Bowie Trash, Recycling and Bulk Pickup Schedule
How trash day works in Bowie, inside City limits and out in the County: which days, what time, holidays, yard waste, bulk items and appliances. Checked against City of Bowie and Prince George’s County pages, October 2026.
Own a home in Bowie? Know what it would sell for.
Bowie homes are taking almost twice as long to sell as last year, 21 days instead of 12, so the starting price matters more than it used to. Bruno will send you a written value range built from the closest recent sales near you. No obligation.
Get my value rangeMoving to Bowie on military orders?First, which service do you have?
A Bowie mailing address doesn’t mean the City picks up your trash. Fairwood, Mitchellville and most of Woodmore, for example, are unincorporated Prince George’s County. How to check which side of the city line you’re on.
| Inside City of Bowie | Outside City limits (County) | |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Twice a week: Mon and Thu, or Tue and Fri | County-contracted collection |
| Recycling | One weekday, set by neighborhood | County recycling cart |
| Find your day | City residency checker or neighborhood table | PGC311 address lookup |
| Questions | Public Works, 301-809-2344 | PGC311 (dial 311, or 301-883-4748 from outside the County) |
City of Bowie: the rules that trip people up
- 6 a.m. means 6 a.m. Cans and recycling bins need to be at the curb no later than 6 a.m. on collection day.
- Holidays aren’t made up. If trash day lands on a City holiday, there’s no pickup and no make-up day. Your next pickup is your next regular day. The one exception: single-stream recycling is collected on New Year’s Day.
- Bad weather works the same way. If City government closes, there’s no collection and no make-up day. The City posts changes on its homepage and social media and sends them through Alert Bowie.
- Who’s covered: single-family homes, townhomes and some condominiums.
Sign up for Alert Bowie on the City website to get the texts and emails when the schedule changes.
Bulk items, appliances and yard waste
- City bulk pickup: on either regular trash day, set bulk items next to your containers. Mattresses wrapped in plastic, wooden and upholstered furniture, and rugs cut into 4-foot rolls are accepted. Bulk trash isn’t collected at condos and apartments.
- City Special Pickup: appliances, file cabinets, lawn equipment and anything that’s mostly metal. Call 301-809-2338 to schedule.
- Not accepted by the City: hazardous materials, gas cylinders, car parts, construction debris and electronics.
- County bulky items: a limited number of bulky items go out on your regular trash day. Appliances and tires need an appointment through PGC311.
- Paint, chemicals and electronics: Prince George’s County takes them through its Brown Station Road site and mobile collection events. Check the County’s current schedule first.
Clearing out a whole house? See Bowie estate sales and clean-outs.
County carts: take them back in
County-served homes get a trash cart, a recycling cart and an organics cart. Under County Code, carts have to come off the curb on collection day after they’re emptied. If a complaint comes in and the cart keeps sitting out after a notice, the County can take it back, and you’d have to buy your own.
Email me my street’s sold report
Tell us your street and Bruno will email you what homes on and around it actually sold for, from Bright MLS closed sales, with what each one had going for it. No obligation.
Common questions
What day is trash pickup in Bowie, MD?
Inside the City of Bowie, trash is collected twice a week, either Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday, depending on your neighborhood, plus recycling one weekday. Use the City’s residency checker to see your days. Outside City limits, check your address with PGC311.
What time does trash need to be out in Bowie?
The City of Bowie asks residents to have trash and recycling at the curb no later than 6 a.m. on collection day.
Is there trash pickup on holidays in Bowie?
No. The City of Bowie doesn’t collect on City holidays and doesn’t make up missed pickups. Your next collection is your next regular day. Single-stream recycling is still collected on New Year’s Day.
How do I get bulk trash picked up in Bowie?
City residents in single-family homes and townhomes can set bulk items like furniture and wrapped mattresses next to their containers on either regular trash day. Appliances and other metal items need a Special Pickup, scheduled at 301-809-2338.
Who picks up trash if I’m not in the City of Bowie?
Prince George’s County does. Look up your collection day and schedule appointments for appliances and tires through PGC311.
Fall leaf collection
The City’s vacuum leaf collection runs the weeks of October 26 through December 14, 2026, two weeks per neighborhood. See Bowie leaf collection 2026 for your weeks and the rules, including what changes outside city limits.
New to Bowie, or moving within it?
Bruno can tell you which side of the city line any house sits on before you buy, and what that changes for trash, water and taxes. Call or text (240) 418-3809, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.