Baytown, TX Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit fee
- $75/vehicle + $50/roll-off container
- Required insurance
- $1M auto, $1M/$2M general liability
- Permit term
- Calendar year (Jan 1-Dec 31)
- Franchise tax
- 10% of gross receipts, quarterly
- Decal requirement
- Displayed on every container
- Appeal path
- City manager, decided within 30 days
Summary
Anyone placing a commercial dumpster or roll-off container in Baytown for hire needs a city waste-collection permit first. Sec. 86-226 makes unpermitted hauling unlawful, Sec. 86-227 sets the fee at $75.00 per vehicle plus $50.00 per roll-off container, and Sec. 86-229 requires every permitted container to display its city decal in plain view from the street.
(a)Unless a valid waste-collection permit has been issued by the city, it shall be unlawful for any person to collect or transport garbage, trash, rubbish, or commercial solid waste within the city.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to hire, retain, let, use, contract with, engage, or otherwise appoint, any person who does not have a valid waste-collection permit issued by the city, to collect or transport garbage, trash, rubbish, or commercial solid waste within the city. ... Permit fee of $75.00 per vehicle and $50.00 per roll-off container, or such other amount as the city council may by resolution establish. ... Each permitted vehicle and each permitted roll-off container shall display the city-issued permit decal or identification in a conspicuous location visible from the public right-of-way. Failure to display a current decal constitutes a violation of this article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 83 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 86-195 defines a roll-off container as a detachable, wheeled, or stationary container built to be mechanically loaded onto a collection vehicle for hauling to a disposal or processing site, and folds it into the broader definition of "commercial solid waste collection service" covering waste, recyclables, and construction debris moved from commercial, industrial, or multifamily property. Sec. 86-226(a) makes it unlawful to collect or transport garbage, trash, rubbish, or commercial solid waste in the city without a valid permit, and Sec. 86-226(b) extends liability to anyone who hires an unpermitted hauler.
Sec. 00 per roll-off container, alongside proof of $1,000,000 combined-single-limit auto liability coverage, $1,000,000/$2,000,000 commercial general liability coverage, and workers' compensation with the city named as an additional insured. Sec. 86-228 runs each permit on a calendar year from January 1 through December 31, requires renewal filings at least ten days before expiration, and lets the city clerk revoke or refuse to renew a permit for a false statement, missed quarterly reports, unpaid franchise fees, or unsightly and unsanitary containers left after written notice, with an appeal to the city manager who must decide within 30 days.
Sec. 86-196(a) also levies a quarterly franchise tax equal to ten percent of the hauler's gross receipts from solid waste collection service inside the city.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 86-229 makes an undisplayed permit decal on a container or vehicle a violation of the article by itself. Operating without any permit at all under Sec. 86-226 exposes both the hauler and the customer who hired them to enforcement, and Sec. 86-228(d) lets the city clerk revoke a permit outright for a false application statement, missed franchise-fee payments, or maintaining unsanitary containers after a written warning. General violations are punishable under Sec. 1-14's citywide fine, up to $500 per offense, unless the violation involves refuse dumping, which Sec. 1-14(2) allows to be fined up to $4,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a city permit to rent a roll-off dumpster in Baytown?
How much does a Baytown roll-off container permit cost?
Can Baytown revoke a dumpster company's permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baytown
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Baytown to another location·View the Texas trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Dumpster Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Harris County handle dumpster rules.