Got a Commercial Trash Fee (previously called Refuse Collection Fee) bill in the mail? The City of Philadelphia recently mailed bills for the 2023 trash collection fee. Keep an eye on your mailbox if you use the City’s trash and recycling service for your small business, multi-unit, or mixed-use property in Philadelphia. The fee is $500 and covers weekly trash pick-ups by the City for the entire year.

Paying this fee in full is always best, but you can split your payment in two $250 installments. Customers splitting their payments must pay the first $250 by December 31, 2022, and the second $250 by June 30, 2023.

How to pay

Online – the Philadelphia Tax Center is the fastest and most convenient way to pay your Commercial Trash Fee bills. You don’t need to create a username and password to make payments on this website – here’s how:

  • Go to tax-services.phila.gov.
  • Find the “Payments” panel on the Tax Center’s homepage and select “Make a payment.”
  • If you are paying a bill for the current year: Under “Payment options,” pick “Yes” to pay a bill you just received. You will now use the Letter ID found at the top of your bill to pay this fee online. Be aware that your trash fee bills will not have notice numbers from now on.
  • If you are paying past due bills: Choose “No” on this same screen and use the dropdown menu to select “Commercial Trash Fees.” Follow the on-screen instructions to submit your payment.

Be aware that the website you previously used to pay this fee is no longer available. You must now use the Philadelphia Tax Center for your online payments. You can also use the Philadelphia Tax Center to apply for a Commercial Trash Fee Exemption or to search for your bill using your OPA number or address.

Even if you miss your bill in the mail, you can find it on the Philadelphia Tax Center without creating a username and password. Just search your property using the “Property” panel on the site’s homepage and follow the prompts to find your property and pay any pending balances.

While you don’t need a username and password to use the site, customers who own or manage multiple properties should consider creating a username and password. This way, you can see all balances on your properties from a single dashboard.

By mail – if you would rather mail in your payment, make sure to send it to:

Philadelphia Department of Revenue
P.O. Box 966
Philadelphia, PA 19102-966

If you use a private trash collection service, you can apply for a Commercial Trash Fee Exemption through the Philadelphia Tax Center and receive a 100% waiver. Moreover, while some smaller properties qualify for City trash collection for a fee, most multi-unit and large commercial properties in Philadelphia must hire a private trash-hauling service.

If you have questions, bill-related inquiries, or need help, please call (215) 686-6442 or email solidresources@phila.gov.

Photo credit: T. Farnsworth

Pay the 2023 Commercial Trash Fee today