San Antonio, TX Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- CBD roll-out placement window
- 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. only
- CBD roll-out removal deadline
- Must be gone by 9:00 a.m.
- Late container fine
- Up to $2,000 per violation
- CBD dumpster collection hours
- 6-10 p.m. and 3-7:30 a.m.
- Target Zone rule
- Plastic dumpsters only, set hours
- Governing section
- San Antonio Code of Ordinances Sec. 14-41
Summary
San Antonio's Code of Ordinances Sec. 14-41 sets tight placement and collection windows for commercial dumpsters and roll-out containers, especially downtown. In the Central Business District, roll-out containers can only sit curbside from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. and must be gone by 9 a.m., with fines up to $2,000 per violation for containers left out late.
Roll-out containers in the Central Business District, as defined in section 14-1, shall be placed out for manual collection only between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and shall be immediately removed after collection. It shall be unlawful for the owner, manager, tenant or occupant of any business establishment or building, or the agent or employee of any such person to place, allow or suffer to remain any containers, either empty or containing solid waste, after 9:00 a.m. Empty roll-out containers remaining after 9:00 a.m. will be subject to issuance of a citation with a fine up to two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) per violation. ... In the Central Business District (CBD) as defined in section 14-1, collection for dumpsters is permitted only between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. and between the hours of 3:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Full Breakdown
Every business owner, manager, tenant or occupant must comply with the minimum container standards in Sec. 14-41. Containers have to fully contain waste with a tight-fitting lid, be leak-proof, kept clean and free of odors, and maintained free of holes, cracks or rust. In the Central Business District (CBD), as defined in Sec. 14-1, cardboard boxes, paper bags and plastic bags are banned outright as commercial refuse containers; only roll-out containers and dumpsters are allowed, and every roll-out container must be permanently and legibly marked with the user's name, address and phone number (spray paint doesn't count).
; an empty roll-out left out past that hour draws a citation with a fine up to $2,000 per violation. , while a designated "Target Zone" bounded by N. St. , using plastic dumpsters exclusively. unless neighbors within 200 feet haven't complained, which grants an automatic noise variance.
Violations & Fines
Leaving an empty roll-out container curbside in the CBD past 9:00 a.m. is a citable offense carrying a fine of up to $2,000 per violation under Sec. 14-41(e)(1). Collecting or placing containers outside the permitted hours, or using non-plastic dumpsters in the Target Zone, can also draw a citation, and unresolved commercial-collection noise complaints go to the solid waste determination board for a formal hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can commercial dumpsters be placed curbside downtown?
Can I use a cardboard box or plastic bag for business trash downtown?
What are the dumpster collection hours in the Target Zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Antonio
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