Waste removal in Chicago: bulk pickup, CDOT dumpster permits and scavenger rules

Quick answer: The Department of Streets and Sanitation collects garbage, and bulky items by arrangement, from homes and buildings of up to four units; bigger buildings and businesses must hire a licensed private scavenger. A dumpster on the street, alley or sidewalk needs a CDOT permit: in 2026, an application fee of $22.60 to $92.63 plus $50 for 1 to 3 days or $100 a month for a dumpster of up to 30 yards outside the Central Business District. Dumping fines start at $1,500.

How waste removal works in Chicago

Streets and Sanitation (DSS) collects residential garbage from about 600,000 households in single-family homes and buildings of four units or less. Everyone else, including buildings of five or more units and all businesses, must arrange private collection by a licensed scavenger. Each ward has a sanitation superintendent who coordinates local pickups and code enforcement.

Bulk pickup from Streets and Sanitation

The city’s sanitation code guidance says to remove doors or lids from old fridges and freezers, and to arrange a bulk pickup with your ward superintendent before putting out any large item or extra load, such as after clearing a basement or attic. You can contact your ward office or use CHI 311. If you are remodelling, the code says you are responsible for removing discarded building materials, and that dumpsters can be rented for the purpose.

CDOT dumpster permits (2026)

Figures from CDOT’s 2026 Permit Fee Schedule, valid from 1 January 2026.

Charge	Outside Central Business District	Inside Central Business District
Application fee (one-off)	$22.60 on a residential street; $56.51 on an arterial street	$92.63
Usage, Class A (30 cubic yards or less)	$50 for 1 to 3 days; $100 per month	$100 for 1 to 3 days; $200 per month
Usage, Class B (over 30 cubic yards)	$100 for 1 to 3 days; $200 per month	$200 for 1 to 3 days; $400 per month

The same usage fee applies whether the dumpster sits in an alley, the curb lane, the parkway or on the sidewalk. Businesses with permanent bins pay a separate Commercial Refuse Container permit, which the collection company must obtain: in 2026 it is $72 per container per tri-annual billing period for a bin of over 2 and up to 10 cubic yards, and $184 over 10 cubic yards, with recycling-only containers treated separately.

Dumping fines

Chicago’s fines for dumping on property without a permit (Municipal Code 7-28-440) rise with the amount: $1,500 to $2,500 for up to 5 cubic yards, $5,000 for over 5 and up to 10, and up to $50,000 above 100 cubic yards, with $10,000 a day more while the waste stays. A vehicle used to dump can be impounded, with a $2,000 administrative penalty plus towing and storage. Hiring someone who then dumps your waste is not a defence, so check who you are paying. See our guide to dumped waste on private land.

Typical private prices in Chicago

For typical private prices, use the national ranges in our US waste removal costs guide. HomeGuide’s junk removal guide puts a minimum load at $70 to $100, a half truck at $200 to $300 and a full truck at $400 to $450, and Fixr’s dumpster guide gives $250 to $400 a week for a 10-yard dumpster and $275 to $450 for a 20-yard one, with $40 to $100 a ton if you go over the weight allowance. We did not find a sourced, checkable Chicago figure, so we have not added a local adjustment; remember to allow for the CDOT permit if the dumpster goes in the alley or street.

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How to choose a provider in Chicago

Private scavengers are licensed by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection under Municipal Code 4-6-130, and commercial dumpsters must show the name of the scavenger company that services them. Before you book anyone:

Ask for the price in writing and what it includes: labour, the number of hours or the share of a truck, dump fees, and extra charges for mattresses, fridges, tyres or electronics.
For a dumpster, ask about the weight allowance, the charge per ton over it, how many days are included, and what cannot go in (paint, batteries, tyres and appliances are common exclusions).
If it will sit on the street, ask the company to confirm it will get the city permit and whether the fee is in the price.
Ask where the waste goes and get a receipt that names the company.
Check the city service first. For a few bulky items, the city pickup described above may cost nothing.

Our checklist on comparing waste removal quotes works just as well for US quotes.

Waste removal businesses in Chicago

These firms appear in public business listings for Chicago. We have not checked their work, prices, licences or insurance, and they have not paid to appear. Ask each one to confirm it holds a City of Chicago private scavenger licence and will get the CDOT permit if the dumpster goes on the public way.