All commercial waste in NYC must be hauled by a company licensed by the NYC Business Integrity Commission (BIC). This has been the law since Local Law 42 of 1996, which was enacted after decades of corruption and organized crime in the commercial carting industry.
Operating with an unlicensed hauler is a violation regardless of price or convenience. BIC maintains a publicly available, daily-updated list of all licensed carters at nyc.gov/bic.
BIC licenses carters who collect commercial waste (trash, recycling, organics) from businesses. It also sets maximum rates that carters can charge businesses outside implemented Commercial Waste Zones, and requires carters to provide written contracts and monthly itemized bills.
Once a Commercial Waste Zone is activated in your area, BIC rates are replaced by DSNY-regulated rates. But even inside CWZ zones, carters must maintain their BIC license.
- BIC decal must be posted visibly in your business window — provided by the carter for free
- Your carter must give you a written contract with all terms and rates
- Monthly itemized bills are required — your bill must show the maximum rate and your contracted rate
- Contracts cannot exceed 2 years in length
- 1Go to nyc.gov/site/bic/industries/trade-waste-approved-companies.page. This page lists all current licensees, updated daily at 5pm. Only carters on this list are legally authorized to collect your waste.
- 2Check the decal. Your carter should provide a BIC decal with their license number. Verify the number against the BIC list.
- 3For CWZ zones: Use the DSNY zone lookup to find your 3 authorized carters. All authorized CWZ carters are also BIC licensed.
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Using an unlicensed carter | Up to $10,000 |
| Carter charging above BIC maximum rate | File complaint with BIC |
| No BIC decal posted | $100–$500 |