Trash & Recycling in Jefferson County, MO (2026)
7 rules for unincorporated Jefferson County, Missouri.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Every property owner and occupant in unincorporated Jefferson County that produces solid waste must sign up with a licensed hauler, one carrying a valid County hauling permit, under Section 250.030(A). The resident and hauler negotiate the price, and once waste is loaded onto the truck it legally becomes the hauler's property, not the County's or the resident's.
Jefferson County Mandatory Trash Hauler Rules
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 250.030(A)
Waste Collection Required. The owner and/or occupant of every dwelling unit and all institutional, commercial, industrial, agricultural or other establishments producing solid waste in the County shall be required to have solid waste collection service by a hauler of their choice who has a valid Jefferson County hauling permit for the collection, transportation and disposal of solid waste. The ...
Bin Placement Rules
Jefferson County requires trash and yard-waste containers to sit at a spot on the owner's property that the hauler and resident have already agreed on, set out on the scheduled collection day and kept clear of stormwater runoff. Section 250.030(C) also gives haulers twenty-four hours after pickup to return emptied containers to their normal storage spot.
Jefferson County Garbage Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 250.030(C)
Pickup. All solid waste containers as required by this Chapter for the storage of residential solid waste and yard wastes as regulated in Section 250.020(B — D) and other solid waste authorized for pickup in this Section by solid waste collectors shall be placed on the designated collection day at a location on the owner and/or occupant's property previously agreed upon by the hauler and the ow...
Bulk Item Disposal
Jefferson County guarantees bulky rubbish pickup, discarded appliances, furniture and other oversized items too heavy for a regular truck, twice a year under Section 250.030(F), with the owner paying the cost. Haulers can also arrange bulky pickups any other time by agreement, and until pickup day the items must stay inside a building under Section 250.020(F).
Jefferson County Bulky Item Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 250.030(F)
Bulky Rubbish Collection. The opportunity for bulky rubbish collection by haulers shall be made available twice yearly. Cost of pickup shall be borne by the owner of the rubbish. This is not to exclude bulky rubbish pickup at any time of the year when arranged between hauler and customer.
Illegal Dumping
Jefferson County bans dumping, depositing, throwing, or leaving litter on any public or private property or in any waters in the unincorporated county, and lets a name found on the dumped material create a rebuttable presumption of guilt against that person.
Jefferson County Littering and Dumping Ban
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 205.220(A)
It shall be unlawful to litter in the unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Missouri. A person commits the crime of littering if he/she dumps, deposits, throws, leaves, causes or permits the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter or allows unsecured materials to drop or shift off of vehicle loads onto any public or private property in Jefferson County or any waters in Je...
Yard Waste Collection
Jefferson County defines yard waste as grass clippings, leaves and debris from dead, fallen or felled trees, and Section 250.020(D) requires it to be stored in containers sturdy enough to keep it from blowing onto the yard or spilling into the public right-of-way. The hauler, not the resident, decides how much any one container can weigh.
Jefferson County Yard Waste Storage Rules
Light RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 250.020(D)
Yard Wastes. Yard wastes shall be stored in containers so constructed and maintained as to prevent the dispersal of wastes therein on the premises served or upon adjacent public rights-of-way. The weight of any individual container shall be determined by the solid waste collector.
Dumpster Rules
Non-residential trash containers and dumpsters in unincorporated Jefferson County must be screened from off-property view, with individual enclosures built of masonry, decorative wall, or fence and gate material that matches the main building's color.
Jefferson County Trash Enclosure Screening Standard
Some RestrictionsJefferson County UDO § 400.2440
Where required, all exterior non-residential trash storage containers shall be screened so that they are not visible from off the property. Where individual trash enclosures are provided, screening shall be constructed of masonry walls, decorative walls or fence, with a gate (not plastic or vinyl) painted to be compatible with the color of the walls or fence and the building it is to serve.
Collection Schedule
Every residence in unincorporated Jefferson County must have its solid waste picked up at least once a week under Section 250.030(E). The only excuses for missing that weekly minimum are severe weather, a national holiday landing on the regular pickup day, or a low-density area the Director has specifically designated as an exception.
Jefferson County Residential Trash Collection Frequency
Some RestrictionsJefferson County, MO Code of Ordinances § 250.030(E)
Residential Collection Frequency. All owners and/or occupants of residential structures shall arrange for the removal of solid waste at least once per week. Exceptions to the minimum collection service required would be: 1. In case of weather so severe as to make collection on a particular day impossible, or 2. In the event of a national holiday falling on a regularly scheduled collection day, ...
All Jefferson County ordinances
See every category we cover for Jefferson County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Jefferson County Ordinance Hub →