Abstract: The empty can counter and limiter includes a contoured plastic housing having an aperture for receiving the cans. This housing is adapted to fit on top of an open top type container and is contoured to direct one can at a time through a counting aperture. The electrical circuitry for the can counter includes a photosensor located to sense the passage of a can which interrupts a light beam. The output from the photosensor passes through a low pass filter which integrates the signal and provides it to a NAND gate. The output of the NAND gate drives the clock input of a divider flip flop which is connected to the clock input of an 8-bit counter. When a desired count is reached, the output of the counter activates an alarm which may be turned off by a reset switch. The reset switch will not operate to reset the counter until a predetermined count is registered.