Charlotte, North Carolina resident guide
Charlotte trash, recycling & bulk pickup
Find regular trash and recycling information alongside bulky-item schedules, set-out rules, accepted items, and holiday changes.
Official source links checked on August 27, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Garbage and yard waste are collected weekly for eligible city customers; use My Charlotte Lookup for the assigned day.
Charlotte recycling is collected every other week on a green or orange week assigned to the address.
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 Charlotte service works
Schedule online, call CharMeck 311, or use the CLT+ app. Keep the confirmation number and wait for the assigned date before moving items out.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before set-out
Charlotte Solid Waste Services collects eligible bulky household items only after the resident schedules a date.
Schedule online, call CharMeck 311, or use the CLT+ app. Keep the confirmation number and wait for the assigned date before moving items out.
The accepted item list and quantity are confirmed during scheduling; unscheduled piles are not collected.
Place items within six feet of the curb no earlier than the day before collection and at least three feet from carts, mailboxes, vehicles, and other obstacles.
Local detail that matters
What makes Charlotte service different
Charlotte code treats an unscheduled or too-early bulky pile as a curbside violation. Scheduling is not optional, even when the item itself is normally accepted.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulky-item pile
Accepted examples
Furniture, mattresses, appliances, and other large household items approved during the request.
Not accepted
Food-filled or hazardous items, unapproved construction debris, and any pile placed out without scheduling.
Holiday collectionCharlotte published its full 2026 collection changes2026 schedule confirmed
Charlotte uses three different patterns: delayed completion without yard waste, a one-day delay, or normal collection.
No holiday collection; routes completed Tuesday–Friday
Set carts out on the normal day and leave them. No yard waste or Saturday collection occurs that week.
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Monday, January 19
- Memorial Day — Monday, May 25
- Labor Day — Monday, September 7
One-day delay
Thursday and/or Friday routes move one day later.
- Thanksgiving — Thursday routes Friday; Friday routes Saturday, November 28
- Christmas — Friday routes Saturday, December 26
Normal collection
No service delay during these holiday weeks.
- New Year’s Day — January 1
- Presidents’ Day — February 16
- Good Friday — April 3
- Juneteenth — June 19
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day — October 12
- Veterans Day — November 11
Common questions
Charlotte collection FAQ
How do I schedule Charlotte bulky waste?
Use the city website, call 311, or submit through the CLT+ app.
How often is Charlotte recycling collected?
Every other week on the address's assigned green or orange week.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on August 27, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
More North Carolina guides