2026 Holiday Collection Schedule

In 2026, Solid Waste Services will have a new holiday collection schedule. Some holidays will follow updated collection patterns to help support employee work-life balance, use taxpayer resources responsibly and maintain reliable, high-quality service for all residents.

What’s New in 2026

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day will follow new collection patterns.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  • The city will be closed Monday, Jan. 19, and there will be no collection
  • Crews will begin collecting Monday and Tuesday routes starting Tuesday, Jan. 20, and continue through the week until all routes are complete
  • Collection will occur from Tuesday through Friday, and there is no Saturday collection
  • No yard waste will be collected this week

Memorial Day

  • The city will be closed Monday, May 25, and there will be no collection
  • Crews will begin collecting Monday and Tuesday routes starting Tuesday, May 26, and continue through the week until all routes are complete
  • Collection will occur from Tuesday through Friday, and there is no Saturday collection
  • No yard waste will be collected this week

Labor Day

  • The city will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, and there will be no collection
  • Crews will begin collecting Monday and Tuesday routes starting Tuesday, Sept. 8, and continue through the week until all routes are complete
  • Collection will occur from Tuesday through Friday, and there is no Saturday collection
  • No yard waste will be collected this week

What’s Staying the Same

Thanksgiving and Christmas will stay on a one-day delay.

Thanksgiving

  • The city will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26, and there will be no collection
  • Service will operate on a one-day delay for Thursday and Friday routes with Friday collections occurring on Saturday, Nov. 28

Christmas

  • The city will be closed Friday, Dec. 25, and there will be no collection
  • Service will operate on a one-day delay for Friday routes with Friday collection occurring on Saturday, Dec. 26

Other 2026 Holidays

The City of Charlotte will observe New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and Veterans Day in 2026. Although city offices may be closed in observance of these holidays, Solid Waste Services will continue to provide residential collection services as scheduled. There will be no service disruptions, collection delays or schedule changes during these holiday weeks.

Tips for Holiday Weeks

During MLK Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day weeks:

  • Expect service to occur later in the week
  • Set carts out on your normal collection day and leave them out until collected
  • If your collection hasn’t occurred within 48 hours of your normal scheduled collection day, call 311 or 704.336.7600 to report a missed pickup

Christmas Tree Collection

Christmas tree collection service is provided for both single-family and multi-family residences, with different processes depending on the service type. Single-family homes:

  • Natural trees should be placed at the curb for yard waste collection on the resident’s regular collection day
  • Artificial trees and all wreaths must be scheduled for bulky item collection
  • Trees must be free of decorations, including lights, ornaments and tinsel

Multi-family properties (apartments, condominiums and townhomes served under the city’s multi-family contract with dumpsters or compactors):

  • Natural trees, artificial trees and all wreaths must be scheduled for bulky item collection
  • Trees must be free of decorations, including lights, ornaments and tinsel
  • Collections occur throughout the month of January
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