When renting a portable storage solution, such as a storage container, be sure to check with your town hall, building department or other local authorities to find out if you need a permit to have it on your property. Most of the time, if the container is there a short amount of time you may not need any permit. For longer time periods or if the storage container might be a more permanent fixture, you might need to have a temporary use permit.
Rules might be more strict in residential areas considering a large steel box can be an eyesore to neighbors or potential homeowners. Properties in a more rural setting or with lower traffic flow will find the legal requirements for portable storage a bit more lenient.
Some of the more common rules for portable storage on residential properties can be that the container can only be on your property for 90 days or less and it must be positioned five to fifteen feet away from property lines. While nowhere near a complete list of codes or rules that a city can impose, this gives you a general idea of how code enforcement handles portable storage in urban / residential and highly trafficked areas.
Your local dumpster rental company or portable storage supplier should also be able to tell you about any permits needed in your area. Double-check with your town just to make sure no new rules were recently passed that might affect this process.
Our Dumpster Tip of the Week is Courtesy of the Lemont Dumpster Rental Service! Thanks, Gang!
