Dumpster Rentals in
Memphis, TN

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

A permit is required when any portion of the dumpster occupies the public right-of-way, including the street, curb lane, parking lane, sidewalk, or alley. Right-of-way permits in Memphis run through the City Engineer's Office in the Division of Engineering, and the city asks for applications at least three business days before the dumpster is placed. Routine residential right-of-way fees start around $25, with commercial placements running up to about $100, and applications must include a simple site diagram showing the dumpster's position relative to the roadway, sidewalks, fire hydrants, and driveways.

Downtown is the big exception: under the city's downtown dumpster ordinance, a dumpster located in the public right-of-way inside the downtown solid waste collection district carries a location permit fee of $200 per month. Suburbs in the metro run their own permit programs: Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland, and Millington on the Tennessee side, Southaven, Horn Lake, and Olive Branch in DeSoto County, Mississippi, and West Memphis and Marion in Arkansas each handle right-of-way permits through their own public works or engineering departments, with separate fees and lead times. If your project's classification is unclear, contact your ZTERS representative before scheduling.

Memphis dumpster costs can be impacted by dumpster size, local landfill fees, fuel prices, and any required city permits. Memphis dumpster costs range from $389 for a 10 yard dumpster up to $664 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 $137 depending on distance, dumpster size, and current fuel prices. Here is an estimate of ZTERS Memphis 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 permit because the bin will sit on a street, curb lane, sidewalk, or alley, ZTERS files the application with the City of Memphis, includes the cost in your rental, and aligns approval with your delivery date. The city asks for applications at least three business days in advance, and routine fees range from about $25 for residential placements to about $100 for commercial ones.

Applicants who prefer to file directly can work with the City Engineer's Office, Division of Engineering, located at 125 N. Main St., Room 644, Memphis, TN 38103. In-person service runs Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the office can be reached at (901) 636-6700. Many city permits can also be started online through the City of Memphis permit administration portal at permitspayments.memphistn.gov. Most applications clear in three to five business days. Placements inside the downtown solid waste collection district carry a $200-per-month right-of-way location fee and additional review under the downtown dumpster ordinance.

Projects in the surrounding suburbs apply to the relevant city, not Memphis. Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland, and Millington each handle right-of-way permits through their own public works or engineering departments, as do Southaven, Horn Lake, and Olive Branch across the state line in Mississippi and West Memphis and Marion in Arkansas. Fees and processing times vary by city, but most suburban permits clear in one to three business days. 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 permit from the City of Memphis. Any time a roll-off occupies public space, including the street, curb lane, parking lane, sidewalk, or alley, the permit is required. The city asks for applications at least three business days before delivery, and the application must include a site diagram showing the dumpster's position relative to the roadway, sidewalks, fire hydrants, and driveways. Most routine residential permits clear in three to five business days.

Approved placements must keep the container clear of fire hydrants, storm inlets, driveways, intersections, bus stops, and ADA ramps, and visibility markings such as reflective tape, cones, or barricades are expected on residential streets. Downtown carries the strictest rules: inside the downtown solid waste collection district, a dumpster in the public right-of-way pays a $200-per-month location permit fee under the city's downtown dumpster ordinance, and placements along the Main Street Mall and the trolley lines face additional restrictions. Narrow streets in historic Midtown neighborhoods like Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, and Evergreen can also limit where a bin fits without blocking traffic, and spring storm cleanups can affect 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 of Memphis and the broader Mid-South metro, covering nearly every neighborhood inside the I-240 loop along with the Shelby County suburbs and nearby communities in DeSoto County, Mississippi, and Crittenden County, Arkansas. City of Memphis neighborhoods include Downtown, the South Main Arts District, the Pinch District, the Medical District, Uptown, Harbor Town and Mud Island, Midtown, Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, Evergreen, Overton Square, the Edge District, Binghampton, Orange Mound, East Memphis, Berclair, High Point Terrace, Raleigh, Frayser, Whitehaven, Westwood, South Memphis, Parkway Village, Fox Meadows, Hickory Hill, and Cordova.

Coverage extends well beyond the city limits. ZTERS regularly delivers to Bartlett, Germantown, Collierville, Lakeland, Arlington, and Millington in Shelby County; Southaven, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, and Hernando across the state line in DeSoto County, Mississippi; and West Memphis and Marion in Arkansas. If your project falls within a Memphis-area zip code, ZTERS can almost certainly arrange delivery. For addresses at the edges of the metro or in newer developments along the BlueOval City corridor toward Stanton, 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 Memphis 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 of Memphis, plan on 3 to 5 business days because a right-of-way permit must be in hand before delivery, and the city asks for at least three days of lead time. Placements inside the downtown solid waste collection district add further review under the downtown dumpster ordinance. During peak spring storm-cleanup and summer construction seasons, 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 Midtown and Whitehaven homes. Larger East Memphis, Germantown, or Collierville homes with multiple shingle layers usually need a 30 yard, while smaller 1,200 to 1,500 square foot bungalows in Cooper-Young or Berclair with a single layer fit a 10 yard heavy-debris bin.

Several Memphis-specific factors are worth considering. Narrow streets in Cooper-Young, Central Gardens, and Evergreen restrict bin placement and may push the bin into the driveway or call for a shorter rental window. Downtown placements inside the solid waste collection district carry a $200-per-month right-of-way fee, so contractors there usually plan tight swap schedules. Tear-down rebuilds in East Memphis, Germantown, and Collierville routinely call for a 40 yard or for sequential 30 yards across demo and framing phases. Spring storm season brings heavy tree and roof debris across the metro, so demand on 20 and 30 yard bins runs high April through August. And because Memphis summers bring sudden downpours, debris should remain below the rim so rainwater 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).