TownValetAustin Resource Recovery, a City of Austin department, collects from single-family homes and properties up to four units: trash and composting every week, and recycling every other week. Your utility bill is based on the size of your brown trash cart. Buildings with five or more units use a private hauler.
Trash & compost zones map
5 trash & compost zones in the city’s data, coloured by collection day. Tap a zone to see its schedule.
Holidays: Collection slides to the next day if your day is New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, or falls after one of them in the same week.
Collection schedules at a glance
| Every Friday | 1 zone |
| Every Monday | 1 zone |
| Every Thursday | 1 zone |
| Every Tuesday | 1 zone |
| Every Wednesday | 1 zone |
| Every other Friday (week A) | 1 zone |
| Every other Friday (week B) | 1 zone |
| Every other Monday (week A) | 1 zone |
| Every other Monday (week B) | 1 zone |
| Every other Thursday (week A) | 1 zone |
| Every other Thursday (week B) | 1 zone |
| Every other Tuesday (week A) | 1 zone |
| Every other Tuesday (week B) | 1 zone |
| Every other Wednesday (week A) | 1 zone |
| Every other Wednesday (week B) | 1 zone |
| Every Friday | 1 zone |
| Every Monday | 1 zone |
| Every Thursday | 1 zone |
| Every Tuesday | 1 zone |
| Every Wednesday | 1 zone |
Coming up: holidays
| Holiday | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday November 26, 2026 | Thursday–Friday pickups each move one day later (Friday’s to Saturday). |
| Christmas Day | Friday December 25, 2026 | Friday pickups move to Saturday. |
| New Year’s Day | Friday January 1, 2027 | Friday pickups move to Saturday. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday November 25, 2027 | Thursday–Friday pickups each move one day later (Friday’s to Saturday). |
| Christmas Day | Saturday December 25, 2027 | Falls on a weekend: no change. |
The city says: “Your collection day slides to the next day if it falls on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day (or if it falls after these days in the same week).” (source). All holidays for the next 12 months.
What goes where
Trash (brown cart)
- Bagged and tied household trash
- Cooled ashes, sawdust and vacuum dust (bagged)
- Wrapped, boxed and labeled broken glass
- Cat litter and pet waste (bagged)
- Packing peanuts (bagged)
- Needles in a sealed hard container
Not: Rocks, dirt and gravel; Concrete; Construction debris; Paint and solvents; Batteries; Automotive fluids; Fluorescent bulbs; Pool chemicals.
Extra bags beside the cart are collected for a fee and must be 40 gallons or smaller and 35 pounds or less.
Recycling (blue cart)
- Newspapers, magazines and junk mail
- Food and beverage cartons
- Coated paper cups and plates
- Broken-down cardboard boxes
- Hard plastic bottles, jars and tubs
- Plastic buckets and lawn chairs
- Steel and tin cans
- Aluminum foil and pans
- Glass bottles and jars
Not: Plastic bags, film and wrap; Styrofoam; Batteries; Electronics; Clothing and textiles; Garden hoses; Wood; Propane and helium tanks.
Don't bag recycling; extra recycling goes free beside the cart in a box or reusable container no larger than the cart.
Composting (green cart)
- Food scraps
- Meat, dairy, seafood and bones
- Yard trimmings and leaves
- Food-soiled paper
- Natural fibers
- Small branches under 5 feet and 3 inches thick
Not: Plastic bags; Branches over 5 feet long or 3 inches thick.
Up to 15 extra items (paper lawn bags, reusable containers up to 34 gallons and 50 pounds, small branch piles) are taken beside the cart; anything set out in plastic bags is collected as trash with extra fees.
Summarised in our own words from the city’s pages, checked Monday October 26, 2026. The city’s list is the one that counts.
Setting out, and big items
- When to put it outHave your carts at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on collection day. Keep them five feet apart and away from cars, mailboxes, trees and overhead wires, and don't block bike lanes or sidewalks. Source
- Furniture and other large itemsBulk items, large brush, household hazardous waste and clothing/textiles are collected by appointment only, up to three times a year for each service; book through the Austin Recycles app, online or by calling 3-1-1. Set items out by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date in separate piles (metal and rigid plastic, non-metal, tires), unbagged and 5 feet from carts, mailboxes and cars. Accepted items include appliances with doors removed, furniture, household carpet and up to 8 passenger tires off their rims; mirrors, tile, construction debris and household trash are not taken. Source
Parking rules and permits
Parking
- Street sweepingResidential streets are swept up to six times a year, and major streets and protected bike lanes twice a month, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. During your scheduled sweeping week, the city asks you to avoid parking on the street and to move empty carts and basketball hoops. Check the city's service map for when sweepers will be in your area. Source
- Bike lanesSince a February 2025 ordinance, parking, stopping or standing in any bike lane in Austin is prohibited even where no sign is posted, and can bring a citation. Turning on hazard lights for a quick pickup, drop-off or delivery does not make it allowed. Source
Permits
- Residential parking permitIf your block is in a Residential Permit Parking zone, you can buy up to four yearly resident permits ($60, $70, $80, $90) and up to two visitor hangtags ($90 each), plus 8.25% sales tax. You'll need proof of residency, Texas registration at the address and no unpaid parking tickets. Permits expire December 31, or July 31 in the orange area around UT. Source
- Requesting a new permit parking zoneStart by emailing Transportation and Public Works, then submit an online application with a $350 fee. You then have 90 days to collect signatures from 66% of the block, followed by a two-week parking study; enforcement typically starts two weeks after signs go up. Source
- Day passes and construction passesHouseholds that already have yearly permits can buy $5 scratch-off day passes for guests (24 hours each; up to 20 per event, six events a year). Up to three construction passes, each good for 45 days, can be issued per address for workers' vehicles. Source
Sources and freshness
| Dataset | Publisher | Licence | Data updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garbage Collection Routes | City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery — data.austintexas.gov | Public domain (City of Austin open data) | 2026-10-09 |
| Recycling Collection Routes | City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery — data.austintexas.gov | Public domain (City of Austin open data) | 2026-10-09 |
| Yard Trimmings Collection Routes | City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery — data.austintexas.gov | Public domain (City of Austin open data) | 2026-10-09 |
| Address Points | City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery — data.austintexas.gov | Public domain (City of Austin open data) | 2026-11-02 |
Refreshed Monday November 2, 2026. 251,141 addresses matched to a zone. How this works.