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Baytown, TX Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 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.

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 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?
The hauling company does. Sec. 86-226 requires anyone collecting or transporting commercial solid waste, including roll-off containers, to hold a city waste-collection permit, and it is also unlawful to hire a hauler who lacks one.
How much does a Baytown roll-off container permit cost?
$75.00 per vehicle plus $50.00 for each roll-off container under Sec. 86-227(e), on top of proof of $1,000,000 auto and general liability insurance naming the city as an additional insured.
Can Baytown revoke a dumpster company's permit?
Yes. Sec. 86-228(d) lets the city clerk revoke or refuse to renew a permit for a false application, missed quarterly franchise reports, unpaid fees, or containers left unsanitary after written notice, with an appeal to the city manager.

Sources & Official References

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