Dumpster rental in Philadelphia — size, street permit, typical price
This page is for Philadelphia homeowners renting a roll-off for a rowhome remodel, cleanout, roof, or yard job. It covers size, the Streets Department permit for a temporary dumpster on the street (fee, seven-day window, lead time, and the police-district sign step), why the L&I dumpster license is a different product, and published prices with each source labeled.
Sourced homeowner guide — not a live quote. Last researched October 7, 2026: official permit pages and published prices fetched that day.
Driveway or street? Decide before you call
Philadelphia has a short, cheap street permit for temporary dumpsters — but it has a lead time. Run these three checks before you book.
Will the whole box sit on your property? If yes, you are outside the street permit. Dumpsters.com’s Philadelphia page says no permit is needed on private property and lists a delivery envelope of about 60 ft of approach and 23–25 ft of overhead clearance.
Going on the street? The city’s dumpster license page says a temporary construction dumpster in the public right-of-way, like a street or sidewalk, needs a permit from the Department of Streets. The Streets Temporary No Parking (TNP) page lists “Temporary dumpster” at $40, placed for up to seven days without an L&I permit.
Apply early. Apply at least four business days before you need the space. After approval and payment you take the printed permit to a police district headquarters for temporary no-parking signs and post them at least 24 hours ahead.
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Size chooser
Uses Dumpsters.com Philadelphia size notes (verified 10/3/2026). That page lists 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40-yard boxes; a 15-yard is about 4–5 pickup-truck loads. Measure the curb length you will reserve: the TNP page notes 40 feet is roughly two parking spaces. Dimensions can vary by manufacturer; volume is what the size name means. Weight, not just yards, drives overage charges — fill dense debris only partway.
10 yard
Best for: removing a wall, remodeling a half bathroom, garage junk removal, general yard waste. Fill heavy material only partway so the weight cap is not blown.
Dumpsters.com Philadelphia: typical box 14′ × 7.5′ × 3.5′; about 3 pickup-truck loads. Driver needs about 60 ft of space and 23–25 ft of vertical clearance (hauler, not the city).
Best for: home flipping, warehouse cleanouts, multi-unit renovations, storefront remodels. Typical box is about 8 ft tall.
Dumpsters.com Philadelphia: typical box 22′ × 7.5′ × 8′; about 12 pickup-truck loads. Prefer loose bulky debris over dense concrete or brick that blows the weight cap early.
Required?YES — Streets Department permit for a temporary dumpster on the street ($40; up to seven days).
The City of Philadelphia Get a Dumpster License page says: “To temporarily place a construction dumpster in the public right-of-way, like on a street or sidewalk, you need a Temporary Construction Dumpster Permit from the Department of Streets.” It says to call the Permit Unit at (215) 686-5500.
The Streets Department Temporary No Parking (TNP) permit page lists temporary dumpsters among TNP uses. Under cost and duration: “Temporary dumpster — The cost is $40. You can place the dumpster for up to seven days without a permit from the Department of Licenses and Inspections.”
The L&I Private and Public Dumpster Licenses on the first page are for permanently placing dumpsters (with RFID medallions, enclosures, and annual renewals for public-way boxes). They are not the product for a one-week remodel roll-off.
Your requested location can change if local parking restrictions apply — for example, if there is no legal parking in the area or it is a loading zone (TNP page).
How to apply
Complete the online TNP application: your contact information, the address, the number of dumpsters, and start and end times. One address per permit.
Apply at least four business days before you need the permit. If no one has contacted you three days before, call the Streets Department Right-of-Way Unit at (215) 686-5500.
A Right-of-Way Unit reviewer sends an invoice; pay online; the reviewer issues the final permit.
Print the permit and take it to a Philadelphia police district headquarters for temporary no-parking signs. Post the signs at least 24 hours before you need the space.
The TNP fee is non-refundable (refund petitions only if the permit was not received in time).
Fees (Streets Department TNP page — fetched October 7, 2026)
Temporary dumpster: $40 — up to seven days without an L&I permit
For comparison only: moving container or storage pod $50 (5 days max); moving truck $25 per 40 ft per day ($50 in Center City / University City)
Typical price
Sourced ranges, not a single quote. Each row is labeled with the date and what that page actually measures. These are not mashed into one invented band.
Dumpsters.com Philadelphia — blended roll-off
Information last verified 10/3/2026 (fetched 10/7/2026). All sizes blended. The dollar range is not labeled 7-day on that city block. By-size dollars are not printed.
$464–$1,079. Average $697.
Blended Philadelphia index from one published source. The $40 Streets permit is a municipal charge, not part of the rental price unless your hauler bundles it. Weight limits and overages are usually extra; we did not invent those numbers.
The call button on this page is a tracked partner line for a rental quote (see the disclosure next to the button), not a Philadelphia permit-desk number. Permit fees in the section above are municipal charges, not a rental price.
What not to put in
Ask before you load. Keep household hazardous waste (paint, solvents, chemicals, batteries), tires, appliances that hold refrigerant, and anything flammable or toxic out of a mixed roll-off unless the hauler confirms it can take it. Dumpsters.com Philadelphia’s page says flammable, toxic, and hazardous materials are not allowed in its dumpsters. Local household-hazardous-waste drop-off rules were not re-checked for this Philadelphia page — ask the hauler or the city before you load gray-area items.
Gotchas
Four business days minimum lead time on the TNP permit; call (215) 686-5500 if you have not heard back three days out.
Signs come from a police district headquarters, not the mail — and must be up at least 24 hours ahead.
The $40 temporary dumpster permit covers up to seven days without an L&I permit. Plan the job to fit, or ask the city before you go longer.
The L&I dumpster license is for permanent dumpsters; do not confuse it with the temporary street permit.
Your spot can move if the block has no legal parking or a loading zone.
Dumpsters.com Philadelphia delivery envelope: about 60 ft of approach and 23–25 ft of vertical clearance.
HOA, co-op, and landlord rules are not the city permit. Check them separately.
Do I need a permit for a dumpster in Philadelphia?
Yes if the dumpster goes on a Philadelphia street or sidewalk. The city says a temporary construction dumpster in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the Department of Streets. A box kept on your own property is outside that street permit.
How much is a Philadelphia street dumpster permit?
The Philadelphia Streets Department Temporary No Parking page lists a temporary dumpster at $40, and says you can place it for up to seven days without a permit from the Department of Licenses and Inspections.
How far ahead should I apply for a Philadelphia dumpster permit?
At least four business days before you need it (Philadelphia Streets TNP page). If you have not been contacted three days before, call the Right-of-Way Unit at (215) 686-5500. Post the police-issued signs at least 24 hours ahead.
Do I need an L&I dumpster license for a remodel dumpster in Philadelphia?
Not for a short temporary box. Philadelphia’s L&I Private and Public Dumpster Licenses are for permanently placed dumpsters; a temporary dumpster in the street goes through the Streets Department permit instead.
What does a dumpster rental cost in Philadelphia?
Dumpsters.com lists Philadelphia roll-off prices at $464–$1,079 with an average of $697 (verified 10/3/2026). That is a blended all-size range, not a 7-day quote. The $40 Streets permit is separate.
What size dumpster do most Philadelphia homeowners need?
Most Philadelphia residential jobs fit a 10-yard for heavy debris or a 20-yard for remodels and cleanouts; Dumpsters.com Philadelphia also lists 15, 30, and 40-yard boxes. Reserve enough curb: 40 feet is roughly two parking spaces.
Related city pages & guides
Compare nearby cities in this directory, then jump into the size and permit guides with the sections that match this page: