Fort Lauderdale, FL Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection frequency
- Once weekly, per Sec. 24-26(4)
- Container
- City-issued yard waste cart, acceptable waste only
- Schedule authority
- Public works director sets pickup day
- Oversized debris
- Large trimmings go out as bulk trash
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
Fort Lauderdale picks up yard waste, grass clippings, tree trimmings, leaves and similar plant debris, once a week from the city-issued yard waste cart under Code of Ordinances Sec. 24-26(4). The public works director sets the actual pickup day for each account under Sec. 24-26(7), and only debris that fits and is free of dirt or rocks belongs in that cart per Sec. 24-27(g).
(4)Yardwaste shall be collected once weekly or as scheduled by the city....(7)The director is hereby authorized to determine and to schedule the dates of pickup.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67 Update 1 | Unified Land Development Code: Supplement 58 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 24 splits yard debris into two streams. Grass clippings, leaves, seeds, small trimmings and mulch that fit in the rollout cart go out with the weekly yard waste collection set under Sec. 24-26(4); the city director decides the actual weekly pickup day for each account and can adjust the schedule under Sec. 24-26(7). Anything too big for the cart, defined in Sec. 24-1 as horticultural material such as bush, shrub and tree trimmings, is handled instead as bulk trash placed on the swale rather than in the cart.
Sec. 24-27(g) limits the yard waste cart to acceptable yard waste only, mixing in household garbage, recyclables or bulk material is not allowed. Containers themselves are city property issued to the address, residents must keep the cart in good condition, notify the city of damage, and return it to a secure spot on the property after collection rather than leaving it roadside. The city manager may issue additional rules for collection under Sec. 24-3, so long as they do not conflict with the chapter. Enforcement runs through the general chapter penalty at Sec.
24-2: any person or property owner who violates or permits a violation of Chapter 24 is, upon conviction, punished as provided in Sec. 1-6 of the Code, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense. The city manager is charged with strictly enforcing the chapter's collection and container rules.
Violations & Fines
A yard waste violation, mixing garbage into the yard waste cart, skipping the weekly cart or leaving debris improperly, is enforced under Sec. 24-2: upon conviction the responsible person or property owner is punished as provided in Sec. 1-6 of the Code, a fine of up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. The city manager is directed to strictly enforce Chapter 24.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Lauderdale
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Broward County handle yard waste collection.