Tulare County, CA Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Tulare County only
- Community composting cap
- 100 cubic yards / 750 sq ft on site
- Governing section
- Ordinance Code § 4-03-1005, § 4-03-1635
- Alternative to
- Mandatory Green Container subscription
- State cross-reference
- 14 CCR § 17855(a)(4), § 18984.9(c)
Summary
Unincorporated Tulare County residents may compost yard trimmings and food scraps on their own property instead of subscribing to organic waste pickup, but a community composting operation is capped at 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet of material on site at any one time under the County's SB 1383 organics ordinance.
"COMMUNITY COMPOSTING": means any activity that Composts green material, agricultural material, food material, and vegetative food material, alone or in combination, and the total amount of feedstock and Compost on site at any one time does not exceed 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet, as specified in 14 CCR Section 17855(a)(4), as defined by 14 CCR Section 18982(a)(8). ... [§4-03-1635(a)] Generators are responsible for any failure to subscribe and pay for such services, and may additionally manage their Organic Waste by preventing or reducing their Organic Waste, managing Organic Waste on site, and/or using a Community Composting site pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18984.9(c).
Full Breakdown
Tulare County Ordinance Code § 4-03-1005 defines "Community Composting" for purposes of the County's mandatory organics recycling program (Ordinance No. 3596, effective 12-07-2021) as capped at 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet of feedstock and finished compost on site at any one time, tracking the state cap in 14 CCR § 17855(a)(4). " That means backyard composting of grass clippings, leaves and food scraps is an accepted alternative to the mandatory Green Container subscription described in the same section, as long as the pile stays under the cubic-yard and square-footage caps that separate small-scale home composting from a regulated "community composting" operation subject to state permitting.
The Ordinance Code does not set bin material, height or setback standards for a backyard pile; it only regulates the point at which the activity becomes large enough to count as Community Composting under the CalRecycle definitions incorporated into Chapter 4-03. Residents who exceed the cap, or who compost material generated off their own property, fall outside the exemption and must instead subscribe to the County's Franchise Hauler organics service under § 4-03-1635(a) or pursue a formal waiver.
Violations & Fines
There is no standalone composting citation. A resident who fails to subscribe to organics collection and cannot show the on-site composting or Community Composting exemption applies remains liable for the mandatory service requirement in § 4-03-1635, and placing Prohibited Container Contaminants in a collection container can trigger a contamination processing fee or an enforcement action under § 4-03-1675, which is handled through the County's administrative citation process in Ordinance Code Part I, Chapter 23.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I compost my own yard waste instead of using the County's green cart?
How big can a backyard compost pile be before it needs a permit?
Does this rule apply inside the City of Tulare or Visalia?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulare County
California rules heatmap·Compare Tulare County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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