TownValetSeattle Public Utilities manages household waste. For single-family homes, garbage and food & yard waste (compost) are picked up every week, and recycling every other week. Garbage, recycling and compost service are all required, and garbage is pay-as-you-throw: a smaller can costs less, and recycling is included in the garbage rate.
Garbage zones map
5 garbage zones in the city’s data, coloured by collection day. Tap a zone to see its schedule.
Holidays: Seattle Public Utilities posts holiday changes as seasonal notices (for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day) rather than a standing rule, so we do not move any dates. In those weeks, check SPU’s notice.
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 | Holiday: pickups may change. Check Seattle Public Utilities’s notice. |
| Christmas Day | Friday December 25, 2026 | Holiday: pickups may change. Check Seattle Public Utilities’s notice. |
| New Year’s Day | Friday January 1, 2027 | Holiday: pickups may change. Check Seattle Public Utilities’s notice. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday November 25, 2027 | Holiday: pickups may change. Check Seattle Public Utilities’s notice. |
| Christmas Day | Saturday December 25, 2027 | Holiday: pickups may change. Check Seattle Public Utilities’s notice. |
The city says: “If your regular collection day falls on one of these holidays, your service will be delayed by one day.” (source). All holidays for the next 12 months.
What goes where
Garbage
- Bagged household garbage
- Items not accepted in recycling or compost
Not: Food scraps; Food-soiled paper, napkins and paper towels; Greasy pizza boxes; Leaves, grass and plant trimmings.
Extra garbage beside the cart (a 32-gallon can or large bag, 60 lbs max) is charged $14.40 per unit.
Recycling
- Office paper
- Newspapers and magazines
- Paperboard boxes
- Corrugated cardboard
- Plastic bottles, containers and tubs
- Glass bottles and jars
- Aluminum, tin and steel cans
- Scrap metal
Not: Plastic bags; Plastic wrap and cling film; Bread and zip-top bags; Dry-cleaning bags; Recyclables tied up in a bag; Containers with food or liquid left in.
One extra cart's worth of recycling per pickup is collected free; break cardboard down smaller than 4 by 4 feet.
Food & yard waste (compost)
- Meat, fish, poultry and bones
- Dairy products
- Fruit and vegetable trimmings
- Eggshells, bread, pasta and coffee grounds
- Food-soiled paper, napkins and paper plates
- Greasy pizza boxes
- Leaves, branches and plants
- Packaging labeled "Compostable"
Not: Plastic bags; Plastic containers; Plastic packaging; Clean cardboard (recycle it).
Only approved compostable bags may be used in the compost cart.
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 carts out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, with lids opening toward the street or alley. Don't block sidewalks, mailboxes or driveways, and bring carts in as soon as you can after pickup. Source
- Furniture and other large itemsLarge items are picked up through Special Item Pickup, which you schedule online or by calling (206) 684-3000; the utility account holder has to make the request. Large furniture, appliances, mattresses and TVs cost $31 per item (up to 300 lbs), and refrigerators or freezers made before 2005 cost $39.25. Each household gets one free battery pickup and one free Special Item Box a year, and charges appear on your utility bill. Source
Parking rules and permits
Parking
- 72-hour rule and temporary no-parking signsEven where no sign is posted, you can't leave a vehicle on the same block of a city street for more than 72 hours in a row. Enforcement starts with a warning notice. Temporary no-parking signs can go up with as little as 24 hours' notice for utility work, cleaning or events, and vehicles not moved in time can be ticketed and towed. Source
- Unposted distance rulesDon't park within 5 feet of a driveway, 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk, or 30 feet of a stop or yield sign. Parking on sidewalks, planting strips or in alleys is not allowed, and cars in peak-hour zones during posted times are towed. Source
Permits
- Restricted Parking Zone (RPZ) permitIf your address borders a Restricted Parking Zone, you can buy a digital permit that lets you park on signed RPZ streets beyond the posted time limit, up to 72 hours. Standard RPZ and guest permits cost $95 and most run on a two-year zone cycle; some zones are subsidized and there is a $10 income-eligible rate. Check eligibility with SDOT's RPZ address look-up tool. Source
- Storage container or dumpster on the streetA moving/storage container or residential dumpster placed in the street needs a Street Use permit (applied for through the Seattle Services Portal) before delivery. Place it in a legal parking space in front of your property, at least 30 feet from intersections, 10 feet from driveways and 15 feet from hydrants. To hold the space, set up a Temporary No Parking zone with notices posted at least 72 hours ahead. Source
- Block party or play streetThe permit is free and lets you close one non-arterial block (not a bus route) to through traffic between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., for events under 100 people. Apply through the Seattle Services Portal at least 14 days ahead; you supply the barricades and signs. Source
Sources and freshness
| Dataset | Publisher | Licence | Data updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Garbage Routes | City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities / Seattle GeoData | City of Seattle open data policy (public data; no attribution required) | 2024-02-26 |
| Residential Recycle Routes | City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities / Seattle GeoData | City of Seattle open data policy (public data; no attribution required) | 2024-02-26 |
| Residential Food and Yard Waste Routes | City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities / Seattle GeoData | City of Seattle open data policy (public data; no attribution required) | 2024-02-26 |
| Active Addresses (MAF) | City of Seattle, Seattle Public Utilities / Seattle GeoData | City of Seattle open data policy (public data; no attribution required) | 2026-11-02 |
Refreshed Monday November 2, 2026. 226,104 addresses matched to a zone. How this works.