Carrollton, TX Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 50.15, 50.26
- Sole collector
- The city
- Private hauling of household refuse
- Unlawful
- Schedule
- Set administratively by the city
- Special/unscheduled pickup
- Fee under ch. 31 (§50.30)
- Max fine
- $2,000 per offense
Summary
Carrollton's collection service is exclusive: § 50.15 makes it unlawful for anyone but the city to collect or remove refuse or recyclable material from a residence, and § 50.26 leaves the actual pickup day and frequency to a schedule the city sets and can change. Residents cannot hire a private hauler for routine household trash or recycling.
§ 50.15. Unlawful collection or removal of refuse or recyclable material; residential. It shall be unlawful for any person other than the city to collect or remove any refuse or recyclable material from any residence in the city. It is a defense to prosecution under this section if the person collected or removed refuse that the city does not collect or is prohibited by law to haul. ... § 50.26. Collection. Collection of residential waste shall be as set forth in a schedule designated by the city.
Full Breakdown
15, in chapter 50's residential collection subchapter, states plainly that 'it shall be unlawful for any person other than the city to collect or remove any refuse or recyclable material from any residence in the city,' which forecloses using a private trash service for ordinary household waste. The section carries one narrow defense: it is not a violation if the person removed refuse that the city itself does not collect, or is prohibited by law from hauling, such as certain hazardous or off-site material addressed elsewhere in chapter 50.
26 then supplies the operational half of the mandate: 'Collection of residential waste shall be as set forth in a schedule designated by the city,' leaving the city free to set and adjust routes and pickup days rather than fixing them in the code itself. Read together, the two sections establish Carrollton as the sole lawful collector of residential refuse and recycling, with the timetable left to administrative schedule rather than ordinance text. 30, which lets residents pay an additional fee under chapter 31 for special or unscheduled collection outside the standard schedule.
Violations & Fines
Collecting or removing refuse or recyclable material from a residence without being the city is a misdemeanor under § 50.99, capped at $2,000.00 per offense under § 10.99(A)(2) because chapter 50 sits in the public-health tier of the penalty schedule, with each day of an ongoing violation charged separately. A resident who wants collection outside the city's set schedule must instead pay for special collection service under § 50.30 rather than arrange private hauling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire a private company to haul my household trash in Carrollton?
Who sets Carrollton's trash pickup day?
Can I get an extra trash pickup in Carrollton outside my normal day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
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