Bowling Green, KY Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Sec. 21-4.06(g) singles out waste containers for its own right-of-way permit trigger: a right-of-way permit is required for placement of any dumpster or oversized waste receptacle in a City right-of-way, on top of the general permit duty in Sec. 21-4.06(a) that applies to any activity in the right-of-way requiring a permit under the Cuts, Excavations and Work Within Right-of-Way subchapter. Because a dumpster is not an emergency activity, Sec. 21-4.06(b) requires the application at least five days before the planned placement, though the City Engineer can waive that lead time for good cause, and the Department must approve, deny or conditionally approve within five business days, stating any denial or condition in writing.

Sec. 21-4.06(d) makes the application available from the Department and on the City's website, and Sec. 21-4.06(j) lets the City Engineer deny or revoke the permit for failing to satisfy the Subchapter's requirements or if denial is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare, with the option to condition approval on specific requirements instead. Sec. 21-4.07 sets the fee at a flat $75, due at the time of application, and Sec. 21-4.08 requires a surety bond before the permit issues, with a minimum bond of $250 for a single permit, or $100,000 for an annual running bond that covers repeated dumpster or excavation permits, released after a bond release inspection ninety days after the work is finished.

Placing a dumpster without proper advance notice is treated the same as work done without a permit under Sec. 21-4.06(b), which the City has flagged for the levy of fines.