Baltimore County, MD Trash & Recycling: Holiday Pickup Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection holidays
- Seven each year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day
- Thanksgiving 2026
- Thursday, November 26; Thursday shifts to Friday, Friday to Saturday
- Christmas 2026
- Friday, December 25; Friday shifts to Saturday
- New Year's Day 2027
- Friday, January 1, 2027; Friday shifts to Saturday
- Holiday on a Saturday
- Collections cancelled that date; no make-up day
- Twice-weekly trash homes
- First pickup slides; second pickup of the week does not occur
- Contact
- Bureau of Solid Waste Management, 410-887-2000
Summary
Baltimore County runs a slide schedule on its seven collection holidays. Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026, moves Thursday pickup to Friday and Friday pickup to Saturday. Christmas, Friday, December 25, 2026, and New Year's Day, Friday, January 1, 2027, each move Friday pickup to Saturday. Trash, recycling and yard materials all follow the same shift.
Each year there are seven collection holidays (on dates, actual or observed, as determined by the County) when no trash, recycling, or yard materials collections occur: ... A slide schedule was instituted for collection holidays effective January 1, 2022. Trash, recycling, and/or yard materials collections not provided due to a holiday will occur on the day immediately after the holiday. All collection days for the rest of the week following a holiday will slide forward one day, with Friday's collections occurring on Saturday. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, any normally scheduled collections will be cancelled on that date. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will be observed on Monday, and collections for the rest of that week will follow the slide schedule. For residences with twice per week trash collection, the first trash collection during a holiday week will follow the slide schedule, and the second trash collection of the week will not occur.
Full Breakdown
The Department of Public Works and Transportation adopts the residential collection rules under Baltimore County Code § 13-4-203, and its Regulation for Baltimore County Residential Trash and Recycling Collection (2025) sets the holiday rule. Seven collection holidays apply each year, on dates actual or observed as determined by the County: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. No trash, recycling or yard material collection occurs on the holiday itself.
The slide schedule took effect January 1, 2022. Collections not provided because of a holiday occur on the day immediately after it, and every collection day for the rest of that week slides forward one day, with Friday's collections occurring on Saturday. The County's online Collection Schedule page lists the 2026 and early 2027 dates. Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday, November 26, so Thursday shifts to Friday and Friday shifts to Saturday. Christmas falls on Friday, December 25, so Friday shifts to Saturday. New Year's Day falls on Friday, January 1, 2027, so Friday shifts to Saturday. The same page lists Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, and Labor Day on Monday, September 7 for 2026.
Two special cases are printed in the regulation. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, any normally scheduled collections are cancelled on that date. Independence Day 2026 is Saturday, July 4, and the County states there is no collection that Saturday while Friday, July 3 collections occur as normal. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on Monday and the rest of that week follows the slide schedule.
Homes on twice-per-week trash service get a different result. The first trash collection during a holiday week follows the slide schedule, and the second trash collection of the week does not occur.
The County tells residents not to rely on schedules received in the mail for these dates. Use the online collection schedule, the holiday table on the County page, or the program guide to confirm which holidays cause a slide.
Violations & Fines
The holiday section of the regulation prints no fine or penalty. Residents who think a collection was missed after a slide week can report missed trash, missed recycling or a missed bulk pickup through the Bureau of Solid Waste Management at 410-887-2000 or solidwaste@baltimorecountymd.gov. The Bureau is at 111 West Chesapeake Avenue, Suite 211, Towson, and its office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is trash picked up the week of Thanksgiving 2026 in Baltimore County?
Does Christmas Day 2026 change my Baltimore County pickup?
What happens if a collection holiday lands on a Saturday or Sunday?
What if my address gets trash pickup twice a week?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Baltimore County
Compare Baltimore County to another location·View the Maryland trash & recycling overview
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