Chesapeake Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026

Chesapeake’s Waste Management Division provides weekly refuse collection for city-served homes. The city also handles requested bulk pickups, bagged yard waste on your normal collection day, and residential drop-off options at SPSA facilities and city recycling sites.

How to Find Your Chesapeake Trash Pickup Day

Chesapeake offers an official collection-day lookup through its Public Works waste pages. That is the easiest way to confirm your normal garbage day before requesting a bulk pickup or setting out yard waste.

1. Open the city’s collection-day map. Use the official Find Collection Days tool.
2. Search your address. Use your exact Chesapeake service address, not just the neighborhood name.
3. Confirm your weekly trash day. Chesapeake says regular refuse collection is once per week.
4. Use that same day for bagged yard waste. Clear-bag yard waste goes out on your normal collection day and does not need a bulk reservation.
5. Request bulk items separately. Household bulk and larger yard debris still need a bulk pickup request before collection.

Chesapeake Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When

Chesapeake’s curbside system is not a one-size-fits-all stream. Garbage, bagged yard waste, bulk trash, and recycling all work a little differently.

Chesapeake currently recycles through a drop-off site system with seven city sites, and private subscription-based home pickup is also available if residents want curbside recycling from a private provider.

Chesapeake Trash Container and Recycling System

Chesapeake Public Works provides one free 96-gallon automated refuse container to each residence served by automated collection trucks. Former blue bins can also be used as extra trash bins, and crews are currently collecting up to three trash bins per household per week while city code is being updated.

Chesapeake Set-Out Rules

Chesapeake’s waste rules are strict about timing and placement. These details matter because missed or blocked set-outs can delay collection.

• Place containers out by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day.
• Do not set containers out earlier than 24 hours before 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Remove containers within 24 hours after 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Keep at least 3 feet of clearance from mailboxes, parked cars, poles, other bins and similar obstructions.
• Do not put yard waste in the automated trash container. The city says yard waste should be recycled and not placed in the automated container.

Chesapeake Bulk Trash and Yard Debris Pickup

Bulk collection in Chesapeake still requires a request. Residents should call the Customer Contact Center by 5 p.m. the work day before their collection day, or submit the online request by 11:59 p.m. the day before their scheduled collection day.

Bulk household items may include:

• Appliances
• Furniture
• Mattresses and box springs
• Patio furniture
• Boxes or bags of dry household goods
• Small garage clean-out material

Bulk yard debris may include:

• Bushes and shrubbery
• Tree branches and limbs
• Large yard trimmings

1. Request the pickup first. Call 757-382-2489 or use the city’s online request option.
2. Request on time. Phone requests are due by 5 p.m. the work day before your collection day, and online requests are due by 11:59 p.m. the day before.
3. Put bulk out no earlier than three work days before collection.
4. Separate household bulk from yard debris. The city says they must be placed in separate piles.
5. Follow the size rules. Household bulk is limited to one 4-foot by 4-foot by 10-foot pile per week and 12 collections per year. Yard bulk is limited to one 4-foot by 4-foot by 6-foot pile per week.

Bagged grass clippings and leaves do not need a bulk reservation. Chesapeake says they can be placed at the curb on your scheduled collection day, with a limit of 30 bags per week per residence, except in November and December when the limit increases to 50 bags.

Chesapeake 2026 Holiday Trash Schedule

Chesapeake does not change every holiday. The city’s official 2026 holiday page shows several dates with no service changes and only a few days with delayed collection.

The city also says Christmas trees can be placed at the curb on your normal scheduled pickup day after all decorations are removed, and no bulk request is required for tree pickup.

What to Do If Chesapeake Missed Your Pickup

Chesapeake routes sometimes experience delays, especially for bulk and yard waste. The city advises residents to leave items at the curb because collection can happen after the normal collection day when demand is high.

1. Check the holiday page first. Several 2026 holidays still show normal service, while a few move service to Saturday.
2. Confirm the material was prepared correctly. Bulk items, yard debris, and regular trash all have different rules.
3. Leave delayed bulk items at the curb. Chesapeake says bulk and yard waste may be collected after the normal collection day.
4. Call the Customer Contact Center. Use 757-382-2489 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
5. Use the service request options if needed. The city also offers online requests and the Chesapeake Service Request app.

Chesapeake Drop-Off and Recycling Options

Chesapeake residents have both solid-waste transfer-station options and city recycling drop-off locations for materials that should not go in regular trash.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chesapeake Trash Pickup

Official Chesapeake Trash Collection Resources

Reminder: Chesapeake trash, bagged yard waste, bulk requests and drop-off recycling all follow different rules, so checking the official city pages before set-out is the safest way to avoid a missed collection.