Skip to main content
CityRuleLookup

Trash & Recycling in Kings County, CA (2026)

7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Kings County, California.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Kings County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Licensed haulers serving unincorporated Kings County must keep a regular collection schedule and give the county and every customer at least 30 days' notice before changing pickup days.

Kings County Trash Collection Schedule Rule

Some Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-37(a)(3)

Regular collection schedule. The licensed hauler shall provide a minimum regular collection schedule for his or her customers. The licensee may change the regular collection schedule, consistent with the terms of the county agreements with licensed haulers but only after giving the county public works department and each of the effected customers at least 30 days notice of the proposed change.

Bin Placement Rules

Leaving garbage cans or similar containers visibly stored in a residential front yard on non-collection days is a public nuisance in unincorporated Kings County.

Kings County Garbage Can Placement Rule

Some Restrictions

Kings County Code § 14-36(10)

Garbage cans, or similar containers, regularly stored in front yards in residential areas on non-collection days, and visible from any public or private property;(11)Maintenance of property in such a condition as to be detrimental to public health, safety or general welfare or in such manner as to constitute a public nuisance as defined in Civil Code Section 3480;(12)Residential area property m...

Recycling Requirements

Unincorporated Kings County requires every home and business to subscribe to three-container collection, blue for recyclables, green for organics, gray for trash, and to keep prohibited materials out of each bin.

Kings County Mandatory Three-Container Recycling

Some Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-12

single-family organic solid waste generators shall comply with the following requirements: (1)Subscribe to a three-container collection service for all solid waste generated as described below in subsection 13-11(b). The county shall have the right to review the number and size of a generator's containers to evaluate adequacy of capacity of each type of collection service for proper separati...

Mandatory Organics Recycling

Kings County requires single-family households to separate food scraps and yard waste into the green container under SB 1383, with violations of § 13-12 charged as a misdemeanor.

Kings County Mandatory Organics Separation

Heavy Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-12(2)

Participate in the county's solid waste collection service(s) by placing source separated organic waste, including food waste, in the green container; source separated recyclable materials in the blue container; and gray container waste in the gray container.

Illegal Dumping

Dumping solid waste anywhere in unincorporated Kings County outside an approved three-container collection service is unlawful under § 13-11(b)(2), charged as an infraction with fines up to $500 for repeat violations.

Kings County Illegal Dumping Penalties

Significant Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-11(b)(2)

Except for the purpose of green waste composting ... no person shall place or dump any solid waste or any offensive, unsightly or decaying matter of any kind whatsoever anywhere in the county other than in an approved container designated for that type of waste, consistent with a three-container collection service (blue container, green container, and gray container) or an approved solid waste ...

Yard Waste Collection

Kings County lets residents pile leaves, wood and other green waste on their property without violating the county's litter ordinance, so long as the accumulation doesn't create a nuisance under Sec. 13-11(a).

Kings County Yard Waste Accumulation Rule

Light Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-11(a)

The property shall be free of excessive amounts of solid waste and litter, except that manure or wood, leaves and other green waste may be accumulated, providing that no nuisance is created.

Collection Schedule

Licensed haulers must give unincorporated Kings County customers a regular collection schedule and at least 30 days' notice before changing route days, per § 13-37(a)(3).

Kings County Trash Collection Schedule Rules

Some Restrictions

Kings County Code § 13-37(a)(3)

The licensed hauler shall provide a minimum regular collection schedule for his or her customers. The licensee may change the regular collection schedule ... but only after giving the county public works department and each of the effected customers at least 30 days notice of the proposed change.

Trash & Recycling by City in Kings County

1 cities in Kings County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

All Kings County ordinances

See every category we cover for Kings County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.

Kings County Ordinance Hub →