Winston-Salem, NC Trash & Recycling: Dumpster Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Business trigger
- >3 32-gal bins per week
- Apartment trigger
- developments over 10 units
- Density trigger
- over 8 units per acre
- Container size
- 4-8 cubic yards, metal, leakproof
- Civil penalty
- $50.00 per violation (Sec. 26-3(f))
Summary
Winston-Salem requires bulk dumpster-style containers, not individual carts, for businesses generating over three 32-gallon receptacles weekly, apartments over ten units, mobile home parks over ten lots, and residential developments denser than eight units per acre.
(e)Mandatory use of bulk containers.(1)Business, commercial and retail establishments generating more than three 32-gallon refuse receptacles of refuse per week;(2)Any apartment development which contains more than ten individual dwelling units;(3)Any mobile home park, as defined in the city zoning ordinance, constructed or approved after adoption of the ordinance from which this chapter is derived and which contains more than ten lots; and(4)Residential condominium, townhouse or cluster home developments with a density of more than eight units per acre.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Personnel: Supplement 96 | Water and Sewer: Supplement 56 | Solid Waste: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 26-3(e) of the Winston-Salem Code of Ordinances makes bulk container service mandatory once a property crosses these thresholds: businesses, retail and commercial establishments generating more than three 32-gallon refuse receptacles of trash per week; apartment developments over ten dwelling units; mobile home parks with more than ten lots; and residential condominium, townhouse or cluster developments denser than eight units per acre. A bulk container, defined at Sec. 26-1(3)a, is a leakproof metal unit of four to eight cubic yards with door openings on two sides and the top, built for mechanical emptying by city trucks. Sec. 26-3(c) requires owners to keep containers covered and in good repair, and the city can require weekly or more frequent service.
Violations & Fines
Failing to place, maintain or empty a required bulk container violates Sec. 26-3(f), drawing a $50.00 civil penalty plus abatement costs; most other Section 26-3 violations are a class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 14-4, fined up to $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my Winston-Salem business need a dumpster?
What size dumpster does the city require?
Do apartment complexes need bulk containers too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winston-Salem
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