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Pitt County, NC Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Collection frequency
At least once a week
Who must comply
Owner, occupant, tenant, or lessee
Enforcing agency
Pitt County Solid Waste Department
First-offense penalty
$100 civil citation
Escalating penalty
$200 second, $400 later offenses
Hauler permit
Required from Solid Waste Department
Authority
N.C.G.S. Chapter 153A-136

Summary

Pitt County's Solid Waste Recycling, Collection and Disposal Ordinance requires every owner, occupant, tenant, or lessee whose property stores garbage to remove it, or have it removed, at least once a week. The rule covers the whole county under Ordinance No. 3, and requires any spilled refuse to be cleaned up so the premises stays clean and sanitary between pickups.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Pitt County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

A. Solid Waste or Refuse Collection. The owner, occupant, tenant, or lessee of any premises upon which garbage is stored shall remove, or cause to be removed all garbage from said premises at least once a week. The work shall be done in a clean orderly manner and any refuse that is spilled shall be cleaned up, and the premises left in a clean and sanitary condition.

Full Breakdown

Section 9(A) of the ordinance puts the weekly-removal duty on whoever controls the property where garbage is stored, whether that is the owner, an occupant, a tenant, or a lessee: at least once every seven days the accumulated garbage has to go, and the work has to leave the premises clean and sanitary, with any spillage cleaned up immediately. The same Section 9 also regulates the collectors who haul that waste away. Subsection B bars any solid waste collector from using a conveyance the Solid Waste Director has not approved, and every hauling vehicle except one owned by a resident hauling their own waste must carry an identifying tag or decal, plus a special-use-permit decal from the Pitt County Health Department, to enter the county waste handling facility.

Drivers can be required to show a driver's license or other ID and to state the vehicle owner's name and address, the source and type of waste, and the vehicle's weight and size. Subsection C requires collection vehicles to be leak-proof and covered with canvas or another durable material to stop spillage, and to be cleaned daily; the Solid Waste Supervisor can control non-self-unloading trucks to cut congestion. Subsection D requires loads, including building rubbish, limbs, and bulk items, to be tied down with rope or secured under heavy plastic or canvas.

Finally, Subsection E bars anyone from collecting, transporting, or disposing of solid waste without a written permit from the Solid Waste Department, though residents removing their own household waste are exempt from the permit requirement.

Violations & Fines

A missed weekly removal or an unpermitted, uncovered hauling vehicle falls under the ordinance's general penalty schedule at Section 16(B)(4): Solid Waste Department employees can issue a civil citation carrying a $100 fine for a first offense, $200 for a second, and $400 for any offense after that. The vehicle's owner is liable for violations involving that vehicle, and the Department may allow cleanup work instead of prosecution or a civil penalty.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Pitt County require garbage to be put out for removal?
At least once a week. Section 9(A) of the Solid Waste Recycling, Collection and Disposal Ordinance puts that duty on whoever controls the property where garbage accumulates, whether it's the owner, an occupant, a tenant, or a lessee, and the work has to leave the site clean, orderly, and free of spilled refuse.
Does a renter or the landlord have to arrange pickup in Pitt County?
The ordinance names the owner, occupant, tenant, or lessee alike, so whoever is in possession of the property where the garbage is stored is responsible for having it removed weekly. Landlords and tenants can divide that duty by lease, but the county can cite whichever of them controls the premises when garbage isn't removed.
Can I haul my own trash to the Pitt County waste facility?
Yes. Section 9(E)'s written-permit requirement for solid waste collectors specifically exempts anyone disposing of solid waste generated on their own property, so a resident can self-haul household garbage without a Solid Waste Department permit, though the vehicle still must meet the leak-proof and covered-load standards in Section 9(C) and (D).
What happens if my hauler's truck spills garbage on Pitt County roads?
Section 9(D) requires loads to be covered or secured with rope, heavy plastic, or canvas specifically to prevent spillage in transit, and the Solid Waste Supervisor decides whether a load was properly secured. A spill can trigger a citation under the ordinance's general penalty schedule, starting at $100 for a first offense.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Pitt County

All Pitt County rules

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