Indianapolis Starts 2026 Leaf Collection Season
Residents can set out leaf bags for city pickup through December 4, 2026, with composting returning after a 2025 hiatus.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Forecasts
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The Indianapolis Department of Public Works began its 2026 leaf collection season on November 9, 2026, running through December 4. Collected leaves will be taken to the South Side Landfill, where composting returns after a hiatus in 2025.
Why it matters
Leaf collection keeps fallen foliage out of streets and storm drains, and residents are urged never to rake leaves into roadways for that reason. Burning leaves is illegal in the city because leaf smoke emits chemicals harmful to human health.
The city permits up to 40 bags of leaves per residence each week at $0 additional cost, with bags placed three to five feet from garbage bins by 7 a.m. on trash day. The extraction does not indicate how many bags the city expects to receive or whether pickup capacity will be constrained as the season progresses.
The players
Indianapolis Department of Public Works
The city agency that administers trash and leaf collection services for Indianapolis residents.
South Side Landfill
The Indianapolis landfill that receives collected leaves and resumed composting them in 2026.
The details
Residents place plastic garbage bags filled with leaves at the curb by 7 a.m. on their usual trash collection day, keeping them away from sidewalks and public rights-of-way. Some collected leaves will be used as daily cover at the landfill, and mowing over leaf-covered lawns is an alternative that shreds leaves into clippings that decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
Timeline
Monday, Nov. 9, 2026: Leaf collection season begins.
December 4, 2026: Leaf collection season ends.
2025: South Side Landfill composting hiatus.
Seasonal Patterns
The city's program offers a lawful alternative to open burning, which Indiana law restricts for yard waste. Annual fall leaf collection thus serves as the municipal counterpart to the state's prohibition on burning leaves.
Residents should set out no more than 40 bags of leaves per week by 7 a.m. on trash day, placed three to five feet from garbage bins and off sidewalks. Raking leaves into streets should be avoided because it can clog storm drains, and burning leaves remains illegal.
The takeaway
Bagging leaves for curbside pickup by 7 a.m. on trash day keeps streets clear and drains flowing while avoiding the health risks of leaf smoke. Residents who follow the 40-bag weekly limit and placement rules will avoid missed collections.
What happens next
Leaf collection season ends December 4, 2026, after which the city's pickup program concludes for the year.
Further reading
For related seasonal context, see Forecasts coverage for the Indianapolis area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Indystar.
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