Fort Lauderdale, Florida resident guide
Fort Lauderdale trash, recycling, bulk & yard waste schedule
Find twice weekly trash, weekly recycling and yard service, monthly bulk dates, the 10 cubic yard limit, 24 hour setout window, tire rules, and the official property lookup.
Official source links checked on August 31, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Fort Lauderdale collects household trash twice each week from eligible homes. Bag household waste inside the black cart and place it at the curb by 7 a.m. with at least two feet of clearance.
Fort Lauderdale collects recycling once each week in the blue cart. Yard waste is also collected weekly in the green cart, while larger prepared tree material may be placed with the monthly bulk route.
Need it gone before the city service?
Compare independent pickup when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
How Fort Lauderdale service works
Enter the full address in the City's Property Information Reporter to find the assigned bulk weekday and week of the month. Ordinary monthly bulk service does not require an appointment.
Fort Lauderdale resident collection guide
Fort Lauderdale assigns one monthly bulk date to each address
Eligible City serviced homes receive two garbage days, one recycling day, one yard waste day, and one bulk date each month. The Property Information Reporter shows the exact schedule for the full address.
Bag household waste inside the black cart and leave two feet of clearance.
Recycling uses the blue cart and most yard waste uses the green cart.
The assigned date depends on the address and does not require an ordinary appointment.
Do not combine material from neighbors or another property.
Have the pile ready by 7 a.m. but do not place it out earlier.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupFort Lauderdale gives yard waste its own weekly routeWeekly yard waste confirmed
Leaves, grass, plant clippings, twigs, weeds, roots, and small palm fronds that fit use the green cart. Larger prepared tree material may go beside the cart for yard collection or with the assigned monthly bulk service according to City rules.
The Property Information Reporter shows the address's yard waste weekday.
Published guidance accepts limbs up to 12 feet long and 12 inches in diameter.
Set carts no later than 6 p.m. the prior evening and remove them after collection.
What residents should do
- Use the City address reporter to find the weekly yard waste day.
- Place leaves and small clippings in the green cart without plastic bags.
- Prepare larger trimmings within the City's length and diameter limits and keep loose leaves in a separate approved bagged pile.
- Move oversized material to the monthly bulk area only when it follows the City's current bulk guidance.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
Fort Lauderdale provides one scheduled curbside bulk collection each month to eligible residential properties receiving City sanitation service.
Enter the full address in the City's Property Information Reporter to find the assigned bulk weekday and week of the month. Ordinary monthly bulk service does not require an appointment.
Bulk is collected once each month and is limited to one pile of no more than 10 cubic yards. Material from another property cannot be combined with the address's pile.
Place the pile at the curb by 7 a.m. on the assigned date and no earlier than 24 hours before collection. Leave access for large equipment and keep the pile away from vehicles, fences, trees, power lines, storm drains, and other obstacles.
Local detail that matters
What makes Fort Lauderdale service different
City curbside service generally covers single family homes and residential buildings with three units or fewer. Larger apartments, condominiums, and commercial properties contract with an authorized private hauler and may follow a different schedule.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
The monthly route accepts qualifying furniture, household bulky items, large prepared yard material, and other resident generated items listed in the City's current bulk guidance.
Not accepted
Do not include tree stumps, tree sections over 12 feet long, hazardous materials, liquids, dirt, sod, sand, pavers, concrete, tile, household garbage, or loose glass. Glass must be secured in a sturdy rigid container.
Holiday collectionFort Lauderdale has only partly published its 2026 holiday servicePublished 2026 dates confirmed
The City confirmed that New Year's Day 2026 did not interrupt collection. Its collection page had not yet published the exact Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026 makeup dates when this guide was checked.
Do not reuse the 2025 makeup dates
The City page still displays specific Christmas makeup dates from 2025. Those dates do not establish the 2026 schedule.
Bulk uses an assigned monthly date
Check the address reporter before a holiday week because a missed monthly bulk date is not the same as a twice weekly garbage route.
Large buildings use private service
Apartments and condominiums outside the City curbside program must follow their contracted hauler's holiday instructions.
No service interruption
The City reported normal collection.
- New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1
Exact makeup schedule not yet published
Check the City collection page before setout.
- Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26
- Christmas Day, Friday, December 25
Common questions
Fort Lauderdale collection FAQ
How often is Fort Lauderdale bulk trash collected?
Once each month on the weekday and week assigned to the property. The City address reporter shows the current route.
What is the Fort Lauderdale bulk trash limit?
One pile of up to 10 cubic yards for the scheduled monthly collection.
How early can Fort Lauderdale bulk trash be placed out?
No earlier than 24 hours before the assigned pickup. Have the full pile at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day.
How often does Fort Lauderdale collect household trash?
Eligible City serviced homes receive trash twice weekly, recycling weekly, and yard waste weekly.
Can Fort Lauderdale residents put tires at the curb?
The City allows up to two passenger or light truck tires beside the black cart on a garbage day, with a limit of four tires per household each year.
Do large Fort Lauderdale apartment buildings use this schedule?
Usually not. Buildings with more than three units generally contract with an authorized private hauler, so residents should confirm service with the property manager.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 31, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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