Frequently Asked Questions

Trash is serviced on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday depending on your address. Please contact 668-4551 for your service day.  Click here for more information on residential cart refuse service.

Because the Texas Public Information Act is only activated by a written request for documents, all requests for copies of City records must be in writing. Requests for public information can be made through the City Secretary's Office.  To learn more about methods to submit your request, click here.

The Texas Public Information Act does not require governmental bodies to create new information, perform legal research, or to answer questions. The request must ask for records or information already in existence. The City of Gainesville will not comply with a standing request for information to be collected or prepared in the future. Please be advised that there is a charge for copies of public information in accordance with state law.

Yes. Home Fire Inspections are available upon request through the Fire Marshal’s office. To schedule a Home Fire Inspection, email sjeffcoat@gvps.org. Home Fire Inspections are designed to assist homeowners with identifying hazards and ways to make their home safer.

The City of Gainesville Emergency Management receives weather warnings from the National Weather Service. Once the City is notified, the information is forwarded to the local law enforcement agencies and Storm Spotters when activated. Code Red Weather Alert, an opt-in service, is used to keep citizens informed.

The headquarters for Gainesville Fire-Rescue is located at 201 Santa Fe in the Gainesville Public Safety Facility. The Gainesville Police Department and Municipal Court are also located here. Two fire substations are located at 308 N. Culberson St. and 2010 E. Broadway St. in Gainesville.

The City has adopted the 2021 International Fire & Building Code.  The Municode link is available on the City's website.

Tours or events are coordinated through the Fire Prevention Division of Gainesville Fire Rescue. Call (940) 668-5731 to schedule a tour or email tsieger@gvps.org

The Fire Department First Responder program provides trained medical professionals to assist in patient care for life threatening medical emergencies within the city limits of Gainesville.

Outdoor burning is prohibited by city ordinance.  Limited outdoor burning may be conducted under strict guidelines with a permit. Contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (940) 668-5737 or email Shannon Jeffcoat, Fire Marshal for further information.

Firefighters have daily assignments and projects that keep them active during the day. They perform safety inspections of businesses, pre-fire planning, fire prevention activities, apparatus, equipment, and station maintenance. In addition, they have assigned training they must complete each month to meet required federal and state mandates for fire and medical certifications. 

They do, but in reality, their nights are interrupted many times for response to incidents. Statistics show that the more serious fires tend to occur after 11:00 p.m. and before 6:00 a.m. Their shift begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 7:00 a.m. the next day.

Yes. Gainesville Fire-Rescue's inspection program encompasses all commercial property in the City limits of Gainesville. Your occupancy will be contacted in advance of an upcoming fire inspection.

The City of Gainesville Emergency Management Division utilizes a comprehensive severe weather early warning system. This system consists of storm spotters, the CodeRED alert system, which is a high speed telephone notification system and IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert Warning System. You may sign up to receive CodeRED emergency alerts on the City's website.  

To request a copy of a fire report or other public information, please complete the Gainesville Fire-Rescue Public Information Request form.

How do I obtain a 9-1-1 Address? Please complete the 9-1-1 Address Form and submit to the Fire Marshal's office: Shannon Jeffcoat, Fire Marshal.

9-1-1 Addressing Form

Yes! Everyday at 10:00 a.m., you can have a VIP Flamingo Experience for $20/person. Limited to 5 persons maximum, ages 8 and up. Ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a paying adult participant. Call 940-668-4533 to schedule, or ask the Gift Shop to participate if you arrive by 9:45 a.m.

Be sure to bring plenty of quarters for feed vending machines located at the petting zoo. On busy days, once these feeders are emptied, for the health of the animals, they will not be refilled. Giraffe Encounter begins at 10:30 am daily and is $6 per person.  Anyone caught bringing outside food into the zoo and feeding animals, unauthorized, will be asked to leave. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation to keep our animal family happy & healthy!

No.  The Pet Policy states: "For the safety of our animals and your, we do not allow pets."  CERTIFIED SERVICE ANIMALS are permitted when staff is notified and a zoo staff member can walk with you to ensure everyone's safety.  Emotional Support Animals are not covered under the ADA Act.

For the safety of the animal family, no outside food may be brought into the zoo.  Snacks and drinks may be purchased from the Frank Buck Zoo Gift Shop and may be eaten on the dining deck behind the entry building as long the dining deck has not been reserved for a party or other special event.  If you prefer to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy during your outing, please leave any food in a cooler in your car. There are two covered pavilions outside the Frank Buck Zoo, in Leonard Park, as well as many picnic tables and even some grills.  Coolers & ice chests are not allowed in the zoo. As long as you have on your zoo admission wristband you may come and go from the zoo until closing.

The Frank Buck Zoo Gift Shop does carry a variety of bottled beverages for sale.  Bottled water and drinks without commercial lids and straws are okay to bring in.  Straws and lids pose a safety hazard to the animal collection.  Glass containers and alcohol are prohibited.  Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

The restrooms for Zoo Guests ONLY are located behind the Gift Shop.  - Restrooms for Park Patrons are across from the Leonard Park Aquatic Center over the railroad tracks.

Yes, same day entry is allowed with that day's wristband color on.

Hours and operation are managed by the Gainesville Parks & Recreation Dept. Please call 940-668-4530 for current hours and dates of operation or see below.

Limited outdoor burning may be conducted under strict guidelines with a permit. Contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (940) 668-7777 for further information.

The basic monthly fee for residential solid waste collection is $22.51 per month. Special bulk item and yard waste pick-ups are scheduled on Wednesday, provided that the City offices are not closed for a Holiday. Special bulk items will have a charge of $38.92 per item. These charges will appear on the customer’s water bill. Please call General Services Department at (940)668-4551 to request this service.

Place your refuse cart at your collection site in the street with wheels resting against curb. Always place the container at curb with wheels and handles towards your residence. Under normal circumstances, the container should be placed at or near the driveway approximately 4 feet from any mailboxes, fences, parked cars, trees, utility poles, water meters, trash container racks or other obstacles.

Place the container at the curb no earlier than 6:00 PM prior to your collection day, but no later than 6:30 AM (3:00 AM for Friday's downtown route), on your scheduled collection day. Remove your container from the curb and return to storage no later than 8:00 PM on your service day.

Do Not Leave Your Container at the Curb on Non-Collection Days.

Do not fill your container above the rim such that the lid will not close. A closed lid helps to prevent litter, odor, and spillage when the container is lifted for dumping.

If container is overloaded, the EXCESS or OVERLOADED CONTAINER will be considered a special collection and may require an extra fee. A tag will be tied to the handle to indicate this issue. 

• Residents only may take up to two trips per year of waste material to the Transfer Station at no charge. 
• Customers may not come in free on more than two dates per year. 
• No roofing or other construction material will be allowed for this program. 
• Bring your water service account bill with you for this service. 
• Accounts will be tracked by physical addresses. Once an address has met its limit, any additional trash during the remainder of the fiscal year must be paid (the fiscal year runs October through September).

A yellow tag left on the door of the resident will serve as notice of heavy or unusual accumulation. The resident has 48 hours to remove the materials before the City crew does so at a $32.42 per cubic yard. Residential waste shall be placed at the location designated by the City no earlier than 6:00 PM, prior to your collection day, but no later than 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day. Do not block or impede a street, water or gas meter, drainage ditch, sight triangle at an intersection or sidewalk.

Place typical bagged household refuse in the container. This helps keep your cart clean and reduces wind-blown litter and scattered debris during the collection process. You may include a small amount of bagged yard waste. 

Examples of what not to place in container are: 

• Hot ashes
• Solvents
• Paints
• Hazardous materials
• Flammable materials (liquids or solids)
• Dead animals
• Motor oil
• Medical waste
• Fireworks
• Car batteries
• Construction materials
• Concrete
• Dirt, sod, sand
• Plaster
• Chemicals

Drain or wrap wet trash prior to bagging and placing in your cart.

If you have an item that is generally not considered “bulky” but that won’t fully fit into your cart, break it down as much as possible and place it into the cart and close the lid. Anything larger will be considered a special collection and may require an extra fee. Examples of such items include brooms, mops, fishing rods, and curtain rods. 

Please do not pack refuse in your container too tightly or place objects of such length that could lodge against the sides of the container, preventing or impeding the emptying of your container.

The 96 gallon roll out refuse carts are the property of the City and must not be painted, marked, abused, mutilated, altered, or modified in any way. 

Abuse and damage to a container by citizen shall result in an assessment equal to the replacement cost of the container and/or time and materials involved to repair such container. Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to: overloading the container beyond the rated weight capacity of the container; fire damage caused by hot coals and/or ashes; painting or marking the container in any manner; or failure to follow the proper care and use instructions for the container. 

If the container is damaged, the following policy applies: 

• If the damage is your fault, you will be required to pay for a replacement. For example, any container that is destroyed by hot ashes or coals shall be the responsibility of the customer and shall be replaced at the customer’s expense. 
• If the container is stolen from your residence at a time other than when it should normally be out for collection, you will be required to pay for a replacement. 
• If the City damages your container, your container will be replaced at no cost to you.

Citizens are encouraged to use a mulching power mower, which eliminates raking and bagging of grass. The City will pick up up to 12 bags of yard clippings or 2 cubic yards of 3' 18' bundles of brush, free for residents only upon request. 

Please call General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551, before your designated brush/special pickup day to provide time for truck scheduling and routing.

If your service day is on Tuesday or Thursday, brush pickup in your area will be the first (1st) & third (3rd) Wednesdays of each month during a non-holiday week. 

If your service day is on Monday or Friday, brush pickup in your area will be the second (2nd) & fourth (4th) Wednesdays of each month during a non-holiday week.

Collection Preparation

• Brush is to be bundled together with string, rope, or twine measuring 3ft in length and no more than 18 inches in diameter. 
• Brush piles that are placed at the curb for pick-up services will be tagged and priced at $32.42 per cubic yard. City crews will not pick up loose materials. City crews will not pick up solid waste that does not conform to standards. A City ordinance requires residents to remove solid waste left at the curbside. 
• A tag left at the residence will serve as notice of heavy or unusual accumulation. Residents have 48 hours to remove the materials before City crews do so at a $32.42 per cubic yard charge. Additional charges can be levied if heavy equipment is required. 

Residents may schedule special collection service for Wednesday of non-holiday weeks. The residential utility account that generated the waste will be billed for the service. A $38.92 charge per item will be added to your bill for the safe removal of these items. Residents who place waste materials at curbside grant permission for additional fees. Items requiring special collection services:

• Furniture items such as couches, chairs, mattresses, bed frames, and tables.
• White goods or appliances such as hot water heaters, stoves, washing machines and dryers. Special provisions apply to air conditioning units and refrigerators. No Freon containing appliances can be accepted at this time. Please contact DEF Recycling (940) 665-2800 or TASWA Landfill (903) 564-1290 for more information on these items.
• Construction and demolition (C&D) material, such as sheetrock, flooring, lumber, fencing, carpet, padding, doors, sinks, commodes, plumbing fixtures.
• Other bulky waste, such as barbecue grills, toys, ironing boards, and lawn furniture.

Please call General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551 before your special pickup day to provide time for truck scheduling and routing. Special pick-up and brush routes are finalized on Tuesday at Noon (12:00 PM). Calls or messages received after Noon will be placed on the next date for pick-up for the resident's area.

Residential customers may get an extra cart(s) for $65.98 per cart. An additional fee of $7.91 for servicing this extra cart will be added to your monthly water bill. To request an extra cart(s) or to discontinue service of the additional cart(s), please call the General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551.

Although your refuse container is City of Gainesville’s property, you are responsible for its care. Wash your cart with a hose and mild soap as needed. 

If you move, please leave the cart with the existing property. 

To report damaged or stolen carts please call General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551. Replacement or repair of cart due to damage or neglect by a citizen may result in a fee on the customer’s utility bill.

Citizens requiring special collection services are able to receive those with their refuse cart. They will receive a yellow cart or yellow lid 68 gallon cart for their service. Walk-up cart monthly fee is $19.84 monthly. To request service please call General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551.

Gainesville residents are allowed to dump waste twice per year free at the Transfer Station. Customers must have their water bill and a current driver’s license with same address and must be present at the time of disposal. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Accounts will be tracked by physical addresses. Once an address has met its limit, any additional trash during the remainder of the fiscal year must be paid for.

• Only household waste will be accepted. NO ROOFING OR OTHER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WILL BE ALLOWED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
• Customers may come in twice on one date to reach their limit.
• Brush is a separate program and is not included in the two visit limit. Brush can not be longer than 8' and cannot be wider than 36".
• Businesses and Commercial Properties (rental homes and apartments) are excluded from this program.
• Fiscal year for this program is October 1st through September 30th.

Every year the City observes several holidays. These holidays are spread throughout the year and will affect some of the services provided to citizens and businesses. For instance, the Solid Waste Division will not provide residential or commercial cart service, roll-off service, or brush/bulky waste collection on City designated holidays. *Commercial dumpster routes will run as scheduled. * These services will resume on your next regularly scheduled day. Please view the Holiday Refuse Collection Schedule (PDF) for both Residential and Commercial Cart Customers.

If you have any questions or concerns about how City observed holidays affect your commercial/residential waste collection, please contact the Generals Services Department, Solid Waste Division at (940) 668-4551.

View the map of cart pickups (PDF). For more information contact the General Services Department, Solid Waste Division at 940-668-4551.

2023-2024 Transfer Station Brochure

Use our Staff Directory to view contact information for each department.

Moss Lake Boat Permits may be purchased at 104 W. Hird Street, Monday -Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. They can also be purchased at "The Bait Stop-N-Shop Store" located at Moss Lake by the south boat ramp. The store is open everyday except Tuesday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. and the phone number is 940-580-9093. If you have any question please call the Public Works office at 940-668-4540.

There is a $150 call-out fee.

Yes, we have two crew cars available 24-hours a day. Crew cars are available on a first come, first served basis.

No, we do not charge landing or ramp fees.

The City Council meets at 6:30 pm on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at City Hall located on 200 S. Rusk St.  Agendas for meetings can be found here.

Because the Texas Public Information Act is only activated by a written request for documents, all requests for copies of City records must be in writing. Requests for public information can be made through the City Secretary's Office.  To learn more about methods to submit your request, click here.

The Texas Public Information Act does not require governmental bodies to create new information, perform legal research, or to answer questions. The request must ask for records or information already in existence. The City of Gainesville will not comply with a standing request for information to be collected or prepared in the future. Please be advised that there is a charge for copies of public information in accordance with state law.

Trash is serviced on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday depending on your address. Please contact 668-4551 for your service day.  Click here for more information on residential cart refuse service.

Use our Staff Directory to view department contact information.

Limited outdoor burning may be conducted under strict guidelines with a permit. Contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at (940) 668-7777 for further information.