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Better Have a Permit for That San Diego Dumpster! Right?

In most US cities, it's a requirement to obtain a permit to park a dumpster on the side of the road, and San Diego is no exception. More accurately, you need to pay for the right to obstruct pedestrian and drivers' right of way, and the laws to prevent congestion and accidents vary from city to city. It's crucial to be familiar with the rules and regulations surrounding a San Diego dumpster before having it placed at the roadside, but fortunately, the permit usually costs less than $100, and it isn't actually required in many situations.

If you have enough space on your driveway for a dumpster, you can rent a mini dumpster from a junk removal company that operates in your area, and you don’t need to get a permit. You can keep a 12-yard dumpster on your driveway without a permit for as long as you need, and leading companies only charge for the amount of dumpster space you use. However, if you need to park a dumpster on the road for any reason, read this article, learn the requirements, and avoid getting a penalty.

Why Do I Need a San Diego Dumpster Permit?San Diego Dumpster

A dumpster permit allows you take up road space that's reserved for pedestrians and vehicles. However, you need to follow strict rules set out by the City of San Diego to avoid causing too much of an obstruction, and failure to do so usually results in a fine. Fortunately for San Diego residents, the dumpster permit cost is more than fair, especially when compared to other major US cities.

Depending on why you need a dumpster, you might have to pay for a few more permits than just the right of way permit detailed above. You require a construction permit if building an extension or demolishing a structure, and the penalties for failing to comply with those laws are usually harsher than with the right of way permit.

It's worth applying for your permit as far in advance as possible because you must have it before your dumpster arrives. Provided your street is long and wide enough, you shouldn't have too much difficulty getting your permit on time, but it's worth checking if you can actually place one on your street before bothering with the application.

Make Sure You Can Rent a Dumpster Legally

Most dumpster rental companies will be able to tell you whether you can place a dumpster on your street, but you may want to check for yourself to eliminate the risk of incurring a fine. Here are some of the most important rules you need to know:

  • You can't place a dumpster next to a painted curb, such as passenger loading or disabled parking areas.

  • You can only occupy street space that's directly in front of your premises. Your dumpster can't take up any room in front of another residence or business.

  • You need to place compliant 'No Parking' signs around the area where you'll put your dumpster 24 hours before it arrives.

  • You should put a barricade with a flashing light on either side of the dumpster when it arrives.

  • There must be a clear space of at least 10 feet between the dumpster and the next nearest obstruction and 25 feet between the next curb return or alley.

  • You also need to check your street is wide enough to accommodate a dumpster without causing congestion. The minimum width is 32 feet if cars can park on just one side and 36 feet if vehicles can park on either side.

Again, most companies that offer dumpster rental in San Diego will be able to tell you whether you can have a dumpster on the road, and the permit fee is $73. Make sure to get the permit before the dumpster arrives and check that it can be placed on the street legally to avoid receiving a fine.

You Don't Need a Dumpster for Most DIY Jobs and Home Cleanouts

If you have a driveway that's large enough to accommodate a mini dumpster, you don't need to concern yourself with permits or understanding and following rules. If you're spring cleaning the house from top to bottom, clearing out the garage, removing the debris from a residential revamp, or landscaping, a 12-yard dumpster likely has ample space to accommodate the resulting waste.

The best junk removal and dumpster rental companies provide dumpsters designed for a typical driveway, and they make minor adjustments to ensure they won’t cause any damage. However, it’s important to remember that you can’t fill the dumpster higher than its sides because the rental company can't transport overfilled dumpsters legally.

If you're replacing an entire roof's worth of shingles or demolishing a structure such as a freestanding garage, you'll probably need a dumpster with a capacity larger than 12 cubic yards, which likely also means having to buy a permit and place it on the street. Unfortunately, if you only need a mini dumpster but have nowhere on your property to place it, you'll also need to pay the same permit price to park it in front of your home if it causes a public obstruction.

You might not necessarily need a San Diego dumpster if you're trying to get rid of a relatively small amount of stuff. You could contact a junk removal company if you only have 12 cubic yards' worth (or less) of waste, and that would mean you could avoid doing any of the hauling. Of course, dumpsters give you the flexibility to gradually dispose of waste over a few days, but a junk removal company can retrieve waste in the space of a few hours if you've no need to keep a dumpster for an extended period.

What to Look for in a Dumpster Rental Company

A city the size of San Diego offers plenty of choice regarding dumpster rental companies, but it's best to find one that prioritizes the environment and safe disposal, guarantees to deliver and retrieve the dumpster on time, avoids damaging the roadside or driveway surface, and offers a fair price. Junk King is the nation's number one junk removal and dumpster rental surface because it ticks all the boxes.

The professionals at Junk King can often deliver mini dumpsters the same day you place an order, and they'll call you 15 minutes before setting off to check that everything is ok and you're ready to receive the dumpster. Just as importantly, they'll retrieve the dumpster three days later, so it doesn't steal your driveway for any longer than necessary.

In addition to our excellent time keeping skills, we also guarantee a fair price. Unlike most companies, we only charge for the amount of dumpster space you use instead of charging a flat rate, and we take preventative measures to ensure our dumpsters don't damage your driveway. Better still, we aim to recycle at least 60 percent of what we collect – a target we usually beat – and we achieve that by having on-site sorting facilities and dedicated employees.

San Diego dumpster rental, fortunately, only requires a permit if you need a receptacle that takes up street space primarily reserved for public use. If you need a mini dumpster placed on your driveway, you don’t have to worry about breaking the law or spending your hard-earned cash on a permit. Plus, as the nation's number one waste retrieval service, we'll make the process as easy as possible for you. Drop us a line today to see how easy dumpster rental in San Diego is.

Better Have a Permit for That San Diego Dumpster! Right?
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