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2026-08-22
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Cite as
Get started with the Dumpster Controls API. Dumpster Controls. https://dumpstercontrols.io/help/api/get-started-with-the-api (accessed 2026-10-05).
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Facts sheet · llms.txt · llms-full.txt · All agent pages · Product manual

Developer API · updated 2026-08-22

Get started with the Dumpster Controls API

The Dumpster Controls API is a public REST API that lets your own software read your company data and push in leads, with real-time signed webhooks. It is included free, approval-gated, and always scoped to your company only. This guide takes you from zero to your first successful API call in about five minutes.

  1. ## Request access
    In the app, open Settings, then API. Read the overview, describe what you plan to connect (for example "sync new orders into my GoHighLevel account"), and submit. Our team reviews every request quickly and approves or declines it. Keys never work before approval: this is a hard server-side rule, checked on every single request.
  2. ## Create your first key
    Once approved, the same screen lets you create a key. Give it a name that says where it will live ("Zapier", "our CRM server"). The full key, starting with dc_live_, is shown exactly once: copy it and store it in your secret manager. Only its fingerprint stays in our database.
  3. ## Make your first call
    From your server or an API tool, send the key as a Bearer token:
    ```
    curl -H "Authorization: Bearer dc_live_YOUR_KEY" \
    "https://gcwyoiihrupbfqqlcurh.supabase.co/functions/v1/api-v1/v1/orders?per_page=5"
    ```
    You get JSON back: a data array of orders, plus page, per_page and has_more for pagination. If you are on the free plan, read responses also carry the X-DC-Window-Remaining header with the seconds left in your daily window.
  4. ## Understand the base URL
    All endpoints live under one base URL:
    ```
    https://gcwyoiihrupbfqqlcurh.supabase.co/functions/v1/api-v1/v1
    ```
    Append the endpoint path: /orders, /customers, /estimates, /sizes, /junk-jobs, /leads. The full machine-readable spec (OpenAPI 3) is published at dumpstercontrols.io/openapi.json and the quick reference lives at dumpstercontrols.io/developers.
  5. ## Know the ground rules
    Three rules shape everything: (1) your key only ever sees YOUR company data, enforced server-side on every query; (2) money is out of scope by design (no refunds, charges or price changes through the API, ever); (3) the key is a server-side secret. Browser calls are rejected on purpose (no CORS), so the key never belongs in front-end code.

What happens next

  • Next: read "Authentication and API keys" for key management, then the endpoint references. If you want events pushed to you instead of polling, jump to "Receive real-time webhooks".

Troubleshooting

I get 401 on every call.

Either the Authorization header is missing/misformatted (it must be exactly "Bearer dc_live_..."), the key was revoked, or your company access was not approved yet. Check Settings, API.

Where do I see how much API time I have left today?

Free plan READ responses carry the X-DC-Window-Remaining header (seconds); lead POSTs do not, since leads bypass the window. Settings, API also shows the remaining window for today.

Related guides

© 2026 Dumpster Controls. All rights reserved. Made in the USA.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dumpster Controls really free?

Yes. The software is free: dispatch, online booking, the driver app, invoicing, the Tresha AI assistant and every other feature, with no monthly fee, no trial period and no credit card to sign up. The only cost on the free plan is optional card processing when a customer pays by card through the platform: 2.99% plus $3.99 per transaction on the free plan. An optional Unlimited plan at $169 per month lowers that to 2.99% plus $0.30. Prices as published on dumpstercontrols.io/pricing on 2026-09-23.

Do you charge per driver, per truck or per order?

No. There is no per-driver, per-truck, per-user or per-order fee, and no order limit. A company with one truck and a company with twenty pay the same for the software: nothing.

Is there a contract?

No. There is no contract, no minimum term and no setup fee. You create the account yourself, and on the free plan there is nothing to cancel because nothing is billed. The optional Unlimited plan is billed month to month.

Which countries and languages are supported?

Dumpster Controls serves hauling companies in the United States and Canada. The app interface and the Tresha AI assistant are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The public pages, such as the blog, the help center and the landfill finder, are in English.

How do I switch from another dumpster software?

Create a free account at dumpstercontrols.io/login, with no sales call and no credit card. Then import your customers from a CSV file using the template provided in the app; past orders can also be imported from a CSV. Container sizes and pricing are set up in Settings. The landfill database, with 1,750 active US and Canadian landfills as counted on 2026-10-01, is already loaded, so disposal sites do not need to be typed in. Step-by-step guides are at dumpstercontrols.io/help.