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Saint Paul, MN Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Mandatory hauler
City-contracted hauler only; private contracts void since Oct. 1, 2018
Governing section
Saint Paul Legislative Code Sec. 220.03
Base service
Weekly or biweekly pickup, $14.77–$35.49/month (2026 rates)
Deposit duty
RDU must deposit trash at least every 14 days
Late fees
5% late fee plus 5% monthly for up to 90 days
Enforcement
Unpaid balances become a special assessment on the property

Summary

Saint Paul requires every residential dwelling unit to use the city's contracted hauler for trash collection: private hauling contracts are void. Under City Code Sec. 220.03, no person may collect residential solid waste in the city except under contract with the city, and all prior private contracts ended October 1, 2018.

All trash collected, conveyed and disposed of by residential solid waste haulers for RDUs shall be pursuant to a written contract with the city that will specify the residential hauling districts, base level services, collection hours, additional service options, extended leave policies, and other details relating to services. No person or entity shall engage in the business of residential solid waste collection from RDU's in the city unless it is pursuant to a contract with the city. All previous private contracts between solid waste haulers and RDUs became null and void on October 1, 2018. No new private contract between a solid waste hauler and an RDU for services will be valid.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 133 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Saint Paul's Residential Coordinated Collection program, codified at Legislative Code Chapter 220, makes trash pickup a city-run system rather than a competitive private market. Sec. ' Every one- to four-unit residential building (RDU) is billed through the city's designated hauler rather than shopping the open market. Sec. 02 backs the mandate with an owner duty: every RDU must, at least once every fourteen days, deposit all trash in an approved city cart for pickup by the designated hauler, with an exception only for owners on an approved extended-leave suspension.

Base level service, defined in Sec. 49 for a large cart weekly, effective April 1, 2026. Owners who don't pick a cart size default to a medium cart. Bills come quarterly from the designated hauler under Sec. 06, and unpaid balances over 90 days become a special assessment against the property under Sec. 07(e).

Violations & Fines

Refusing to use the city's designated hauler or contracting privately isn't a fineable trash violation so much as a nullity: the private deal simply isn't valid, per Sec. 220.03. Failure to pay collection charges triggers a late fee of 5 percent after the due date and another 5 percent monthly for up to 90 days (Sec. 220.07(a)), then delinquent balances convert to a special property assessment collected by the city under Minn. Stat. § 443.29 (Sec. 220.07(e)).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hire my own trash hauler in Saint Paul?
No. Since October 1, 2018 every private contract between a hauler and a residential dwelling unit is void, and Sec. 220.03 bars anyone from operating a residential collection business in the city without a contract with the city itself. All one- to four-unit homes must use the city's designated hauler for their assigned district, billed through the quarterly coordinated collection invoice.
How often is my trash actually picked up in Saint Paul?
Pickup frequency follows your cart size: a small cart can be collected weekly or every other week, while medium and large carts are collected weekly. If you don't select a size, the city defaults your account to a medium cart under Sec. 220.04(a). Whatever the schedule, Sec. 220.02 requires you to set trash out at least once every 14 days.
What happens if I don't pay my trash bill?
The city's designated hauler bills quarterly. Missing the due date adds a 5 percent late fee, plus another 5 percent per month for up to 90 days. Once a balance is more than 90 days past due it's delinquent, and after a 30-day notice period the city assesses the unpaid amount directly against the property under Minn. Stat. § 443.29 and Chapter 60 of the Saint Paul Administrative Code.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Saint Paul

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All Saint Paul rules

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