Trash & Recycling in Yolo County, CA (2026)
9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Yolo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Yolo County residents may not put trash carts at the curb before 5 p.m. the day before collection and must pull empty carts back in by 7 a.m. the next morning. Section 6-17.304(a) sets the window, with a later 9 a.m. removal deadline for Old Willowbank.
Curb Placement Timing for Yolo County Trash
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.304(a)
Curb/Roadside placement shall occur no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day prior to Collection, and emptied Containers shall be removed from the Curb by 7:00 a.m. on the day after Collection, except for the Old Willowbank community where Containers shall be removed from the Curb by 9:00 a.m. on the day after Collection.
Bin Placement Rules
Unincorporated Yolo County requires trash, recycling and organics carts at the curb only within a set window: no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before collection, and pulled back in by 7 a.m. the day after (9 a.m. in Old Willowbank). Leaving containers in the street or alley right-of-way outside that window violates County Code Section 6-17.304 and is enforced by the Department of Community Services.
Trash Cart Placement and Set-Out Times in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.304
Discarded Materials Containers shall be placed at the Curb/Roadside for Collection unless a County Franchisee agrees to collect such Containers from an alternative location due to the disability of a Customer. Curb/Roadside placement shall occur no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day prior to Collection, and emptied Containers shall be removed from the Curb by 7:00 a.m. on the day after Collectio...
Bulk Item Disposal
In unincorporated Yolo County, only your county-franchised hauler may legally collect bulky items like mattresses or old furniture; there is no free curbside bulk-item day. Section 6-17.501(b)(vii) carves out one exception: a retailer can haul away your old mattress or large appliance at no separate cost when you buy its replacement.
Bulky Item Disposal Rules in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.501(a), (b)(vii)
No Person shall collect, handle, transfer, store, process, Transport or use Discarded Materials (including Recyclable Materials, Yard Trimmings, Organics and C&D) in the unincorporated area of the County without first receiving a franchise to engage in such activity from the County. ... (vii) Bulky Items Direct from Retailer. Bulky items such as mattresses or large appliances that are removed a...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Single-family homes in a county-designated Densely Populated Area must subscribe to bi-weekly Organics Collection alongside recyclables, under Section 6-17.301(a). Commercial premises face a stricter weekly organics removal duty tied to state law AB 1826.
Bi-Weekly Organics Collection Required in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.301(a)
In addition, unless exempted pursuant to this Section, all Owners and Occupants of Single-Family Premises in a Densely Populated Area shall subscribe to bi-weekly Recyclables Collection and Organics Collection services provided by an authorized County Franchisee.
Illegal Dumping
Yolo County Code Sec. 6-7.02 bans placing, depositing, or dumping litter on any public or private property in the unincorporated area, with a narrow carve-out for farms burying their own agricultural refuse well away from homes. The county's Health Officer enforces the ban, backed by the general misdemeanor penalty in Sec. 1-2.01.
Illegal Dumping Penalties in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-7.02
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or dump any litter or allow any accumulation of litter to remain on any public or private property within the unincorporated area of the County except as set forth in this section. (b) An occupant of property which is devoted entirely to commercial agricultural purposes, including the feeding and raising of livestock for dairying or...
Yard Waste Collection
Unincorporated Yolo County's curbside loose-pile yard-trimmings collection is not countywide: it is guaranteed only for single-family homes in the Old Willowbank area of unincorporated Davis under Section 6-17.305. Where it applies, piles can't exceed five feet in any dimension and branches must be under eight inches thick and five feet long, per Section 6-17.306.
Loose-Pile Yard Waste Rules for Old Willowbank
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances §§ 6-17.305, 6-17.306
Single-Family Residential Units within the Old Willowbank area of unincorporated Davis, shall be required to have loose pile Yard Trimmings Collection provided by the County Franchisee. ... Yard Trimming piles are authorized for Collection by County Franchisee subject to the following regulations: (1) Only Yard Trimming waste may be placed in piles, provided that: (a) Tree trunks and branches m...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial properties in unincorporated Yolo County must arrange their own containers, bins, drop boxes, or compactors with a county franchisee, sized to allow weekly removal of trash, recyclables, and organics as state law AB 341 and AB 1826 require. Section 6-17.303(c) puts the sizing burden on the business.
Commercial Dumpster Rules in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.303(c)
Commercial Premises. Commercial Premises are to make appropriate Container, Bin, Drop Box, or Compactor arrangements with County Franchisees to enable compliance with the provisions of this Chapter requiring the weekly removal and Disposal of Discarded Materials, weekly removal of Recyclable Materials and weekly removal of Organics as mandated by State Assembly Bill (AB 341) and Assembly Bill (...
Collection Schedule
Every single-family, multi-family, and commercial property in unincorporated Yolo County must subscribe to weekly trash collection from an authorized county franchisee. Section 6-17.301(a) makes subscription automatic, with no signed contract required, unless the owner qualifies for a written exemption.
Weekly Trash Pickup Mandatory in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.301(a)-(b)
Unless exempted pursuant to this Section, the Owners or Occupants of all Single-Family, Multi-Family and Commercial Premises shall subscribe to weekly Discarded Materials Collection services provided by an authorized County Franchisee... All Owners and Occupants of Single-Family Premises, Multi-Family Premises and Commercial Premises are considered subscribers, without the need for a signed con...
Recycling Rules
Yolo County Code Section 6-17.201(hh) defines Recyclable Materials that must go in the recycling cart, listing paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, steel cans, and plastics numbered 1 through 7, but the material must be at least 90% recyclable and kept separate from trash.
What Counts as Recyclable in Yolo County
Some RestrictionsYolo County Code of Ordinances § 6-17.201(hh)
"Recyclable Materials or Recyclables" means those Discarded Materials that the Generators set out in Recyclables Containers for Collection for the purpose of Recycling; that are at least ninety percent (90%) Recyclable; and that exclude Excluded Waste. No Discarded Materials shall be considered Recyclable Materials unless such material it is separated from Solid Waste, Yard Trimmings, Organics,...
Trash & Recycling by City in Yolo County
1 cities in Yolo County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Yolo County ordinances
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