Aurora, CO Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum frequency
- at least once a week
- Hauler
- must be City-registered
- Curbside set-out
- not before 5 p.m. day before
- Container removal
- within 12 hrs after pickup
- Applies in
- residential & manufactured-housing zones
Summary
Aurora, Colorado requires weekly garbage removal from every property by a City-registered trash hauler, with strict rules on when carts can go out and must come in.
All garbage, rubbish and debris shall be removed from each ownership at least once a week and at more frequent intervals if found necessary. ... It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit any garbage, rubbish and debris container on the right-of-way abutting any public street ... prior to 5:00 p.m. on the calendar day before the collection of garbage, rubbish and debris ... or to leave the ... container ... more than 12 hours after collection of the garbage and debris therefrom.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-30, passed June 22, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Aurora City Code makes trash pickup mandatory, not optional: garbage, rubbish and debris must be removed from every ownership at least once a week (more often if needed), and removal must be done by a registered trash hauler unless the director of neighborhood services grants an exemption. Sec. 114-1 explains the policy goal is reducing illegal dumping by mandating service in residential and manufactured-housing zones. Containers can't be set at the curb before 5:00 p.m. the day before pickup and must be pulled back within 12 hours after collection.
Violations & Fines
Violations can draw a notice of violation and, on conviction, the City's general penalty of up to $2,650 per offense (each day a separate offense) under City Code § 1-13; repeat violators also lose eligibility for a self-haul exemption.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I haul my own trash instead of using a hauler?
How early can I put my trash cart at the curb?
How soon must I bring the cart back in after pickup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Aurora
Compare Aurora to another location·View the Colorado trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.