Tallahassee, Florida resident guide
Tallahassee trash, recycling, bulky item & yard waste schedule
Find weekly carts, alternating Red or Blue bulky and yard routes, the 6 by 4 by 4 foot bulky limit, 2026 holiday slides, electronics requests, and official address tools.
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.
Tallahassee collects household garbage once each week. Place the cart out the night before or by 6:30 a.m., keep three feet of clearance, and turn the handles away from the street.
Tallahassee collects single stream recycling once each week on the same weekday as garbage. Accepted recyclables should be loose in the City cart, with the cart returned to storage by the day after service.
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 Tallahassee service works
Use the City pickup lookup to find the address's Red or Blue week and weekday. Ordinary qualifying bulky items do not need an appointment. Request a special collection when an item or pile exceeds the normal curbside limit.
Tallahassee 2026 resident collection guide
Tallahassee alternates bulky items and yard waste by Red or Blue week
City customers receive weekly garbage and recycling plus bulky item and yard waste service every other week. The full address identifies both the route weekday and whether it follows the Red or Blue calendar.
Both carts normally use the same address weekday and must be ready by 6:30 a.m.
The address belongs to a Red or Blue calendar and the two material types stay separate.
Larger items or piles require a special collection request.
Computers, televisions, and similar electronics do not belong in the ordinary bulky pile.
Collection on and after a weekday City holiday moves later through Saturday.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupTallahassee collects yard waste every other weekAlternating Red or Blue route confirmed
Yard waste uses the same Red or Blue week and weekday as bulky items, but it must remain in a separate pile. Small loose material belongs in paper bags or an eligible reusable container rather than plastic bags.
Use the full address to find the Red or Blue week and route weekday.
Plastic bags cannot be processed with the yard material.
Setout may begin on the weekend before the assigned collection.
What residents should do
- Find the address's Red or Blue week and assigned weekday.
- Place leaves, grass, and small trimmings in paper bags or a reusable household container.
- Build a separate pile for branches and keep all yard material apart from furniture and appliances.
- Have the complete setout behind the curb by 6:30 a.m. and leave access for both collection crews.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
City of Tallahassee Waste Management collects eligible bulky household items and yard waste every other week on the address's assigned Red or Blue route.
Use the City pickup lookup to find the address's Red or Blue week and weekday. Ordinary qualifying bulky items do not need an appointment. Request a special collection when an item or pile exceeds the normal curbside limit.
Bulky items are collected every other week. A normal item or pile must fit within 6 feet long by 4 feet wide by 4 feet high. Larger material needs a special pickup request or a City disposal event.
Place bulky items and yard waste in separate piles behind the curb no sooner than the weekend before collection. Have everything ready by 6:30 a.m. on the assigned day and keep carts, piles, vehicles, mailboxes, and utilities clear of one another.
Local detail that matters
What makes Tallahassee service different
The City program serves addresses inside Tallahassee city limits. Homes outside the city generally use Leon County's contracted provider, so a Tallahassee mailing address alone does not confirm City collection.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
Qualifying curbside bulky items include appliances, small furniture, mattresses, lamps, bicycles, chairs, tables, disassembled swing sets, plastic pools, and barbecue grills within the published size limit.
Not accepted
Household hazardous waste is not collected at the curb. Electronics require a separate Thursday request, and construction debris or oversized material requires a special collection or another approved disposal option.
Holiday collectionTallahassee slides weekday holiday routes one day later2026 schedule confirmed
The 2026 City guide says collection on and after an observed weekday holiday moves one day later through Saturday. The address's Red or Blue assignment still controls bulky item and yard waste service.
The delay begins with the holiday route
Routes before the holiday remain on their normal days. The holiday route and each remaining route that week move one day later.
Bulky and yard material still follow the route color
A holiday does not change an address from Red week to Blue week. Start with the 2026 calendar, then apply the one day slide.
City limits matter
This rule applies to Tallahassee Waste Management customers. Leon County contracted service may publish a different holiday schedule.
One day later for routes on and after the observed holiday
Collection continues through Saturday when necessary.
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Emancipation Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day observance
- Labor Day
- Election Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday
- Christmas Day and the following City observance
Common questions
Tallahassee collection FAQ
How often does Tallahassee collect bulky items?
Every other week on the address's assigned Red or Blue route and weekday. Use the official City lookup before setout.
How large can a Tallahassee bulky item pile be?
The ordinary curbside limit is 6 feet long by 4 feet wide by 4 feet high. Request a special collection for larger material.
Are Tallahassee trash and recycling collected every week?
Yes. Garbage and recycling are collected once each week, normally on the same weekday for the address.
Can a television go in Tallahassee bulky pickup?
No. Electronics use a separate free Thursday pickup request and should be placed out only after following the City's request instructions.
When can Tallahassee bulky items go to the curb?
No sooner than the weekend before the assigned collection. Keep bulky items separate from yard waste and have both ready by 6:30 a.m.
Does every Tallahassee address receive City waste service?
No. The City serves properties inside city limits. A home outside the city may use Leon County's contracted hauler even when its mailing address says Tallahassee.
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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