Newark, NJ Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before street/ROW placement
- Permit fee
- $13 per container per location
- Annual deposit
- $1,250 with Central Permit Office
- Impound towing charge
- $63 plus $13/day storage
- Unclaimed after
- 30 days: sold at auction
Summary
Placing a dumpster or roll-off container on a Newark street or public right-of-way requires a Central Permit Office permit under City Code Section 15:4-17, a $13 per-container fee, and a $1,250 annual damage deposit. Unpermitted or hazardously placed equipment can be impounded by the Division of Police.
No mechanical refuse container equipment may be placed on a street or public right-of-way without a permit. An application for a permit must be submitted to the Central Permit Office with the required fee. The applicant shall specify thereon the size and location of the equipment and the duration of time the equipment will be at the location. ... The fee for a permit shall be the sum of $13 per container per location. In addition thereto, no permit shall be issued until and unless the applicant has posted an annual deposit with the Central Permit Office in the amount of $1,250.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5019615; v61 updated 2026-06-17; through 06-17-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 15:4-17(a) requires a permit before any "mechanical refuse container equipment" (the ordinance's term for dumpsters and roll-off boxes) sits on a street or public right-of-way. Equipment out for 24 hours or less lets the applicant pay the fee within 24 hours after placement instead of in advance; anything longer requires the permit before the container goes down. Section 15:4-17(b) sets the fee at $13 per container per location and requires a separate $1,250 annual deposit with the Central Permit Office to cover street damage, refunded or rolled into next year's deposit if unused.
Section 15:4-17(c) leaves the duration and exact placement location to the discretion of the Director of the Department of Engineering. Section 15:4-17(e) requires the container to display the owner's name, address and phone number and carry reflectors marking its height and width for night visibility. Under Section 15:4-17(f) and (g), the Division of Police can impound noncompliant equipment after 12 hours' notice, or immediately if the container blocks a driveway or creates a traffic hazard. Redeeming impounded equipment costs a $63 towing charge plus $13 per day of storage under Section 15:4-17(i), and containers left unclaimed 30 days are sold at public auction or used by the City under Section 15:4-17(j).
Violations & Fines
Placing mechanical refuse container equipment on a street or right-of-way without the required permit, deposit or fee exposes it to impoundment by the Division of Police, immediately if it blocks a driveway or creates a traffic hazard, or after 12 hours' notice otherwise. The Director of Engineering can also revoke a permit outright for violating any permit condition, and no part of the fee is refunded when that happens. Redeeming an impounded container costs $63 for towing plus $13 per day in storage, on top of any other penalty the Title imposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a dumpster on the street in Newark?
How much does a dumpster permit cost in Newark?
Can the City tow my dumpster?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newark
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