Waukesha, WI Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- Noon, day before collection
- Latest set-out
- 6:00 a.m. collection day
- Removal deadline (emptied)
- 9:30 p.m. collection day
- Removal deadline (missed pickup)
- End of next day
- Late removal penalty
- City removal + return fee
Summary
Waukesha residents cannot leave carts at the curb whenever they like. Municipal Code Section 13.055(7)(c) fixes exact windows for putting Carts and Containers out and bringing them back in, and breaking those windows lets the City haul the container away and bill the owner for its return.
(c) Placement and Removal Times. Carts and Containers shall be placed for collection no earlier than noon the day before scheduled collection, and no later than 6:00 a.m. the day of scheduled collection. Carts and Containers that have been emptied shall be removed from the collection location no later than 9:30 p.m. the day of scheduled collection; Carts and Containers that have not been emptied shall be removed from the collection location no later than the end of the day after scheduled collection. Violations of this subsection may result in Carts and Containers being removed by the City, and fees for the removal and return of the Carts and Containers being charged to the owner or occupant responsible for the placement of the Carts or Containers, as provided in the Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Regulations.
Full Breakdown
Under Section 13.055(7)(c), Carts and Containers may be placed at the collection location no earlier than noon the day before the scheduled collection day, and no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day itself, giving crews a predictable curb line to work from. Once emptied, the Cart or Container must come back off the curb by 9:30 p.m. the same collection day; if a pickup is missed and the container is never emptied, the owner has until the end of the following day to remove it.
These timing rules apply to both Automated Service Carts, used on most residential streets, and Manual Service Containers, used in the Central Business District, on alley routes, and anywhere Automated Service is impractical. Manual Service Containers must additionally meet the size limits in Section 13.055(6)(a): tight-fitting lids, no more than 32 gallons, and no more than 50 pounds loaded. In the Central Business District specifically, Section 13.055(6)(d) lets Containers go out as early as 5:00 p.m. the day before collection.
The Department of Public Works administers these rules and publishes the fuller Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Regulations referenced throughout Section 13.055 to fill in day-to-day operational detail.
Violations & Fines
Missing the placement or removal windows in Section 13.055(7)(c) lets the City physically remove the offending Cart or Container from the property, and the owner or occupant responsible for putting it out is billed for both the removal and its return, under the fee schedule in the Residential Solid Waste and Recycling Regulations, separate from the general $50 forfeiture available under subsection (8).
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my trash cart out in Waukesha?
When do I have to bring my cart back in after pickup?
What happens if I leave my cart at the curb too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha
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