Miami-Dade, Florida resident guide
Miami-Dade trash, recycling, bulky waste & holiday schedule
Schedule Miami-Dade bulky waste, find twice weekly garbage and recycling dates, understand the 50 cubic yard annual allowance, use drop off centers, and review 2026 holiday exceptions.
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.
County serviced homes receive green cart garbage collection twice each week, either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday. Put the cart at the curb by 7 a.m. with its wheels facing the home.
Most County curbside homes receive blue cart recycling every other week; a smaller number of bin customers receive weekly recycling. The address calendar or MDC Solid Waste App shows the exact date.
Need it gone before the city service?
Get a LoadUp quote when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
Schedule Miami-Dade service
Use the County bulky appointment system or call 311 before placing anything at the curb. Choose an available date, list the material, and confirm that the address receives Miami-Dade County collection rather than another municipal or private service.
Miami-Dade 2026 County collection guide
Miami-Dade gives eligible accounts 50 cubic yards each year
County collection customers may use two bulky appointments of 25 cubic yards each or combine them into one 50 cubic yard appointment. The address must be inside the County service area.
Both allowances may be combined into one 50 cubic yard appointment.
County routes are Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday.
Some smaller bin customers receive weekly recycling instead.
Book first and have the confirmed pile ready by 7 a.m.
Eligible County customers may use listed centers for approved material.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupMiami-Dade uses three different paths for leaves and branchesCart, appointment, and drop off options confirmed
Small household yard material may go in the green garbage cart. Large limbs and branches may use a booked bulky appointment, and eligible County customers may take approved tree and yard cuttings to a Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Center.
Grass, leaves, and small prepared trimmings must fit inside the closed cart.
Each appointment includes up to 25 cubic yards for an eligible County account.
The booked bulky pile also needs 15 feet of overhead clearance.
What residents should do
- Confirm that Miami-Dade County serves the full address.
- Use the green cart for leaves and small trimmings that fit with the lid closed.
- Book a bulky appointment before moving large limbs or a yard waste pile to the curb.
- For a self haul option, use the official center finder and review the address eligibility and accepted material first.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
The annual allowance is two pickups of 25 cubic yards each. A household may combine them into one pickup of up to 50 cubic yards. Authorized material over the remaining allowance is currently charged at $31 per cubic yard.
Place the confirmed pile at the curb no more than three days before the appointment and have it ready by 7 a.m. Leave five feet from vehicles, fences, mailboxes, drains, hydrants, sprinklers, poles, and valuables, plus 15 feet of overhead clearance.
Local detail that matters
What makes Miami-Dade service different
The County provides full collection in unincorporated Miami-Dade and 10 named municipalities, while several additional cities receive County recycling only. A Miami-Dade address does not by itself prove that the County collects its garbage or bulky waste.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
The appointment may include sofas, mattresses sealed in plastic, prepared refrigerators and freezers, large tree limbs, branches, and other eligible household bulky waste within the account allowance.
Not accepted
Do not include home chemicals, rock, dirt, a single item over 150 pounds, or more than three cubic yards of construction and demolition debris. Remove refrigerator and freezer doors, and cut tree limbs to five feet or less.
Holiday collectionMiami-Dade published its 2026 holiday service exceptions2026 schedule confirmed
Miami-Dade County collects on most observed holidays. Garbage service stops on three named holidays, while recycling can follow a different published rule. Municipal customers outside the County service area may use another provider schedule.
Garbage and recycling are not always affected together
For the 2026 Independence Day closure, garbage and bulky appointments stopped while curbside recycling continued on its regular Friday schedule.
Confirm the service provider first
These rules apply to Miami-Dade County collection customers. An incorporated municipality or private community may use a different holiday calendar.
No County garbage collection
Garbage routes do not operate; use the next regular collection date.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Monday, January 19
- Independence Day observed. Friday, July 3
- Christmas Day. Friday, December 25
Independence Day recycling remains on schedule
The County specifically kept curbside recycling on its normal Friday route even though garbage and bulky pickup stopped.
- Independence Day observed. Friday, July 3
Regular garbage and recycling collection
County waste and recycling routes operate on their normal schedule, and disposal facilities keep regular hours.
- Labor Day. Monday, September 7
Common questions
Miami-Dade collection FAQ
How many Miami-Dade bulky waste pickups are included?
Eligible County collection accounts receive two appointments per calendar year, with up to 25 cubic yards at each appointment.
Can I combine both Miami-Dade bulky pickups?
Yes. The County allows the two annual pickups to be combined into one appointment of up to 50 cubic yards.
When can I place Miami-Dade bulky waste at the curb?
Only after booking. Setout may begin no more than three days before the confirmed appointment and the pile must be ready by 7 a.m.
How often does Miami-Dade collect garbage and recycling?
County serviced homes receive garbage twice weekly. Most blue cart recycling is every other week, while some bin service is weekly.
How does Miami-Dade collect leaves and yard waste?
Small household yard material may go in the green garbage cart. Large limbs can use a booked bulky appointment, and eligible County customers may use 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers.
Does every Miami-Dade address use County bulky service?
No. Some incorporated cities and private communities use their own provider. Confirm the full service address before scheduling or setting material out.
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.
More Florida guides