Knoxville, TN Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Eligible items
- Furniture, tires, appliances, oversized household goods
- Timing
- Out 6 p.m. night before, by 7 a.m.
- Scope
- Residential curbside only, not businesses
- Citation
- Knoxville Code of Ordinances § 13-167
- Excludes
- Construction debris and overflow trash
Summary
Knoxville residents can set out furniture, tires, appliances, and other oversized household goods for bulky-item pickup on a city-set schedule, but only after 6 p.m. the night before and by 7 a.m. collection day.
Bulky waste includes household goods that, by their size or shape, cannot be placed in a city-approved container. Bulky waste items appropriate for residential curbside pickup include furniture, tires, appliances, and other household goods Residential bulky trash will be collected on a schedule determined by the director or their designee. Such refuse shall be kept separate from yard waste and shall be placed adjacent to and back of the curb, or adjacent to and back of the ditch, alley or street line if there is no curb, without blocking the roadway or any sidewalk or drainage ditch. Bulky trash must be put out for collection on the property where it was generated. It may not be put our prior to 6:00 p.m. on the day before scheduled collection and must be out by 7:00 a.m. of that day with the exception of the CBID.
Bulky waste is not overflow household trash produced in excess of the garbage container.
Bulky waste collection service is provided for residences only. Nonresidential generators are responsible for solid waste removal from their property to a permitted disposal site.
Bulky waste placed for collection at times other than designated by this section shall be in violation of article VI of this chapter.
(Ord. No. O-451-00, § 1, 10-3-00; Ord. No. O-204-2016, § 17, 12-20-16)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Knoxville Code § 13-167 defines bulky waste as household goods too large or oddly shaped for a standard city container, furniture, tires, appliances, and similar items, and schedules its curbside pickup separately from regular garbage and yard waste. Residents must place bulky items on their own property, adjacent to and behind the curb or ditch line, without blocking the roadway, sidewalk, or drainage. Items can't go out before 6:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled pickup and must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. that day, except in the Central Business Improvement District. The service is residential only; businesses must arrange their own disposal, and construction debris and overflow household trash don't qualify.
Violations & Fines
Setting bulky items out at the wrong time violates the city's litter article (Ch. 13, Art. VI) and can draw misdemeanor penalties under the general Code: up to a $50 fine or 30 days in jail (§ 1-9).
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as bulky waste for Knoxville curbside pickup?
When can I put bulky items out for collection in Knoxville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
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