How big is a 40 yard dumpster?
A 40 yard roll-off dumpster is an open-top steel container holding about 40 cubic yards of debris, built on the same 22 foot by 8 foot floor as the 20 yard and 30 yard, with walls around 8 feet. It is the tallest roll-off in normal circulation.
Eight foot walls mean you are not loading it by hand over the side. Realistically you need a ramp, a chute, a loader or an upper-floor window. OSHA 1926.252 requires an enclosed chute whenever material is dropped more than 20 feet to any point outside the exterior walls, and where debris goes through a floor opening without one, the landing area has to be barricaded at not less than 42 inches high and set back at least 6 feet from the edge above. Every dimension is compared on the sizes and dimensions page.
What fits in a 40 yard dumpster?
Roughly 16 to 20 pickup truck loads, but only of light material. What belongs in it:
- Whole-structure demolition wood, framing and sheathing
- Siding, soffit, gutters and trim off a large facade job
- Insulation, ductwork and ceiling tile from a commercial strip-out
- Warehouse and retail packaging, cardboard and pallets
- Office furniture and fixtures on a floor clearout
- Yard waste, brush and storm debris in volume
What does not belong in it: concrete, brick, tile, soil, plaster, roofing shingles or anything else dense. Those fill the weight allowance long before the volume. A cubic yard of broken concrete is around 4,000 pounds, so five yards of it is 10 tons on its own. Heavy loads go in a 10 yard container as a dedicated clean load. The arithmetic is on dumpster weight limits.
What does a 40 yard dumpster cost in Philadelphia?
Typical weekly market ranges run $575 to $775, with extra days around $65 to $115. Reviewed July 2026 and presented as market ranges rather than a quote. Per cubic yard it's the cheapest container we run, which is exactly why people ask for it on jobs that cannot physically take one.
Included tonnage is usually around 4 tons and overage bills by the ton at the transfer station rate. On demolition work the swap rate matters more than the weekly rate, because a 40 yard on an active teardown often turns over every two days. Dumpster rental cost publishes each line separately, and construction dumpster rental covers swap scheduling.
Where can a 40 yard sit in Philadelphia?
Not on a rowhouse street. Philadelphia's subdivision street standards put a tertiary residential cartway at 26 feet inside a right-of-way of no less than 50 feet, and between the container, the truck and the tipping arc there is nothing left. An 8 foot wall also blocks sight lines at a corner, which is its own problem.
Where it works: hospital and university construction in University City, industrial parcels off the Delaware, large commercial lots in the Far Northeast, and suburban sites in Doylestown, Cherry Hill and Bensalem. The driver wants about 60 feet of straight approach and 23 feet of overhead clearance. See the placement guide.
Do you need a permit for a 40 yard dumpster?
On private property, no. In the public right-of-way, yes, and honestly a 40 yard rarely gets approved for a Philadelphia street at all. The Department of Licenses and Inspections issues the dumpster license under Philadelphia Code Section 10-722, and the Streets Department Right-of-Way Unit at (215) 686-5500 issues the placement permit. Section 10-722 gives the Streets Department authority to refuse any location it decides would unduly interfere with the right-of-way, and a 22 foot container with 8 foot walls on a residential block is the textbook case. The permit page has the sequence.
Questions people ask about 40 yard dumpsters
How many tons does a 40 yard dumpster hold?Allowances usually sit around 4 tons. The hard ceiling is the truck, not the box: Pennsylvania's 75 Pa.C.S. Section 4941 caps gross vehicle weight at 80,000 pounds and federal limits at 23 CFR 658.17 cap a tandem axle at 34,000.
How much does an empty 40 yard weigh?Roughly 5,500 to 7,500 pounds depending on manufacturer and steel gauge. That tare is deducted at the scale.
Is it cheaper per yard than a 20?Yes, meaningfully. But only if the site can physically take it and the debris is light enough to fill the volume before the tonnage.
What can't go in it?The same restrictions as every container. 25 Pa. Code Section 273.201 bars bulk liquids and lead-acid batteries from Pennsylvania landfills, and Act 108 of 2010 banned televisions, computers and monitors from municipal waste on January 24, 2013. Full list on what cannot go in a dumpster.
Do you tarp it for the road?Always. Federal cargo rules at 49 CFR 393.100 require that nothing leaks, spills, blows or falls from the vehicle, and an 8 foot wall catches wind.
What are the 40-yard dumpster dimensions?
About 22 feet long, 8 wide, 8 feet of wall. The 40-yard dumpster size buys height, not length.
What else do people call it?
A 40 yard trash dumpster, a roll off dumpster 40 yard, or just the big can.
Compare every size on the roll-off dumpster overview. Demolition crews usually need restrooms, temporary fence and light towers on the same site, all covered under construction site services. Everything is listed on the home page and on porta potty rental in Philadelphia. Send the site details through the quote form, call the contact page number, or check service areas and the FAQ.
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