Hempstead, NY Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Annual permit from Sanitation Commissioner, § 176-2
- Min. street width
- 30 feet, curb to curb
- Placement fee
- $15 per 14-day period
- Filing fee
- $150 annual permit application
- Insurance minimum
- $1M/$3M liability, $500K/$1M property
- Notice window
- 48 hours before and after placement
- Max fine
- $250 or 15 days jail, § 176-7
Summary
Anyone placing a roll-off container or dumpster on a Hempstead street needs an annual permit from the Sanitation Commissioner under Town Code § 176-2. Containers must sit on a street at least 30 feet wide, parallel to the curb, and cannot stay more than 14 days without paying to renew.
It shall be unlawful and an offense against this chapter for any person to place or caused to be placed a roll-off container upon any public street within the Town without first obtaining a permit therefor in accordance with the requirements prescribed by this chapter. ... The street upon which any roll-off container is to be placed must meet a minimum width requirement of 30 feet, curb to curb. ... Effective September 1, 1998, no roll-off container or dumpster shall be permitted to remain in a particular location for a period of time exceeding 14 days. ... Effective September 1, 1998, there shall be a $15 placement fee for each roll-off container or dumpster that is placed upon any street located within the Town or on any Town-owned property. This fee covers a fourteen-day period.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4863878; v67 updated 2026-04-28; through 04-28-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 176, Roll-Off Containers, requires anyone who places a roll-off container or dumpster on a public street or Town-owned property to first obtain an annual permit from the Commissioner of the Department of Sanitation under § 176-2, plus a $5 container permit displayed on each bin and a $150 annual filing fee (§ 176-4C, D). The owner-lessor must also carry public liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per person and $3,000,000 per occurrence, and property-damage coverage of at least $500,000 per occurrence, naming the Town as insured (§ 176-4B).
Under § 176-3, the street must be at least 30 feet wide curb to curb, the container must sit parallel to the curb no more than eight feet six inches from it, carry at least 16 square feet of reflectorized striping per side, and be stenciled with the owner-lessor's name, address and phone number in letters at least two inches tall. Containers cannot block the sidewalk and must be emptied once contents reach the waterline. The Commissioner needs 48 hours' written notice before a container is placed and within 48 hours after it is removed, and can refuse or order removal of any container that creates an obstruction or hazard, giving the owner-lessor five days to comply (§ 176-5).
No container may remain longer than 14 days without a renewed $15 placement fee (§ 176-3J, K), effective since September 1, 1998. Nassau County police officers and Town sanitation inspectors enforce the chapter and may issue appearance tickets (§ 176-6).
Violations & Fines
Placing a roll-off container without a permit, or violating any placement rule, is a violation punishable by a fine up to $250 or up to 15 days' imprisonment, or both, under § 176-7A, with each day of continued violation a separate offense. The Town may also seek an injunction or other civil remedy under § 176-7C.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a dumpster on my street in Hempstead?
How long can a roll-off container stay in one spot?
What happens if my dumpster blocks traffic or the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hempstead
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