Okaloosa County, FL Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Trash frequency
- Twice weekly, single-family curbside
- Yard trash frequency
- Once weekly
- Bulk waste limit
- 4 cubic yards per pickup
- Collection hours
- 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Mon-Sat
- Cart weight limit
- 250 pounds including contents
- No service
- Sundays and 3 holidays, absent emergency
Summary
The county's residential trash franchisee must collect solid waste from single-family homes in unincorporated Okaloosa County twice a week, picked up curbside from a cart placed within three feet of the pavement edge. Collection runs 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under section 11-191, with no service on Sundays or holidays except during an emergency.
(a)Curbside residential solid waste collection service.(1)Frequency of collection. The franchisee shall collect all solid waste from single-family dwelling units within the franchise area two times per week. ... For purposes of automated pickup, carts shall be placed within three feet of the edge of pavement, back of curb, or edge of travel lane on dirt roads. ... (f)Hours of collection. All collections shall begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m., and shall cease no later than 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. ... No collection shall occur on Sundays or holidays, as defined herein, except in a time of emergency.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23).
Full Breakdown
Section 11-191 of the county Code of Ordinances spells out exactly how curbside residential collection works in unincorporated Okaloosa County. The franchisee must pick up solid waste from single-family dwelling units "two times per week," using curbside automated collection where the resident places waste in a county-issued cart; no cart, with its contents, may exceed 250 pounds, and carts must be set "within three feet of the edge of pavement, back of curb, or edge of travel lane on dirt roads" for the automated side-arm loader.
Loose refuse is not collected, apart from bulk waste. Yard trash is picked up once a week, must be separated from other waste, bundled in pieces under 50 pounds and no more than six feet long or four inches in diameter, and left in a yard trash receptacle. Bulk waste is collected once a week and capped at four cubic yards per pickup per dwelling, apart from individual furniture or white goods. , Monday through Saturday, with no collection on Sundays or on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas except in an emergency approved in advance by the public works director.
A qualifying handicapped resident can request rear- or side-of-house pickup at no extra charge with proof of handicap status. New customers must get service within three days of notifying the county or the franchisee.
Violations & Fines
The franchisee, not the resident, faces the compliance obligations in section 11-191, and failing to collect properly-placed waste requires the franchisee to post a non-collection notice explaining why under section 11-191(g). Collecting residential solid waste within the franchise area without the county's exclusive franchise is a misdemeanor under section 11-197, punishable by a fine or up to 60 days in the county jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times a week does Okaloosa County pick up my trash?
What time does trash collection start and end?
Is there a weight limit on my trash cart?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Okaloosa County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Okaloosa County to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.