Miami, FL Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Miami Code § 22-23
- 1st offense
- Warning, no fine
- 2nd offense (6 mo.)
- $100 fine
- 3rd+ offense (6 mo.)
- $200 per incident
- Bulky yard trash
- Collected weekly, curbside
Summary
Raking or leaf-blowing yard waste, dirt, or debris into a Miami street, storm drain, alley, or neighboring property is banned; violators get a warning first, then escalating fines under Chapter 22.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person to rake yard waste and debris into a city right-of-way, specially inside a stormwater catch basin, and to use a leaf blower to cause yard waste, dirt of debris to be deposited or blown into or upon any city stormwater catch basin, street, plaza, alley, park, parkway or neighboring property. All yard waste, dirt or debris collected using a rake or a leaf blower shall be properly disposed of in accordance with this chapter and the City Code.(b)The fine shall be issued to the individual performing the raking or using the leaf blower in violation of this section, inclusive of property owners. However, should the individual violating the code section be acting in the scope of their employment by a contractor, landscaper, homeowners' association, or other entity, that entity will receive the fine, not the individual employee.(c)The penalties shall be included in section 22-93. (Ord. No. 14172, § 2, 5-25-23)
Secs. 22-24—22-45. - Reserved.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 | Ordinance 11000 (Previous Zoning Code): Supplement 22 | Miami 21 (Zoning Code): ?).
Full Breakdown
Miami bans raking or leaf-blowing yard waste, dirt, or debris into any city right-of-way, especially a stormwater catch basin, or onto a street, plaza, alley, park, parkway, or neighboring property. Collected material must be bagged, bundled, or containerized for disposal under Chapter 22, not swept into public space. If the person doing the raking or blowing was working for a contractor, landscaper, or HOA, the fine goes to that entity, not the employee. Larger yard trash, cut limbs over 10 inches thick or 4 feet long, or debris over 50 pounds, goes out with bulky waste for weekly collection, placed at the curb no earlier than the evening before pickup.
Violations & Fines
1st offense within 6 months: warning, no fine. 2nd offense within 6 months: $100. 3rd or later offense within 6 months: $200 per incident, billed to the employer if the violator was working for a contractor, landscaper, or HOA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I blow leaves into the street in Miami?
Who gets fined if a landscaper blows clippings into a storm drain?
How does Miami collect large branches and yard debris?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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Yard Waste Collection in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Miami-Dade County handle yard waste collection.