Dumpster Permit in Plymouth, MA: Street Rules (2026)

The street obstruction permit

The DPW Engineering Division posts a one-page list of requirements for a dumpster obstructing the street. The permit is issued to the owner of the dumpster only, which in practice is the roll-off company, not the homeowner. The department needs 72 hours to review the application. On arterial streets the container needs lights mounted on it.

The container must display the company name, an emergency phone number and its size, with reflective tape on all sides. A certificate of insurance is required, and the police, the fire department and the Town Manager's Office are notified. The Street Opening Permits page says applications for utility and street-opening permits can now be filed through the town's OpenGov system; the dumpster sheet does not say how it is submitted, so call Town Hall at 508-747-1620.

Winter rules: plow day

The sheet ties dumpsters to the winter parking ban: containers go only on the side of the street where parking is allowed, at the curb, after any snow windrow is cleared. The container must be removed before plowing starts when a plowable storm of 2 inches or more is predicted. If the permit holder does not move it, the DPW removes it and bills the permit holder for the removal and snow clearing.

A cleanout that runs from November to March needs a plan for plow day, and a roll-off that has to leave and come back adds a second haul.

Your own driveway, licensed haulers and building work

The street sheet covers the public way. The town pages we read do not list a permit for a dumpster on private property. For renovation, the Inspectional Services building permit application includes a debris disposal location line and a condition that debris go to a properly licensed solid waste facility. The Board of Health fee schedule charges haulers $200 per vehicle for a permit to remove or transport rubbish, and the town's list of licensed haulers is on its site. Ask any roll-off company for its Plymouth license first.

A roll-off is overkill for a garage, a basement or a cottage closeout. JUNKRUN loads it and leaves: quarter trailer $209, half $319, three-quarters $409, full trailer $519, minimum $159. No permit, no street obstruction, no plow-day risk.

Before a roll-off dumpster lands on your Plymouth street

The permit is issued to the dumpster owner, so the hauler applies; confirm they have it.
Allow 72 hours for the town to review the application.
Company name, emergency phone number and size are displayed on the container, with reflective tape on all sides.
A certificate of insurance is on file; police, fire and the Town Manager's Office are notified.
On an arterial street, lights are mounted on the container.
In winter, the container is only on the side of the street where parking is allowed, placed at the curb.
A plowable storm of 2 inches or more means the container comes out before plowing starts.
If it is on your own driveway, call Town Hall (508-747-1620) to ask whether Inspectional Services needs anything else.

Local resources in Plymouth

Donation, reuse and recycling options near the pickup. We are not affiliated with these; confirm hours and what they accept before you go.

Town
Plymouth Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division
Accepts: Sells Manomet Transfer Station permits by mail, runs the free residential tree-debris weekends and sells $55 Earth Machine compost bins (check or money order).
Office hours Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Permits also sell online or at the Tax Collector's Office, 26 Court Street. In Plymouth itself.
159 Camelot Drive, Plymouth, MA 02360
Website for Plymouth Department of Public Works, Solid Waste Division 508-830-4162 ext. 12100
Transfer station
Manomet Transfer Station
Accepts: Trash in orange PAYT bags, single-stream recycling, scrap metal and appliances (fees on freon items, washers, TVs), leaves and grass, motor oil, antifreeze, auto batteries, propane tanks, clothing. No brush, tree branches or stumps.
Open 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Sun, Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat; closed Wed and Thu. A town vehicle permit is required for entry, with a $100 fine without one. In Plymouth itself.
350 Beaver Dam Road, Plymouth, MA 02360
508-830-4162 ext. 12100

Quick answers

Do I need a permit for a dumpster in Plymouth, MA?

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For a container on the street, yes: a street obstruction permit issued to the dumpster owner, with 72 hours to review. The pages we read list no permit for a driveway; call Town Hall at 508-747-1620.

Who applies for the Plymouth dumpster permit?

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The owner of the dumpster. The town's sheet says street obstruction permits are issued to the owner of the dumpster only.

Can a dumpster stay in the street in a Plymouth snowstorm?

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Not before a plowable storm. The container must be removed before plowing begins when 2 inches or more is predicted, or the DPW removes it at the permit holder's cost.

Is there an alternative to a dumpster?

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Yes. A trailer load removed in one visit needs no street permit. JUNKRUN's flat prices start at $159.

Sources

Rules, fees and hours change, so confirm with Plymouth before you go.

Town of Plymouth: Requirements for Dumpster Obstructing the Street (PDF): “72 hrs. required to review Permit Application” · accessed November 6, 2026
Town of Plymouth: Requirements for Dumpster Obstructing the Street (PDF): “Container must be removed prior to the commencement of plowing operations when a” · accessed November 6, 2026
Town of Plymouth: Street Opening Permits: “Dumpster Requirements (PDF)” · accessed November 6, 2026
Town of Plymouth: Board of Health schedule of fees and fines (PDF): “Permit to Remove or Transport, Offal, Garbage, Rubbish and other offensive substances (not sewage)” · accessed November 6, 2026

Dumpster permit rules in Plymouth, MA