Charlottesville trash is pay-as-you-throw: a sticker or annual decal on every can. Recycling is free every other week; curbside leaf pickup reaches Zone C Nov. 9-13.
Last checked Oct. 18, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Charlottesville’s Trash, Recycling, Leaf Collection and Large Item Pickup pages, the Treasurer’s trash decal page and the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority.
Trash pickup in Charlottesville is a paid, pay-as-you-throw service. The city’s Public Works Department collects only cans and bags that carry a city trash sticker or an annual decal of the right size. Recycling is free for households that use the city trash service and is picked up every other week on the same day as trash. Questions go to Public Works at 434-970-3830.
Who to call
- Missed pickup, recycling carts, leaves, large items: Public Works, 434-970-3830, or report it on MyCville
- Stickers, decals and large item fees: City Treasurer, 434-970-3146, City Hall, 605 E. Main St., Room A120, lobby open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays
- Drop-off, landfill and hazardous waste: Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, 434-977-2970
Find your pickup day
Outside downtown and uptown, each street has one trash day a week. Look up your street on the Citywide Trash Collection Schedule Map (PDF). The city collects trash daily in the uptown area and twice a day downtown, where businesses can also use quarterly decals.
Stickers and annual decals
You can pay bag by bag or buy a decal for the year. Individual stickers are sold at City Hall and at many convenience and grocery stores in the area; most stores sell only full sheets of 12. Annual decals are sold only at the Treasurer’s Office in the City Hall lobby.
| Option | Limit | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 13-gallon sticker | bag up to 25 pounds | $1.05 each |
| 32-gallon sticker | bag or can up to 50 pounds | $2.10 each |
| 32-gallon annual decal | 50 pounds | $94.50 |
| 50-gallon annual decal | 75 pounds | $147 |
| 64-gallon annual decal | 100 pounds | $189 |
| 96-gallon annual decal | 150 pounds | $283.50 |
Decals run with the city’s fiscal year, July 1 to June 30, and can be bought at a prorated price partway through the year. Each decal carries the address it was bought for. If you move, the Treasurer will swap your old decal for a transfer decal at the new address for $5; a lost or stolen decal is replaced for $5 with an affidavit. The decal application (PDF) is on the Treasurer’s page.
Recycling
Curbside recycling comes with the city trash service at no extra charge. The city supplies a rolling cart in three sizes, with 95 gallons the default, and you can request, swap or return a cart on the recycling cart request form. Collection is every other week on your trash day; the city’s recycling zone map (PDF) shows which week is yours.
For sorted recycling, food scraps for compost and oyster shells, the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority runs the McIntire Recycling Center at 611 McIntire Road. Winter hours run from Nov. 2 to March 14: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesdays. Styrofoam and yard waste are not accepted there. Old pumpkins go free to the Great Pumpkin Smash container there Nov. 4-9.
Holiday schedule
The city does not collect trash or recycling on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Pickup resumes on the next working day and runs a day behind for the rest of the week, through Saturday.
- Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26: Thursday routes move to Friday and Friday routes to Saturday, Nov. 28.
- Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on a Friday this season, so Friday routes move to Saturday under the city rule. When one of these holidays falls on a weekend, the city says the schedule may change and posts it on its news page.
Leaf collection: Zone C Nov. 9-13, drop-off from Nov. 7
The city vacuums loose, unbagged leaves from the curb three times a season, zone by zone. Rake leaves to the street edge no more than three days before your zone’s first day and have them out by 7 a.m. Leave out sticks and brush, and do not block storm drains, hydrants, crosswalks or curb ramps. Text your street address to 434-771-0251 for a reminder the week before your pickup.
| Zone | First pass | Second pass | Third pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Oct. 26-30 | Nov. 30 to Dec. 4 | Jan. 11-15 |
| B | Nov. 2-6 | Dec. 7-11 | Jan. 18-22 |
| C | Nov. 9-13 | Dec. 14-18 | Jan. 25-29 |
| D | Nov. 16-20 | Jan. 4-8 | Feb. 1-5 |
Find your zone on the 2026 leaf season mailer (PDF). The city’s street-by-street leaf map (PDF) lists every street and its zone.
City residents can also drop off leaves on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 7 through Jan. 30, at 1505 Avon Street Extended. The site is closed Nov. 28, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. You empty leaves from bags into the dumpster yourself. The leaves go to a local farm for compost.
Large items, Christmas trees and hazardous waste
- Large items (furniture, appliances, tree limbs) are picked up for households on city curbside service. Pay first, at the Treasurer’s Office, by mail or online, then call 434-970-3830 for a date. The first pickup in a rolling 365 days is $35, the second $50 and each one after that $100. Car parts, hazardous waste and contractor debris are not taken.
- Christmas trees are collected at the curb for one week in January on your trash day, stripped of stands, lights and nails. Last season’s week began Jan. 12, 2026; the city posts the new date by mid-December on its tree recycling page.
- Household hazardous waste (paint, motor oil, pesticides, batteries) goes to Rivanna’s free collection days at the Ivy Solid Waste and Recycling Center, 4576 Dick Woods Road. The fall 2026 event was Sept. 18-19; watch the Rivanna hazardous waste page for the next one. The Ivy transfer station takes trash and bulk waste for a fee from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
What this means for you
- New to the city? Buy stickers or a decal before your first trash day; untagged cans stay at the curb.
- Rake leaves to the curb by 7 a.m. on your zone’s first day. Zone A starts Monday, Oct. 26.
- Thanksgiving week, Thursday and Friday pickups slide a day.
Related guides: moving to Charlottesville, who to call at City Hall and parks and trails in Charlottesville.
Frequently asked questions
What day is trash pickup in Charlottesville?
Outside downtown and uptown, the city collects trash once a week on a day assigned by street. Check your street on the city’s Citywide Trash Collection Schedule Map or call Public Works at 434-970-3830.
Do I need a sticker for trash pickup in Charlottesville?
Yes. Every can or bag needs a city trash sticker or an annual decal for its size. A 32-gallon sticker is $2.10 and a 32-gallon annual decal is $94.50; cans without one are not collected.
How often is recycling picked up in Charlottesville?
Every other week, on the same day as your trash. Curbside recycling is free for households that use the city trash service, and the city provides the cart.
When does leaf collection start in Charlottesville?
Curbside loose leaf collection for the 2026-27 season started Monday, Oct. 26. Zone B runs Nov. 2-6, Zone C Nov. 9-13 and Zone D Nov. 16-20. Each zone gets three passes; text your address to 434-771-0251 for reminders.
How do I get a couch or mattress picked up in Charlottesville?
Buy a large item pickup from the Treasurer’s Office or online, then call 434-970-3830 to set a date. The first pickup in a rolling year is $35, the second $50 and each one after that $100.
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