Denver Dumpster Permit: Who Pulls It and What It Costs

Why did the dumpster get written up in Denver? It was loitering in the parking lane without its papers. Do not let that be your dumpster. The good news is the papers are not your job.

The short answer: a roll-off on your own driveway does not need a Denver permit. A roll-off anywhere in the public right-of-way does. In Denver that permit is a Right-of-Way Revocable Street Occupancy Permit from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), and the city says the dumpster company has to obtain it. The one-time residential street fee in DOTI's current fee schedule is $125 for the first five days.

The Permit Only Applies to the Public Right-of-Way

Denver's rule is about where the container sits, not how big it is. DOTI's dumpster information sheet says a Revocable Street Occupancy Permit is required before any container is placed in the right-of-way. The city defines the right-of-way to include streets, alleys, and sidewalks.

That leaves one permit-free spot for most homeowners: your own property. A driveway, a parking pad, or a private lot is outside the right-of-way. If the container fits there, the city permit question goes away. HOA and condo rules still apply, so check those separately.

If the container needs the street, plan for the permit from day one. It affects the delivery date, the cost, and the exact spot where the driver drops the bin. It also affects which companies you can use, because not every company is licensed to place containers in Denver's right-of-way.

Measure before you decide. The truck needs room to back in and set the container, plus clearance overhead for the lift. A driveway that looks too short for a 20-yard may still take a 10-yard. That one measurement can save you the permit, the fee, and the week of lead time.

Your Dumpster Company Pulls the Permit, Not You

This is the part most people get wrong. DOTI says the street occupancy permit must be obtained by the dumpster or container company placing the container. The company also needs a Right-of-Way Dumpster License number before it can apply.

The city's FAQ is blunt about it. The dumpster company is responsible for pulling permits because it has the equipment to move and service the container. If a company tells you to pull the permit yourself, DOTI says to speak with that company's local representative.

Put it on your quote checklist. When you call for prices, ask three things:

• Do you hold a Denver right-of-way dumpster license?
• Will you pull the street occupancy permit for my address?
• Is the permit fee in my quote or billed on top?

A company that hesitates on the first question is telling you something. Listen to it.

The Container Goes in the Parking Lane, Nowhere Else

Denver is specific about placement. Per the DOTI information sheet, a permitted container must sit within a parking lane and at least 20 feet from any corner, alley, or entrance. Under no circumstance may it occupy or obstruct a sidewalk, tree lawn, travel lane, no-parking zone, temporary loading zone, or alley.

Yes, the alley is on the no list. Lots of Denver homes have alley garages, and the alley looks like the obvious spot. The information sheet says no. If your only flat spot is the alley, talk to the provider about a smaller container that fits on your parking pad.

A few more rules come with the permit. Each permit covers up to 40 linear feet of parking lane and no more than two containers. The container needs a 6-inch by 4-foot strip of reflective tape on each corner, or four barricades with flashing lights on the street side. The permit has to be visible on the property, and the company name and phone number have to be on the container. Denver caps right-of-way placement at 180 days in any 12-month period.

The Fee Starts at $125 for Five Days

DOTI's 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2024, is still the schedule DOTI links from its right-of-way permits page as of October 2026. It lists these dumpster and container fees:

Here is the math on a typical job. A 10-day placement on a residential street is $125 for the first five days plus five more days at $4.50. That is $147.50 in city fees. The same 10 days on a collector or arterial street is $162.50. Some companies bill it as a line item. Others build it into the rental price. Ask which one you are getting.

The number that should get your attention is the $500 non-compliance fee. A permit is cheaper than a ticket. A permit is also cheaper than an argument with the neighbor whose driveway you blocked. That argument has no fee schedule.

Fee schedules change. Confirm current fees with DOTI Permit Operations at (303) 446-3759 before you budget to the dollar.

Plan on Five Business Days

DOTI says to allow five business days for permit processing. The application goes through the city's e-Permits system with a traffic control plan. Incomplete applications and placements that do not meet sight-distance standards take longer.

The city also says it gets over 100 requests a day. Book the container a week or more ahead when it needs the street.

Two more timing rules. A permit cannot be modified once it is paid for; a change means a new permit. And permits cannot be transferred, so a new company means a new permit. Line up the rental dates with the permit dates before anyone pays.

Sometimes the Best Permit Is No Permit

Three ways to avoid the street entirely:

• Use the driveway or parking pad, even if it means a smaller container
• Split a big job into two smaller hauls that each fit on your property
• Use Denver's Large Item Pickup for a few pieces of furniture

Denver Large Item Pickup runs every nine weeks on your regular trash day, with a limit of five large items and 10 bags. It takes furniture, rugs, exercise equipment, bundled branches, and wrapped mattresses. It does not take construction materials such as concrete, bricks, fencing, or pallets, and it does not take appliances. Setting items out at other times counts as illegal dumping. If your project is a remodel, you still need a container.

For sizing, the 10-yard is the smallest common roll-off and the easiest to fit on a driveway or parking pad. Our 10 yard dumpster rental Denver guide covers what fits, and the 20-yard Denver guide covers the next size up. For current rental prices, see Denver dumpster rental cost.

The Suburbs Run Their Own Rules

The DOTI permit covers the City and County of Denver. Step over the line and the rules change. A few examples from the city pages we just published:

• Lone Tree requires a temporary permit even for a dumpster on private property, unless a building permit covers it
• Golden wants a right-of-way permit three working days ahead, with NO PARK signs up 24 hours before
• Castle Rock lists a $250 right-of-way permit plus a $75 obstruction fee
• Northglenn rents residents its own roll-off for a weekend
• Brighton handles right-of-way permits through its One-Stop office at City Hall

The Denver metro guide links every city we cover. For the general rules outside Colorado, see do you need a permit for a dumpster rental.

Sources: DOTI Dumpster and Container Information Sheet, DOTI 2024 Consolidated Fee Schedule, and Denver Large Item Pickup.

Driveway if you can. Street if you must. Either way, make the dumpster company do the paperwork. It is their bin. Give us a call if you want quotes from companies that already know the Denver drill.