Chattanooga, TN Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Size limit
- 8 ft long, 18 in diameter max
- Annual cap
- 12 pickups per property per year
- Set-out window
- No more than 48 hrs early
- Scheduling
- Must call City to arrange pickup
Summary
Chattanooga picks up residential yard trash only by scheduled request, capped at twelve pickups a year per property, with pieces limited to 8 feet long and 18 inches thick.
"Residential yard trash" shall include brush, bagged leaves, tree trimmings, branches and limbs, grass cuttings and garden trimmings, weeds, and roots from which all dirt has been removed. ... No item of residential yard trash placed for city collection shall be larger than eight (8) feet in length or eighteen (18) inches in diameter. ... Yard Trash collections will be limited to twelve (12) at one single property within any consecutive twelve (12) month period.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Residential yard trash, brush, bagged leaves, tree trimmings, branches, grass cuttings, garden trimmings, and cleaned roots, is collected only after a resident calls the City to arrange a pickup, and it can't be set at the curb more than 48 hours ahead of that date. Individual pieces can't exceed 8 feet in length or 18 inches in diameter; oversized brush is the owner's expense to haul away. Yard-trash pickups are capped at 12 per property in any rolling 12-month period, and yard trash can't be mixed with garbage, bulky trash, or demolition debris.
Violations & Fines
Setting out yard trash without a scheduled pickup, oversizing pieces past 8 ft/18 in, or exceeding 12 pickups a year creates a nuisance the City can abate at the owner's expense (Sec. 18-86(g)-(h)).
Frequently Asked Questions
How big can Chattanooga yard-waste pieces be?
Is there a limit on yard-waste pickups in Chattanooga?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
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