at the curb uncollected.
No person shall place a large item for collection unless such person shall have affixed a large item disposal sticker to said item in a clearly visible location prior to its collection, and shall have scheduled the collection of said large item through the public works department. Large items shall not be placed for collection more than 12 hours prior to the scheduled collection time established by the public works department.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Large items, a couch or loveseat, a mattress or box spring, four kitchen chairs, five boxes or bags up to 40 pounds each, or five rolls of carpet, don't fit the regular city-owned cart and need separate handling. Under Municipal Code § 98-54(3)h, residents must buy a $5 large-item sticker, affix it to the item in a clearly visible spot, and schedule the pickup through the Public Works Department's 24-hour customer service center before setting it out. Items can't be placed at the curb more than 12 hours ahead of the scheduled collection date; loose extra trash outside a cart takes a separate $1 sticker instead.
Violations & Fines
Items placed without a large-item sticker or without a scheduled pickup are left at the curb: the city has no obligation to collect noncompliant solid waste, and the director of public works enforces the chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a "large item" in Des Moines?
How do I get a large item picked up?
How early can I put a large item at the curb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Des Moines
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