Dumpster Permit Rules in Sacramento

Do I need a permit for a dumpster in Sacramento?

Driveway: Placement on a private driveway or other private property does not require the encroachment permit - the permit applies only to work/exclusive use within the public right-of-way (sidewalk, street, alley, or easement) per DE-500/City Code 12.12. Standard street-use conditions apply in the ROW (do not block sidewalks or travel lanes; special provisions are attached to minor permits for public safety and to minimize public inconvenience).

Street or right-of-way: Yes. A roll-off dumpster placed on a public street, alley, or sidewalk in Sacramento requires a Minor Encroachment Permit - Street Use (the City's 'no dig' permit; the DE-302 application literally has a DUMPSTER checkbox). Required for any exclusive use of the public right-of-way per Sacramento City Code Ch. 12.12. Submit the DE-302 form by email to [email protected]; approved permits stay active up to 60 calendar days from approval. A certificate of insurance ($500k general liability, City of Sacramento listed as additional insured) may be required per the application. No permit is needed when the dumpster sits entirely on private property such as a driveway.

Office: City of Sacramento Department of Public Works, Development Engineering, 300 Richards Blvd., 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95811; phone (916) 808-8300; permit submittals/inquiries: [email protected]; public counter is appointment-only

Fee: $150 due at application (per City DE-500 Encroachment Permit Processing Guidelines, rev. 03/26/2025); payable by credit card by phone at (916) 808-6810 or via the Sacramento Citizen Permit Portal

Where does Sacramento debris legally go?

Local rules worth knowing

• Franchise required for C&D hauling: Sacramento City Code 13.24.050 prohibits engaging in the business of collecting or transporting commercial waste material (which includes C&D debris) in the city without a franchise; 13.24.060 requires a franchise agreement and franchise fee, with one exception - waste 'generated and hauled by the same person' (self-haul by the contractor/property owner). The City's C&D page states residential and commercial properties generating C&D waste must contract with a City of Sacramento franchised waste hauler unless a 13.24.060 exception applies. Franchises are NON-exclusive and the City is accepting applications (review within 60 days, then a 45-60 day agreement process ending with City Council approval).
• 65% C&D diversion ordinance: all demolition projects, CALGreen-covered projects, and any construction permit with job value of $200,000+ must recycle/divert 65% of project debris. A Waste Management Plan and Waste Log are required - submitted through the Green Halo online system for permit applications after Jan 15, 2026. Administration fee: 0.04% of job valuation (min $40, max $800), collected with the building permit. Fines for missing the 65% rate: $50-$250 first offense, $251-$500 second, $501-$1,500 subsequent.
• Mixed C&D loads must go to a Sacramento County-certified mixed C&D sorting facility (GreenWaste Florin Perkins, L and D Landfill, or Sierra Waste Recycling & Transfer Station) hauled either by a City franchised hauler or self-hauled by the project contractor; diversion credit requires weight tickets stamped 'Sacramento County Certified C&D Sorting Facility.'
• Residential bulk-pickup limit (the dumpster trigger): City residential customers get only 2 free Household Junk Pickup appointments per year, available February-October only (suspended during Nov-Jan leaf season). Pile capped at 4 ft x 4 ft x 9 ft and must NOT contain construction debris - dirt, rock, rubble, and concrete are explicitly not accepted, and treated wood is excluded. Additional pickups cost a minimum special-service fee of $39.48 through Utility Billing (916-808-5454). Anything beyond that - remodel debris, roofing, concrete, oversized cleanouts - needs a franchised roll-off or a self-haul trip.
• Street placement: a $150 Street Use minor encroachment permit (DE-302) from Public Works Development Engineering is required before placing a dumpster on any public street, alley, or sidewalk (Sacramento City Code Ch. 12.12).
• Commercial waste is fully open-market within the franchise system: businesses choose any franchised hauler (the City itself does not provide commercial collection and does not set commercial rates). SB 1383 organics-recycling compliance is codified at City Code 13.24.610, and generators may not hire unfranchised haulers per 13.24.070.

Permit questions

Do I need a dumpster permit in Sacramento?

Yes. A roll-off dumpster placed on a public street, alley, or sidewalk in Sacramento requires a Minor Encroachment Permit - Street Use (the City's 'no dig' permit; the DE-302 application literally has a DUMPSTER checkbox). Required for any exclusive use of the public right-of-way per Sacramento City Code Ch. 12.12. Submit the DE-302 form by email to [email protected]; approved permits stay active up to 60 calendar days from approval. A certificate of insurance ($500k general liability, City of Sacramento listed as additional insured) may be required per the application. No permit is needed when the dumpster sits entirely on private property such as a driveway.

Which office handles it?

City of Sacramento Department of Public Works, Development Engineering, 300 Richards Blvd., 3rd Floor, Sacramento, CA 95811; phone (916) 808-8300; permit submittals/inquiries: [email protected]; public counter is appointment-only

What does the permit cost?

$150 due at application (per City DE-500 Encroachment Permit Processing Guidelines, rev. 03/26/2025); payable by credit card by phone at (916) 808-6810 or via the Sacramento Citizen Permit Portal

Rates and local rules last checked August 2026 for Sacramento and nearby areas.