Forsyth County, GA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential pickup window
- 7am-7pm, Monday through Saturday
- Truck marking
- Name/phone in 6-inch letters, both sides
- Collector duty
- Must indemnify the county
- Self-haul option
- Exempt for own household waste, § 70-33(b)
- First offense penalty
- $50-$1,000 fine, up to 30 days jail
- Repeat penalties
- $200, $500, $1,000 escalating within 12 months
Summary
Forsyth County limits residential trash pickup to a set weekly window: licensed collectors may service residential customers only between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under section 70-56 of the county code. Every collector doing business in the county must also indemnify the county against claims, mark its trucks with a visible name and phone number in six-inch letters, and run vehicles that meet state DNR and DOT weight, size and safety standards.
All solid waste collectors doing business in the county must meet the following minimum requirements: (1)Indemnification. Solid waste collectors shall, at their sole cost and expense, fully indemnify, defend and hold harmless the county, its officers, boards, commissions, employees and agents against any and all claims, suits, actions, liability and judgments from third parties for damages which may be the result of willful, negligent or tortious conduct, acts, or omissions arising out of the business of collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste...(2)Vehicles...c.All vehicles shall have, in letters at least six inches high and conspicuously placed on both sides of the vehicle, the name and telephone number of the solid waste collector.(3)Collection. Solid waste collectors must agree to provide collection pursuant to the criteria set forth in this article, and in residential areas may pick up only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 43).
Full Breakdown
, Monday through Saturday, so no residential pickup runs on Sunday or outside that daily window. Before touching a can at the curb, a collector must agree to indemnify, defend and hold the county harmless against third-party claims arising from the collection, transportation or disposal of solid waste, regardless of whether the underlying conduct was authorized by the article. 06 governing solid waste management, plus state DOT weight and size standards and any local ordinance limiting truck weight and size on the streets being used for pickup.
Every truck must also display the collector's name and telephone number in letters at least six inches high on both sides of the vehicle, so a resident can identify and report a specific hauler. These requirements sit inside article II, division 1 of the solid waste chapter, and apply on top of the separate licensing step in section 70-35(c), which bars anyone from collecting solid waste for a fee without county authorization in the first place.
Violations & Fines
A collector who picks up residential trash before 7:00 a.m., after 7:00 p.m. or on a Sunday, who fails to mark its trucks, or who collects without indemnifying the county, is enforced by code personnel under section 70-101 and cited to magistrate court under section 70-102. Section 70-103 fines a first offense $50.00 to $1,000.00 with up to 30 days in jail, escalating to $200.00, $500.00 and $1,000.00 for the second, third and later violations in any 12-month span.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can my trash be picked up in Forsyth County?
Do I have to hire a private hauler, or can I haul my own trash?
What happens if a trash company violates the pickup rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Forsyth County
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