Dumpster permit rules by town, north of Boston

Checked on October 29, 2026 · from each town's own pages · by JUNKRUN, Melrose MA

Permit rules, town by town

Only towns with a rule we could read are listed. Fees are the town's, not ours.

Town	What the town says	Fee	Source
Melrose	A dumpster on a public way or sidewalk needs a street/sidewalk occupancy permit from the Director of Public Works before placement; the city code also requires a Board of Health dumpster permit.	About $100 for the first dumpster (Board of Health); confirm with the city.	Melrose page
Stoneham	Stoneham's Board of Health issues a Short Term Dumpster Permit (up to 12 months) that must be posted at the dumpster. Check with the town if it will sit on the street or sidewalk.	$40 per dumpster.	Stoneham page
Wakefield	A dumpster in the street or blocking a sidewalk needs a right-of-way permit from the DPW Engineering Division. A dumpster on private property (driveway or yard) goes through the Health Department.	$75 for a right-of-way permit.	Wakefield page
Medford	The Engineering Division issues sidewalk occupancy permits, applied for online. The city page does not spell out dumpster or POD rules, so confirm with Engineering before placing one on a street or sidewalk.	Not published	Medford page
Revere	A Temporary Dumpster/Pod permit from DPW is applied for online at revere.org/permitting ('Dumpster/Pod Permit (DPW)'). Permits are valid up to 6 months, and payment is online after DPW approves.	Not published	Revere page
Danvers	The Public Health Dumpster Permit covers dumpsters at businesses and at residential properties with four or more units. Locations of dumpsters and portable toilets must be registered.	$50 per dumpster per year (expires Dec 31).	Danvers page
North Reading	Town bylaw requires written permission from the Director of Public Works to place materials or temporary structures on a public street or sidewalk, so a street dumpster should be cleared with the DPW first. A driveway placement on private property is not covered by that bylaw.	Not published	North Reading page
Winchester	A temporary dumpster permit from the Health Department (Board of Health) is required for a dumpster on your property or the street. DPW handles separate street/sidewalk work permits.	30 days $50; 6 months $125; 1 year $200.	Winchester page
Lexington	A Board of Health dumpster permit is required in Lexington and a dumpster may not block a public way or sidewalk. Confirm the process before placing one on the street.	Not published	Lexington page
Dedham	Town code Chapter 160: every dumpster needs a permit from the Inspector of Buildings; construction-site dumpsters get a permit of up to six months, renewable for a fee. The Health Department's dumpster regulation separately requires a Board of Health permit with a certified plot plan, expiring each December 31.	Health Department fee schedule: dumpster permit $100. The Inspector of Buildings' fee under the code is not posted.	Dedham page
Needham	A dumpster on or over a public way or sidewalk needs a DPW street and sidewalk permit with a $5000 surety bond and insurance. Commercial dumpsters need a Board of Health permit; temporary construction dumpsters under a Building Department permit are outside Article 8. Storage containers are not allowed in the street.	Occupancy-only street permit $100.	Needham page
Salem	The 2026 city government card lists the dumpster permit under Inspectional Services, 98 Washington St, 2nd Floor, 978-619-5641. Permit applications are online. The fee and maximum days are not published on the pages read.	Not published	Salem page
Beverly	The Fire Department issues a permit for the keeping and use of a construction dumpster on the property (Standard Permit FP-006, returned to 15 Hale St). Whether a dumpster may sit on a public way, and who approves it, is not stated on the city pages; call Engineering at 978-605-2355.	$10 permit fee.	Beverly page
Swampscott	Roll-off dumpsters need a Temporary Dumpster Permit from the Health Department at Town Hall; the permit lasts 45 days and the application fee is $15. The Health Office can supply a list of permitted waste contractors. The handout is undated, so confirm with the Health Department at (781) 596-8864. Street placement rules were not found.	$15 application fee (45-day permit).	Swampscott page
Plymouth	Street obstruction permit issued to the dumpster owner only; 72 hours to review; reflective tape, company name, emergency phone, size displayed; certificate of insurance; police, fire and Town Manager's Office notified; winter: curb on the parking side, removed before plowing when 2 inches or more is predicted. No private-property dumpster permit found.	Not published	Plymouth page
Bourne	Bourne Fire/Rescue lists a Dumpster Permit under Commercial & construction permits, $50, applied for through the town's OpenGov portal. The page does not say whether a homeowner's roll-off needs it, how long it lasts or whether street placement is allowed.	$50.00.	Bourne page
Sandwich	No dumpster permit page, fee or placement rule was found on the Building, Health, Public Works or bylaw pages we read. The Board of Health licenses refuse haulers; bylaws require trash haulers to be licensed and bonded. Confirm with Building (508) 888-4200 and Public Works (508) 833-8002.	Not published	Sandwich page
Falmouth	No dumpster or roll-off permit page found. The Board of Health licenses haulers annually; Chapter 105 (donation bins) says it does not apply to commercial trash or recycling dumpsters and prohibits dumpster-type donation containers.	Not published	Falmouth page
Mashpee	The Fire Department's online permitting lists a Dumpster permit, and its fee schedule lists rubbish containers over 6 cubic yards at $25. The Board of Health licenses refuse haulers and sets container placard, fence and impervious-surface rules for licensed haulers' containers. No street-placement rule for a rented roll-off was found.	$25 (Fire Prevention fee schedule, undated scan); trash hauler license $100/truck, $500 container (2025 Board of Health fee schedule).	Mashpee page
Barnstable	No dumpster permit page was found on the DPW, Solid Waste or Health Division pages. Call the Public Health Division (508-862-4644) and, for a container on a town way, the Highway Division (508-790-6330).	Not published	Barnstable page
Yarmouth	Not found. The town's published pages do not name a dumpster or roll-off permit. Public Works handles roads and engineering; call before placing a container on a public way.	Not published	Yarmouth page
Dennis	The Building, Health, Public Works and Solid Waste pages show no dumpster or roll-off permit rule. Building permits run through the OpenGov portal; Building (508) 760-6157, Health (508) 760-6158, DPW (508) 760-6220. The Health Department licenses refuse collectors at $130 (FY-2026).	Not published	Dennis page
Harwich	No dumpster permit page exists on the town site that we could find. Chapter 255 requires a written license from the Director of Highways and Maintenance to obstruct a public or private way, with private driveways excepted. Zoning section 325-41 bars using a parking space for a dumpster. Call the DPW at 508-430-7555.	Not published	Harwich page
Brewster	Not found. The Brewster pages we read do not publish a dumpster or roll-off rule. The Board of Health and Building Department take permits through the OpenGov portal; call Town Hall at (508) 896-3701 before ordering a container.	Not published	Brewster page
Chatham	No town dumpster permit rule found. The zoning bylaw says a dumpster used for demolition debris will be covered. A Refuse Collector/Hauler permit is $125 from the Health Division.	Not published	Chatham page
Orleans	No Orleans dumpster permit page found. The Building Department's Debris Disposal Affidavit lets applicants name a rented on-site dumpster; out-of-town contractors get a temporary disposal permit at the Transfer Station with the building permit.	Not published	Orleans page
Eastham	No Eastham dumpster or roll-off permit page found. Commercial waste vehicles need an annual Board of Health operating license, and building permits carry a Debris Disposal Form (MGL c. 40, s. 54). Call the Health Department (508-240-5900 ext. 3230) or DPW (774-801-0520) before placing a container on a public way.	Not published	Eastham page
Wellfleet	No dumpster or roll-off permit page found on the town site or in the Board of Health regulations. The regulations bar storing refuse on any property other than the Transfer Station. Call Building (508-349-0309) or Health (508-349-0308).	Not published	Wellfleet page
Truro	No dumpster permit page is posted. General Bylaw 1-9-12 requires a Building Commissioner permit, up to ninety days, to place building materials or rubbish on an abutting way during construction or demolition.	Not published	Truro page
Provincetown	No dumpster permit fee or street-placement rule found. Board of Health nuisance regulation (Part VI, Art. 8): dumpsters and roll-offs may not be left open or overflowing, and anyone using one must contract with an Integrated Pest Management professional for the whole time it is used.	Not published	Provincetown page

Read from each town's own pages, latest check November 6, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the town.

Dumpster rental or a trailer load

	Dumpster rental	JunkRun trailer load
Who loads it	You	Our crew
Permit if it sits on the street	Often, from the town	None. The trailer stays with the crew
How long	Rental days set by the company	One visit
Price	Set by the rental company	¼ $209, ½ $319, ¾ $409, full $519
Best for	Weeks of renovation debris	A one-day clear-out

Our full trailer is about 12 cubic yards. More in dumpster vs junk removal.

Towns with full pages, or no published rule

Tewksbury and Dracut publish no street dumpster rule that we could find, and their pages say so and what to ask.

No permit, no rental days

Text a photo and get one flat price. ¼ trailer $209, ½ $319, ¾ $409, full $519. $159 minimum.

Get my price →

Quick answers

Do I need a permit for a dumpster in Massachusetts?

It depends on the town and on where it sits. A dumpster on a street or sidewalk usually needs one from the town. One on your own driveway often does not, but some towns still ask. The table shows what each town says.

What can I use instead of a dumpster?

A junk removal crew with a trailer. We load it, take it and you need no permit. A ½ trailer is $319 and a full 12-yard trailer is $519, with a $159 minimum.

Does JunkRun rent dumpsters?

No. We haul by the trailer load. If you want a rental, ask your town for its rules and get terms in writing from the rental company.

My town is not in the table. What do I do?

We list only towns that publish a rule we could read. For the rest, call the town hall or DPW, or ask the rental company, who handle permits all the time.