Dumpster rental in Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia has the strictest container rules of anywhere we serve, and the least likely driveway to put one in. Read this before you book.
- Serving
- City ZIP codes starting 191
- Flat rate
- From $4607 days included, launch price through November 30.
- Delivery
- Next business day on a driveway, same day possible, longer with a street permit
In Philadelphia, the permit is usually not optional
Most of the city is rowhomes without off-street parking, which means the container goes in the street, which means you are in permit territory from the start. This is the main way a Philadelphia job differs from a Bucks County one.
To place a temporary construction dumpster in the public right-of-way you need a Temporary Construction Dumpster Permit from the Philadelphia Department of Streets. The Streets Department Permit Unit can be reached at (215) 686-5500. Streets Department approval has to be in hand before Licenses and Inspections will issue a dumpster license, and applications are reviewed through the city's eCLIPSE system.
A few more things the city expects. Dumpsters carry an RFID medallion issued by L&I. The city maps restricted dumpster zones, so there are blocks where placement will not be approved regardless of how reasonable your request is. The Streets and Walkways Education and Enforcement Program, which everyone calls SWEEP, is the unit that writes the tickets. And the city has historically asked for applications roughly ten days ahead of placement except in emergencies, so this is not a next-day process the way a Bucks County driveway drop is.
Confirm the current requirements and fees with the city when you apply. Philadelphia updates these procedures more often than the suburbs do.
Rowhome access, honestly
A 13-yard is the realistic size for most of the city. It occupies about one parking space, which is what you are likely to be permitted for, and it keeps the truck's footprint small on streets where double-parking a delivery already blocks traffic.
Street width, parked cars, trolley wires and street trees all affect whether the truck can raise the box at your address. Tell us the cross streets when you book and we will tell you honestly whether it works, rather than finding out with a loaded truck on a one-way.
Northeast Philadelphia is a different city for this
The Northeast, and pockets of the Far Northeast in particular, have driveways, garages and setbacks that look more like Bucks County than like Center City. If you are up there with off-street parking, the whole right-of-way process above may not apply to you at all, and a 20-yard in the driveway is perfectly normal. Being closest to that side of the city is one of the reasons we serve it.
| Size | Capacity | Weight included | Rental | Flat rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 yard | 14′ × 8′ × 3.5′, about 3 pickup loads | 1.5 tons | 7 days | $460 |
| 15 yard | 14′ × 8′ × 4′, about 4 pickup loads | 2 tons | 7 days | $500 |
| 20 yard | 14′ × 8′ × 5′, about 6 pickup loads | 2 tons | 7 days | $600 |
Philadelphia questions
If it goes in the public right-of-way, yes. You need a Temporary Construction Dumpster Permit from the Department of Streets, and Streets approval is required before L&I issues a dumpster license. The Streets Permit Unit is (215) 686-5500.
The city has historically asked for applications around ten days before placement except in emergencies. Confirm current timing with the Streets Department, and plan a Philadelphia job earlier than a suburban one.
Usually the 13-yard. It takes about one parking space, which is generally what gets approved, and it keeps the truck's footprint manageable on a narrow street.
Towns we cover
Bucks, Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. If your town is not listed, ask anyway.
Call, text or get a quote
Tell us the job and we will come back with a flat rate. On a driveway, most containers go out the next business day, and same-day is possible.