Dumpster Rentals in
Denver, CO

In most cases, no. If the dumpster sits entirely on private property, such as a driveway, yard, or private parking lot, the City and County of Denver does not require a permit. This covers the majority of residential rentals in suburban driveways from Arvada to Highlands Ranch, including kitchen remodels, garage cleanouts, and most roof tear-offs.

A permit is required when any portion of the dumpster occupies public space, including the street, curb lane, parking lane, sidewalk, or alley. In that case, the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) requires a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy Permit, and the department asks applicants to allow five business days for processing. Residential street placements run about $125 for the first five days plus $4.50 per day after, and containers may occupy the right-of-way for a maximum of 180 days within any 12-month period. Placements that affect a travel lane or sidewalk also require an approved traffic control plan.

Approved placements must include reflective markings, cones, or barricades, and the bin must remain clear of fire hydrants, storm inlets, driveways, intersections, bus and rail stops, ADA ramps, bike lanes, and parking meters. Dense neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, LoHi, and Five Points see the strictest enforcement because curb space is scarce. Suburbs in the metro run their own permit programs: Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Westminster, Littleton, Englewood, Thornton, and Centennial each apply for permits through their own public works or engineering departments, with separate fees ($25 to $100 typically) and lead times of one to three business days. If your project's classification is unclear, contact your ZTERS representative before scheduling.

Denver dumpster costs can be impacted by dumpster size, local landfill fees, fuel prices, and any required city permits. Denver dumpster costs range from $390 for a 10 yard dumpster up to $665 for a 40 yard dumpster.

Each dumpster size includes a maximum allowable tonnage and 10-day rental period. If you need the dumpster longer, you can extend your rental period for an additional fee. Delivery costs average about $138 depending on distance, dumpster size, and current fuel prices. Here is an estimate of ZTERS Denver dumpster prices by size:

For most renters, the most efficient approach is to have the dumpster company handle the permit. If your placement requires a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy Permit because the bin will sit on a street, curb lane, parking lane, sidewalk, or alley, ZTERS files the application through the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI), includes the cost in your rental, and aligns approval with your delivery date. DOTI asks applicants to allow five business days of processing time, and residential street placements run about $125 for the first five days plus $4.50 per day after.

Applicants who prefer to file directly submit online through Denver's e-Permits system, attaching a traffic control plan when the placement affects a travel lane or sidewalk. DOTI Permit Operations is located at 2000 W. 3rd Ave., Denver, CO 80223, and can be reached at (303) 446-3759; general questions can also go through Denver 311 at (720) 913-1311. Most routine residential applications clear within the five-business-day window. Permits for downtown, LoDo, RiNo, or placements requiring lane closures may take longer because of the additional traffic engineering review.

Projects in the surrounding suburbs apply to the relevant city, not Denver. Useful contacts include Aurora Public Works at (303) 739-7300, Lakewood Public Works at (303) 987-7500, Arvada Public Works at (720) 898-7740, Westminster Public Works at (303) 658-2400, Littleton Public Works at (303) 795-3863, and Englewood Public Works at (303) 762-2500. Fees in the suburbs typically run $25 to $100, with one to three business days of processing. If you are unsure which permit applies, a brief consultation with your ZTERS representative can confirm requirements and, in most cases, the permit can be handled at booking.

Yes, with a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy Permit from the Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI). Any time a roll-off occupies public space, including the street, curb lane, parking lane, sidewalk, or alley, the permit is required. DOTI asks applicants to allow five business days for processing, and containers may occupy the right-of-way for a maximum of 180 days within any 12-month period. Complex placements in the downtown core, LoDo, or RiNo, or any placement that closes a travel lane, can take longer because of the additional traffic engineering review.

Approved placements must include reflective markings, cones, or barricades for visibility. The bin must stay clear of fire hydrants, storm inlets, driveways, intersections, bus and rail stops, ADA ramps, bike lanes, loading zones, and parking meters. Projects that close a lane or sidewalk require an approved traffic control plan submitted with the e-Permits application. The fire code further restricts placement that would block hydrants or emergency access. Curb space is tightest in Capitol Hill, LoHi, and Five Points, where residential parking pressure makes enforcement strictest. Winter snow operations along Denver's designated snow routes may require relocation, and street sweeping schedules can affect approved placement windows in dense neighborhoods.

For most renters, the simplest path is to let ZTERS or your hauler pull the permit at booking. The fee is rolled into the rental and approval lines up with delivery.

ZTERS provides service throughout the City and County of Denver and the broader Front Range metro, covering nearly every neighborhood inside the C-470/E-470 beltway along with surrounding Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, and Douglas County communities. Denver neighborhoods include Downtown, LoDo, RiNo, Five Points, Capitol Hill, Uptown, Cheesman Park, Congress Park, City Park, Park Hill, Hilltop, Cherry Creek, Washington Park, Baker, Highland (LoHi), Sunnyside, Berkeley, Sloan's Lake, West Colfax, Globeville, Elyria-Swansea, Central Park (the former Stapleton), Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, Hampden, University Hills, Westwood, and Athmar Park.

Coverage extends well beyond the city limits. ZTERS regularly delivers to Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, Glendale, Englewood, and Sheridan on the inner ring; Lakewood, Arvada, and Golden to the west; Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, Broomfield, Commerce City, and Brighton to the north; Aurora to the east; and Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Parker, and Castle Rock to the south. If your project falls within a Denver-area zip code, ZTERS can almost certainly arrange delivery. For addresses at the edges of the metro or in newer developments out toward Denver International Airport, a brief call with a ZTERS representative will confirm coverage and pricing.

Delivery timing depends on when the order is placed, whether a permit is needed, and current capacity of local haulers. For private-property placements (driveways, yards, off-street commercial lots) in the suburbs and on most single-family streets, many Denver providers advertise same-day or next-day delivery, and these timelines are achievable in best-case scenarios. Same-day delivery is generally possible when an order is placed before 10 a.m. and the customer is flexible on size. Next-day delivery is more typical for orders placed later in the day. For routine planning, 2 to 3 business days is the safer estimate.

For street or sidewalk placements in the City and County of Denver, plan on about a week because a Right-of-Way Street Occupancy Permit must be in hand before delivery, and DOTI asks applicants to allow five business days of processing. Placements in the downtown core, LoDo, or RiNo, or any placement with lane impacts, can take longer because a traffic control plan must be approved. During peak spring renovation and summer construction seasons — and in the weeks after a major hailstorm, when roofing crews book out fast — lead times can stretch by another day or two. For unexpected situations such as storm cleanups or accelerated contractor schedules, contact ZTERS directly to determine the fastest available option. Booking three to five days ahead provides flexibility on size, time window, and placement.

The right size depends on the scope of the project and the density of the debris. A single bathroom remodel typically fits in a 10 or 15 yard dumpster, with the 10 yard preferred when significant tile or concrete backer board is being removed because dense debris and material are heavy and hit the weight cap before filling the bin. Master bathroom gut renovations and multi-bathroom jobs generally call for a 20 yard. A full kitchen remodel, including cabinets, countertops, flooring, backsplash, drywall, and appliances, also typically requires a 20 yard. Multi-room renovations and additions move up to a 25 or 30 yard, and whole-house renovations or major demolitions fall in the 30 to 40 yard range. For roof tear-offs, a 20 yard handles roughly 2,500 to 3,000 square feet of single-layer asphalt shingles, which covers most Front Range homes — a frequent job in Denver, where hailstorms drive regular roof replacement cycles. Larger Park Hill, Hilltop, or Washington Park homes with multiple shingle layers usually need a 30 yard, while smaller 1,200 to 1,500 square foot bungalows in Berkeley or Westwood with a single layer fit a 10 yard heavy-debris bin.

Several Denver-specific factors are worth considering. Brick bungalow fix-and-flips in Berkeley, Sunnyside, and Baker generate dense masonry debris that suits a 10 or 12 yard heavy-debris bin rather than a larger container. Capitol Hill, LoHi, and Five Points street placements require a DOTI Right-of-Way Street Occupancy Permit in most blocks, so allow lead time for the five-business-day review. Scrape-and-rebuild projects in Washington Park, Hilltop, and parts of Berkeley routinely call for a 40 yard or for sequential 30 yards across demo and framing phases. Post-hailstorm roofing surges cluster in late spring and summer, so demand on 20 and 30 yard bins runs high May through August. Because Front Range winters bring freeze-thaw and snow operations, debris should remain below the rim so meltwater does not add weight and exceed the load limit. When choosing between two sizes, sizing up is usually the better value (the price difference is typically far smaller than the cost of a second haul).