Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Hillsborough County, FL Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
Sec. 130-21, Hillsborough County Code
Weekly pickups
2 processable, 1 recycling, 1 yard waste
Mandatory for
Single-family homes on public roads
Also mandatory
Apartments of 4 units or fewer
Set-out window
After 6 p.m. day before, before 6 a.m.
Accumulation violation
Prima facie evidence after 7 days
Correction deadline
24 hours after County notice

Summary

Curbside residential collection is mandatory for nearly every single-family home in unincorporated Hillsborough County. The Board of County Commissioners sets a fixed weekly schedule: two processable-waste pickups, one recycling pickup and one yard-waste pickup, all run by a franchise collector under Sec. 130-21.

City-specific rules exist: Tampa has its own collection schedule rules that differ from Hillsborough County's county-level regulations. If you live in Tampa, check the city-specific page instead.

(h) Collection frequency. The collection frequency shall be determined by the Board of County Commissioners and shall be two processable, one recyclable and one residential yard waste collection each week. [...] (j) Residential collection service for single-family residential units. (1) Residential collection service shall be mandatory for all single-family residential units except for those single-family residential units which are not located on a publicly maintained roadway. Despite the foregoing, residential collection service shall be mandatory for all single-family residential units which are located on privately maintained roads within a subdivision established pursuant to a recorded plat as these terms are defined in the Hillsborough County Land Development Code or pursuant to the Hillsborough County Minor Subdivision Regulations.

Full Breakdown

Hillsborough County Code Sec. 130-21(j)(1) makes residential collection service mandatory for all single-family residential units, with one exception: units not located on a publicly maintained roadway. Even that exception narrows sharply for platted subdivisions, because the same subsection makes service mandatory again for single-family units on privately maintained roads inside a subdivision established under a recorded plat, as defined in the Land Development Code or the County's Minor Subdivision Regulations. A privately-roaded household under mandatory service must set its roll carts within two feet of the private road (six feet for yard waste and nonprocessable waste) next to its driveway, or move out to the nearest publicly maintained roadway.

Subsection (l) extends the mandate further: apartment complexes of four units or fewer, and single-family units attached to other structures, must also take residential collection, though they may switch to commercial collection service (self-hauling is not an option for them). Sec. 130-21(h) fixes the pickup frequency the County must run: two processable-waste collections, one recyclables collection and one residential yard-waste collection every week, each handled by a franchise collector awarded exclusive rights to a designated district under subsection (k). Exempted single-family units, those genuinely off the public-road grid, forgo the curbside service and the solid waste collection assessment but remain bound by every other requirement of Article II and may self-haul to a community collection center or a permitted disposal facility instead.

Violations & Fines

Sec. 130-23 makes it unlawful to collect, remove or transport solid waste for others in the service area without a County franchise, and unlawful for a property owner to let solid waste accumulate. Accumulation lasting more than seven days is prima facie evidence of a violation; the County must notify the responsible party to clear it within 24 hours, and can remove it itself and bill the owner or occupant for the cost if the deadline passes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is curbside trash pickup mandatory in unincorporated Hillsborough County?
Yes for almost every single-family home. Sec. 130-21(j)(1) requires residential collection service for all single-family units except those not on a publicly maintained roadway, and even most private-road homes in platted subdivisions are pulled back into the mandate by the same subsection.
How many times a week does the County pick up trash and recycling?
Sec. 130-21(h) sets the frequency the Board of County Commissioners must run: two processable-waste collections, one recyclables collection and one residential yard-waste collection every week, all through the franchise collector assigned to that district.
Can an apartment building skip county trash service?
Not if it has four units or fewer. Sec. 130-21(l) makes residential collection mandatory for those small complexes and for attached single-family units, though they can switch to commercial collection service; self-hauling is not allowed for them.
What happens if trash piles up on my property?
Sec. 130-23(c) treats accumulation of solid waste for more than seven days as prima facie evidence of a violation. The County notifies the responsible party to remove it within 24 hours, and can remove it itself and charge the cost to the violator if it isn't cleared.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Hillsborough County

All Hillsborough County rules

Florida rules heatmap·Compare Hillsborough County to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview

Get notified when Collection Schedule in Hillsborough County, FL changes

We'll email you the moment we detect a change in the code. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

We'll never sell or share your email. One-click unsubscribe in every email.

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Collection Schedule in Cities Across Hillsborough County