Detroit, MI Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Set-out window
- After 6:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Removal deadline
- By 9:00 p.m. collection day
- Between-collection storage
- Private property, not front yard
- First-offense fine
- $100 civil fine
- Enforcing agency
- Department of Public Works
Summary
Detroit assigns one Courville cart per household and sets a strict curbside window: out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before pickup, off the curb by 9:00 p.m. on collection day, per City Code § 42-2-46.
When collection service is desired, all Courville containers must be placed by the owner, lessee, agent or caretaker at the curb or designated location no earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day prior to the scheduled solid waste collection day for access by Department of Public Works' solid waste collection trucks and shall be removed no later than 9:00 p.m. on the day of collection.(c)Nothing contained in this article shall be construed to prohibit the owner, lessee, agent, or caretaker from entering into a contract for solid waste collection services with a collector licensed under Article III of this chapter. Upon request, evidence of private solid waste collection services must be provided to the Department of Public Works. (Code 1984, § 22-2-41; Ord. No. 15-02, § 1(22-2-41), eff. 9-27-2002; Ord. No. 35-04, § 1(22-2-41), eff. 12-1-2004)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Detroit's Department of Public Works assigns each occupied household in a one-to-four-unit residential structure one Courville cart for domestic solid waste under City Code § 42-2-46. Residents must place the cart at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection day, and remove it no later than 9:00 p.m. on the day of collection, giving Department of Public Works trucks clear access. Between collections, § 42-2-48 bars storing the cart in the front yard; it must sit elsewhere on private property. Missing these windows can draw a written notice and, if ignored, a blight violation.
Violations & Fines
Leaving a cart at the curb past 9:00 p.m. on collection day, or storing it in the front yard between pickups, draws a written notice from the Department of Public Works and then a $100 civil fine for a first blight-violation offense under § 42-1-21.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put my Detroit trash cart out for pickup?
How long can the cart stay at the curb?
Where does the cart go between pickups?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Detroit
Compare Detroit to another location·View the Michigan trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Pickup Rules & Schedules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle pickup rules & schedules.