Winston-Salem, NC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Leaf season start
- Monday, November 2, 2026; code window is November 1 to January 15
- Leaf season end
- Through January, or as long as (3) passes take
- Collection order
- Quadrants 1 and 2 first, then 3 and 4, clockwise
- Set-out
- Loose leaves behind the curb, no tarps, not in the street
- Street penalty
- $165.00 or ten percent of abatement cost, whichever is greater
- Yard cart
- 96-gallon cart, $130 new, $65 yearly sticker, up to 3 carts
- Drop-off sites
- Overdale (4010 Old Milwaukee Lane) and Forum 52 (180 Northstar Drive)
Summary
Winston-Salem's fall leaf collection begins Monday, November 2, 2026, and the city says it runs through January or as long as it takes to make (3) passes through each quadrant. Rake leaves loose to the edge of your yard, behind the curb and out of the street, with no tarps. Leaves also go in a 96-gallon yard waste cart all year.
(d)Leaves. Accumulations of loose leaves placed along and behind the curbline shall be collected by the city vacuum leaf loading equipment from the period November 1 through January 15 of each leaf collection season. During this period, leaves shall not be mixed with other waste material, shall not be placed in the travelway of the street, and may only be containerized as set out in subsection 26-3(f). ... (a)Precollection requirements. No tree trunks, branches, limbs or other shrubbery larger than six inches in diameter and longer than six feet shall be collected by the city. Tree and shrubbery limbs should have protruding branches trimmed and shall be neatly stacked and placed in an orderly manner at the curb side with cut ends pointing in the same direction. ... (b)Separate storage. Brush and shrubbery trimmings must be stored separately at the curb from yard trash, household trash and loose leaves.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 102 | Personnel: Supplement 96 | Water and Sewer: Supplement 56 | Solid Waste: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Winston-Salem splits its leaf program between the Code of Ordinances and the city's own pages, and the dates differ. Sec. 26-6(d) says loose leaves placed along and behind the curbline are collected by city vacuum leaf loading equipment from November 1 through January 15 of each leaf collection season. The Leaf Routes page prints a start of Monday, November 2nd, and the Solid Waste Collections page supplies the year: Fall Leaf Collection begins November 2, 2026. The Leaf Routes page says collections run through January, or as long as it takes to make (3) passes through each quadrant.
Collection moves by quadrant. It starts in quadrants 1 and 2 at the same time, rotates clockwise from quadrant to quadrant two at a time, and reaches quadrants 3 and 4 together after quadrants 1 and 2 are finished. The quadrant map is an image and the page prints no per-address dates, so use the city's find your leaf route lookup or the Winston-Salem Collects app, which shows your service zone.
The city's set-out rules are short. Rake to the edge of your yard and place leaves behind the curb, not in the street. Keep them loose and easy for crews to collect, and do not use tarps. Put only leaves in the pile, because sticks, rocks and other debris can damage equipment. Do not park on, in front of, or close to your leaves. Do not pile leaves or debris on or near storm drains, and call CityLink 311 to report a blocked drain. The page states that leaf burning is not permitted inside city limits and that bad weather can delay service and change schedules.
The code adds limits of its own. During the season, leaves shall not be mixed with other waste material or placed in the travelway of the street. Sec. 26-9(b) requires brush and shrubbery trimmings to be stored at the curb separately from yard trash, household trash and loose leaves. Under Sec. 26-9(c) the city collects brush free when the quantity is one truck load (ten cubic yards) or less, and Sec. 26-9(e) charges $100.00 per load or fraction thereof for brush in excess of one load.
Violations & Fines
Leaves on a public street, sidewalk or grass strip are a nuisance under Sec. 26-10(a), with five days from the date of the notice to correct under Sec. 62-3(d). Uncorrected, the owner is assessed a civil penalty of $165.00 or ten percent of the cost of abatement, whichever is greater, plus abatement costs. Sec. 62-3(e)(2) prices curbside abatement of leaves at $100.00 to $800.00 depending on volume removed. Sec. 26-10(o) also makes a violation a class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500.00.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Winston-Salem start collecting leaves this fall?
Do I bag my leaves or rake them to the curb?
Can I put leaves in the street in Winston-Salem?
What are my options for year-round leaf pickup or a drop-off site?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winston-Salem
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