Dumpster Rental in Houston, Texas

Roll-off dumpster sizes in Houston

Houston renters choose from five roll-off sizes, 10 to 40 yards, each with 7 days and 2 to 6 tons included. Weight over that is $75 per ton, billed by the pound from the landfill scale ticket.

Compare them side by side in the dumpster size guide.

Do you need a dumpster permit in Houston?

The Dumpster Permitting section of Houston Public Works issues permits for and inspects commercial dumpsters in the City of Houston. Contact: PO Box 1562, Houston, TX 77251; 832-393-0459; 8 am-5 pm. The page did not say whether roll-off or construction containers are covered, or give fees. A dumpster on your own driveway is the simplest spot and the usual one for homes, so check with the city before you place one on the street.

• Houston requires a Combustible Waste Storage (Dumpster) permit for dumpsters or roll-off containers over 50 cubic feet at businesses, apartment complexes, strip centers and other commercial properties, and any commercial dumpster that stays on site more than 60 days also needs one. Source
• The Houston dumpster permit costs $201.40 for one container for one year (including a $33.56 admin fee, adjusted yearly for inflation), and operating without a valid permit can bring a fine of $750 to $2,000. Source
• The dumpster permit falls under Houston Code of Ordinances Chapter 39 and Fire Code Section 105.6.29, must be kept on the premises for inspection, and the container is inspected after delivery. Source
• Houston's Dumpster Permitting section issues permits for and inspects commercial dumpsters and can be reached at 832-393-0459, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Source

Rules checked October 21, 2026. Confirm with the city before placing a dumpster on the street. A driveway placement avoids the street-permit step for most homes.

Houston trash and hauling rules

The City of Houston picks up heavy trash every other month for homes with city curbside service, up to six times per calendar year, on an assigned day you can look up online or in the HTX app. When a cleanout, remodel or roof is bigger than city pickup allows, a roll-off dumpster takes the whole job in one haul, with 7 days to load it.

• Houston heavy trash piles can go out from 6 p.m. the Friday before your pickup week until 7 a.m. on collection day, and are limited to 8 cubic yards, about the size of a minivan. Source
• Houston curbside heavy trash will take up to 4 cubic yards of homeowner-generated building material, but not shingles, roofing, brick, plaster, concrete, dirt or contractor-generated debris, so larger remodels and roof jobs need a dumpster. Source
• Houston crews may refuse an entire heavy trash pile if it mixes allowed items with prohibited ones such as household garbage, electronics, paint, chemicals or construction debris. Source
• Tree limbs set out for Houston heavy trash must be cut to no more than 8 inches thick and 10 feet long, and up to four passenger tires may be placed at the curb. Source

When a project is bigger than curbside limits, a 15-yard or 20-yard dumpster takes it in one go.

Where paint, batteries and chemicals go in Houston

Wet paint, batteries and chemicals can't go in our dumpsters, so Houston renters need a separate drop-off for them. City of Houston residents (those who receive City of Houston water, trash or recycling service or pay City of Houston taxes) are NOT eligible to use the Harris County HHW facility at 6900 Hahl Road. Everything else from the job, from furniture to drywall, can go in the roll-off.

• Houston residents can drop off household hazardous waste at the Environmental Service Center South, 11500 S. Post Oak Rd., open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Source
• The Environmental Service Center North at 5614 Neches St. is open only the second Thursday of each month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Source
• Houston's Environmental Service Centers accept up to 25 gallons of paint, 100 pounds of household chemicals, five large electronics per visit, rechargeable and lithium-ion batteries, and five passenger tires per residence per month. Source
• Houston runs six free Residential Drop-Off Centers for bulk items, yard waste and recyclables: 9003 N Main, 14400 Sommermeyer, 5565 Kirkpatrick, 2240 Central St., 5100 Sunbeam and 10785 SW Freeway. Source
• Houston drop-off centers are open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and require a Texas ID plus a matching City of Houston utility bill or lease for bulk or tree waste. Source
• Houston drop-off centers accept up to 4 cubic yards of remodeling debris such as sheetrock, tile, shingles, lumber and carpet per visit, but not rocks, dirt, brick or concrete, and turn away contractors and dump trailers. Source
• Houston drop-off centers only allow pickups and small trailers up to 10 feet long, with no U-Hauls, box trucks or dump trailers, and a limit of four visits per month. Source

Full item list: what you can put in a dumpster.

Houston dumpster questions

Nearby service areas

Also serving Pasadena, South Houston, Webster, Seabrook, and the rest of Harris County.