Houston Heavy Trash Pickup Schedule (2026 Update)

Quick answer: Houston has not switched to a call-311-to-schedule system for heavy trash. As of October 2026, the City still picks up heavy trash on an assigned schedule, every other month, for eligible homes with City curbside service. That's up to six curbside collections per calendar year. Look up your day on the City's website or in the HTX Collects app, and contact 311 if your pickup is missed.

What's current for Houston heavy trash pickup (October 2026)

Earlier this year, the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department planned to move heavy trash (bulk junk and tree waste) to an on-demand system. Residents would have called 311 to request a pickup, up to four times a year. An earlier version of this article described that plan. The plan did not go into effect.

• Schedule: The City’s current Heavy Trash Collection page lists collection every other month in February, April, June, August, October and December, on an assigned collection day.
• Annual limit: Homes that receive City curbside collection are allowed six heavy trash curbside collections per calendar year.
• Who is eligible: Occupied residential units that receive City of Houston services. Multi-residential buildings with more than eight units are not eligible.

Pickups have been running behind: in early October 2026, the Public Works director said heavy trash was about 41% on time.

How to find your heavy trash pickup day

Heavy trash is collected in February, April, June, August, October and December for eligible addresses with City curbside service. Each home has an assigned collection day. Don't rely on a neighbor's schedule or a social media post. Check your own address:

On the City website

Use the address lookup in the "Find Your Schedule" section of the City of Houston Solid Waste Management site. The City's Heavy Trash Collection page links to the same lookup and lists the rules below.

In the HTX Collects app

HTX Collects is the City's free waste and recycling app for iPhone and Android. In the App Store and Google Play it's listed as "HTX Trash and Recycling" (search "Houston Trash and Recycling"). It shows your collection schedule and can send reminders by notification, email or phone call.

What goes out, and when

Set-out window

Place heavy trash at the curb between 6:00 p.m. the Friday before and 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Put items just behind the curb line in front of your home, not in the street or on the sidewalk. Don't stack items under wires, signs or mailboxes, on top of meters, hydrants or other utilities, or where they block foot or vehicle traffic.

Accepted

• Tree waste: clean wood such as tree limbs, branches and stumps. Individual pieces can be up to 8 inches in diameter and 10 feet long. Bagged grass clippings and leaves go out with yard waste, not heavy trash.
• Junk waste: household furniture, carpet (secured or bundled), mattresses and box springs, toilets, bicycles and toys, and appliances such as stoves, washers, dryers and water heaters. Refrigerators and freezers are accepted only with a certified technician's tag showing the refrigerant has been removed.
• Tires: up to four passenger tires. Crews pick tires up separately, which can take up to a week after the main collection.

Limits

• Maximum 8 cubic yards per set-out (about the size of a minivan).
• Up to 4 cubic yards of resident-generated building material. Shingles, brick, plaster and concrete are not included.
• Contractor debris (tree removal, construction, roofing, remodeling) is not collected. The contractor must remove it.
• If accepted and unaccepted items are mixed, the whole pile may be refused.

Not accepted

Everyday bagged household garbage, electronics, paint, chemicals and other household hazardous waste, dirt, sod and soil, and roofing materials or shingles. Take hazardous waste and electronics to an Environmental Service Center. If you have more than the curbside limit, or need to get rid of something between heavy trash months, the City's Residential Drop-Off locations accept it with proof of address.

Missed heavy trash pickup? Contact 311

If your scheduled day passes and your pile is still at the curb, call 3-1-1 or submit a Houston 311 service request online. The City's Solid Waste page lists 311 for missed collections and other service problems.

The call-311-to-schedule plan is on hold

The on-demand program was set to start in early March 2026. That week, the Solid Waste director told Houston Public Media it had "been placed on hold until further notice." On October 2, 2026, Houston Public Works told KPRC 2: "The City of Houston has not moved to appointment-based heavy trash collection." So for now, 311 is for reporting a missed pickup, not for booking one. If the City launches a new system, we'll update this page.

For Houston homeowners, buyers and sellers

Heavy trash day matters during a move. If you're selling, check the next collection date early. The next window may be two months away and curbside limits apply, so a drop-off center may be faster. If you're buying, you can look up any address you're considering on the City site or in HTX Collects. Schedules are set by address, so check each home separately.

Planning a move within the Houston area? Browse our Houston-area guides or contact Aurhomes Group at (281) 724-3966. For more local living guides, see Choosin' Texas Living's Houston guide.

Sources

• City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, "Heavy Trash Collection (Bulk & Tree Waste)", accessed October 28, 2026.
• City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, Solid Waste Management home page (schedule lookup and 311 assistance), accessed October 17, 2026.
• City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, "HTX Collects", accessed October 17, 2026.
• KPRC 2 / Click2Houston, "City of Houston says they have not changed heavy trash collection system", October 2, 2026.
• KPRC 2 / Click2Houston, "Houston Public Works reports 99% on-time garbage pickup, heavy trash still lagging", October 7, 2026.
• Houston Public Media, "Houston's on-demand heavy trash service on hold as chronic pickup delays continue", March 5, 2026.

Collection schedule rechecked October 28, 2026; other sources last checked October 17, 2026. City rules can change. Always confirm your own address with the City before setting items out.