Trenton, NJ Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)

Chapter 257, Article V of the Trenton Code governs dumpsters placed on the public right-of-way. Section 257-29 bars anyone from placing or leaving a dumpster on a public street, sidewalk or alley without first obtaining a permit from the Department of Public Works. The application required under § 257-30 must state the address where the dumpster will be placed, the name, address and daytime telephone number of the owner of the premises, the name, address and daytime telephone number of the person with custody or control of the dumpster, and the date it will be placed and the date it will be removed.

Under § 257-31, the applicant must agree in writing to pay for any damage caused to public property as a result of the dumpster's use, such as a cracked sidewalk slab or a scraped curb. The permit fee set by § 257-32 is $20. Section 257-33 caps every permit at 30 days; a roll-off kept longer needs a new application and a new fee rather than an extension. This article covers dumpsters on the public right-of-way. A separate rule at Chapter 254, Article IV (adopted 2016, amended 2024) requires anyone who controls a refuse container or dumpster, wherever it sits, to keep it covered and free of leaks to protect the municipal storm sewer system, enforced by the Police Department under a $2,000 cap per § 254-23.

For a roll-off or commercial dumpster parked on a Trenton street or sidewalk, the Article V street permit from Public Works is the one that governs where and how long it can stay.