Private ground needs no permit. Public ground always does
On your own driveway, in a private parking lot or on a fenced construction site, a bin needs no permission from anyone. That covers the large majority of rentals and is why most people never encounter a permit at all.
On a public street, sidewalk, lane or boulevard it is different. That is a right-of-way, and occupying it needs a permit from the city. In Windsor that is a street occupation permit, and the fee is typically somewhere between $20 and $150 depending on the municipality and the duration.
The cost is rarely the problem; the timing is. Processing runs from several days to several weeks depending on the city and the season, so a street placement should be started about a week before you want the bin. Driveway protection covers the private option. More sits on bin rental guides. Bin rental prices sets out the detail.
No permitDriveway
PermitStreet
Days to weeksProcessing
Getting One
Four steps to a street placement permit
Confirm it is needed
Street, sidewalk or lane needs one. Driveway or private lot does not.
Apply to the city
Usually public works or engineering. Some cities do it online, some do not.
Allow the time
Several days to several weeks. Start about a week before you want the bin.
Meet the conditions
Some cities require boards under the bin, reflectors or cones as a condition.
Placement Rules
What decides where a bin can physically go
Length first: a 10 or 14 yard fits most driveways, a 20 needs about 22 feet, and a 40 needs about 25 feet of clear space so the rear door can swing open. Without that clearance the door cannot be used at all.
Then overhead. The truck lifts the bin high to load and unload, so low branches, wires and garage overhangs matter more than people expect. A driver will not risk a service line, and that is a wasted trip.
Then surface and slope. Soft ground, fresh sod and steep drives are all problems, and asphalt in summer heat marks under a loaded bin unless boards go down. Every driveway placement gets boards from us. Delivery and pickup covers what else has to be clear.
