California / Local rental guide

Dumpster rental
in San Francisco.

In San Francisco, household junk and cleanout loads are refuse that only the City's licensed collector, Recology, may haul, so a cleanout debris box comes from Recology. A box of pure construction debris may also come from any company with a current Environment Department C&D permit. Since most homes have no driveway, budget for a Public Works street permit and 10 business days of lead time.

Sources checked November 14, 2026 · Guide updated November 14, 2026
Independent research · No paid placements · Research method

The first decision in San Francisco

Check the city boundary first.

Recology is the only provider covering every kind of load, from mixed household junk to remodel debris, with 15- to 40-yard boxes, published weight limits of 1.5 to 4.5 tons, small 3- to 6-yard bins and a 14-day maximum rental, but no published prices. Other debris-box companies may compete only on construction and demolition debris and only while they hold a current City transporter permit, so ask any non-Recology company to confirm its permit and what it will refuse to take.

Your local checklist

Decide what is going in the box: cleanout junk, furniture or mixed household discards go with Recology, while a pure remodel or demolition load can go with any company on the Environment Department's permitted-transporter list.
If the box will sit in the street, get the Public Works Temporary Occupancy or Street Space permit at least 10 business days ahead and post no-parking signs 72 hours before delivery, keeping clear of curb ramps, hydrants, bus stops and blue zones.
Get the box size, weight limit, trip fee and overweight charge in writing; Recology's 20-yard box includes 2.5 tons, and the maximum rental is 14 days.

Plan a rental in San Francisco

Published details, side by side

Start with the City’s residential provider.

Listings are an editorial starting point, not a complete market ranking. Supplier-published amounts are not Dumpsterly quotes. Confirm address eligibility, material acceptance, dates and the full delivered total.

01 / SOURCE-CHECKED LISTING

Recology San Francisco (Recology Sunset Scavenger / Recology Golden Gate), the City's licensed refuse collector

Published sizes: Its February 2024 size sheet lists mixed-debris boxes of 15, 20, 30 and 40 yards (open or covered; for example the 20-yard is 6 ft high x 8 ft wide x 16.5 ft long), a 9-yard box for clean concrete, dirt, rock and asphalt only, metal boxes and source-separated boxes, plus 3-, 4- and 6-yard bins. The debris-box web page lists slightly different sizes (9-, 14-, 20-, 30- and 40-yard), so confirm the size when you book.
Rental & weight terms: Weight limits on the size sheet: 1.5 tons (15-yard), 2.5 tons (20-yard), 3.5 tons (30-yard) and 4.5 tons (40-yard); an overweight fee applies above those, and a trip fee may apply. Maximum rental period 14 calendar days. Saturday service covers a limited area. Refrigerators and air conditioners cost an extra $40; hazardous waste, e-waste, tires, paint, asbestos and similar items are not allowed. Visa and Mastercard only.
Price basis: Not published (the size sheet says pricing is effective February 1, 2024 but shows no amounts); call 415-330-1315 or 888-404-4008 (Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) or email SFDebrisBox@recology.com for a written quote.

Recology Sunset Scavenger and Recology Golden Gate are the licensed refuse collectors named by the City, and the 1932 Refuse Collection and Disposal Ordinance makes it unlawful for anyone else to haul household refuse through City streets, so Recology is the provider for a box holding cleanout junk, furniture or mixed household discards. Recology also describes itself as a City C&D transporter and sends mixed C&D loads to its SF Transfer Station at 501 Tunnel Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94134 for sorting. Its pages say it serves residential as well as commercial projects. For a box holding only construction and demolition debris, other companies with a current Environment Department C&D transporter permit may also serve you; check the City's permitted-transporter list before booking one.

Sources: [9] · [10] · [11] · [3]Visit supplier website Direct link · No referral tracking

Get the missing numbers in writing.

Ask for delivery, pickup, included tons and days, per-ton overage, extra-day charges, fuel, tax, prohibited-item fees, swaps and blocked-trip charges. “Quote required” means the reviewed source did not establish a usable fixed total.

Compare the quotes you receive →

Most homes have no driveway: a curbside debris box needs a Public Works permit, posted no-parking signs and a permitted box

San Francisco Public Works says a Public Works permit is required to place a debris box anywhere in the public right of way, and that the property owner needs a Street Space Permit; it recommends a Temporary Occupancy permit for a stay of only a few days and a Street Space permit for longer, construction-related occupancy. Apply at least 10 business days ahead, and post no-parking signs at least 72 hours before the box arrives. Street Space fees are charged in 20-foot intervals under the Public Works fee schedule (use the department's fee calculator; no flat amount is published). A box may not sit on the sidewalk without Public Works permission, in a tow-away zone or blue accessible space, or block curb ramps, bus stops or hydrants; it needs four red reflectors, diagonal striping and the owner's name, phone and box ID on both sides, and a full box must be removed within two business days. Separately, every box used for mixed construction debris needs its own Environment Department transporter permit (annual or 7-day), whether it sits on the street or on private property. Apply online through the Public Works permit portal linked from the Street Space page or in person at 49 South Van Ness Avenue; questions go to streetspace@sfdpw.org or 628-271-2000. Renters, condo owners and tenancy-in-common buildings should also clear the box with the landlord or association first.

Read the local government source

Open local permit instructions

What matters locally

Two free bulky-item curbside pickups a year (one per unit in larger buildings)

Recology collects bulky items at the curb free of charge twice a year for single-family homes and buildings of five units or fewer, and once a year for each unit in buildings of six or more units, with up to 10 items per appointment. Book online, set items at the curb in front of the home without blocking the sidewalk, and tag them with a sign reading "RECOLOGY". Construction and demolition debris, hazardous waste, auto parts and tires are not taken. Cancel by noon the business day before at 415-330-1300.

Check the source

Recology SF Transfer Station at 501 Tunnel Avenue takes public loads by the ton

The transfer station (enter on Recycle Road) is open to the public Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It charges a $60 minimum per load and $274.57 a ton for general refuse, construction debris, green waste and inerts such as concrete and dirt; up to four recyclable mattresses a day are free, and uncovered loads pay a $20 fee. The household hazardous waste facility on the same site is for San Francisco residents only, Thursday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (15-gallon limit). Under City rules, a property owner may haul mixed construction debris from their own property in their own vehicle without a transporter permit, as may anyone moving less than one cubic yard.

Check the source

Before you book

Questions about renting in San Francisco.

Can I hire any dumpster company for a San Francisco garage cleanout?

Not for household junk. The 1932 Refuse Collection and Disposal Ordinance defines refuse as all discarded materials from dwellings and households and makes it unlawful for anyone but a refuse collector licensed by the Department of Public Health to transport it through City streets; the City names Recology Sunset Scavenger and Recology Golden Gate as the current licensed collectors. The same ordinance excludes construction and demolition debris, which other companies may haul if they hold a City C&D transporter permit for each box. For a few large items, Recology's free bulky-item pickup may be enough.

Sources: [1] · [3] · [4]

Do I need a permit for a debris box in front of my house?

Yes, if any part of it is in the street or on the sidewalk. Public Works requires a right-of-way permit (Temporary Occupancy for a few days, Street Space for longer construction work), asks for at least 10 business days' notice and no-parking signs posted 72 hours ahead, and bars boxes from sidewalks without permission, tow-away zones and blue zones. A box used for construction debris also needs its own Environment Department transporter permit, even on private property; the hauler normally holds that one.

Sources: [7] · [8] · [4]

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Sources & checked dates

These are supplier and government sources, not customer reviews. Published terms can change. Where a source is incomplete, we leave the detail unknown. Street guidance is a starting point; the responsible local authority decides what your address needs.

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