Fargo, ND Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 6:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Cart removal deadline
- 6:00 p.m. on collection day
- Alley lots
- Cart goes at rear of property
- Winter duty
- Owner must keep area shoveled
- Container source
- City-supplied cart only
Summary
Fargo caps when you can put your city-issued cart at the curb: no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before pickup, off the berm by 6 p.m. on collection day.
Containers must be placed on the berm not earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day prior to the day of collection nor later than 8:00 a.m. on the morning of collection; and shall be removed from the berm not later than 6:00 p.m. on the day of collection. Where there are alleys, containers must be placed at the rear of the property. During the winter months, the area where the containers are placed must be kept clear of snow so that the containers are accessible. During windy conditions, the property owner must take appropriate steps to ensure that the container does not blow away and the city will not be responsible for cans which are lost or damaged as a result of such windy conditions. The following materials will not be picked up by waste trucks: ashes, bricks, concrete pieces, building materials, plaster, sod, animal manure, tree trunks or tree branches except as provided in § 13-0501.
Source: 1952 Rev. Ord. 13-0504, 1200 (1965), 1245 (1967), 2366 (1987), 2457 (1989), 3032 (1999), 4715 (2009).
Full Breakdown
Under Fargo Municipal Code § 13-0504, single-family household waste goes only in the city-supplied small, medium, or large cart. Carts can't hit the berm before 6:00 p.m. the day before collection or after 8:00 a.m. the morning of, and must come back in by 6:00 p.m. on collection day. On alley-served lots, carts go at the rear of the property, not the front curb. In winter, the owner has to keep the cart's placement area shoveled out so the truck can service it, and in high wind the owner is on the hook for keeping the cart from blowing away, the city won't replace a lost or damaged can.
Violations & Fines
No fine is spelled out in § 13-0504 itself; noncompliant setups can get skipped under § 13-0506, which lets the solid waste operations manager order crews to bypass a premises that isn't following the rules, with fees still owed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own trash can instead of the city cart?
What happens if my cart blows over in a storm?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fargo
Compare Fargo to another location·View the North Dakota trash & recycling overview
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