Washington County, MN Landscaping Rules: Composting (2026)
Key Facts
- Backyard Compost Site
- Exempt from Compost Facility licensing
- Size cap
- 10 cubic yards maximum
- Condition
- Must not create a public nuisance
- Exempt from
- Sections 7, 8, 12.1 through 12.5
- Governing law
- Solid Waste Mgmt Ordinance No. 202, § 12
Summary
Washington County lets residents run a backyard compost pile without a county license, but caps its size at ten cubic yards. Ordinance No. 202 exempts Backyard Compost Sites from the Solid Waste Management Ordinance's facility-licensing sections as long as the pile stays under that limit and does not become a nuisance.
Backyard Compost Sites. A Backyard Compost Site shall be considered exempt from the requirements of Sections 7, 8, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 and 12.5 and may be allowed on a land parcel without a license under this Ordinance. Backyard Compost Sites must comply with the following requirements: a. Size of the Compost pile shall not exceed ten (10) cubic yards in size; and b. Operation of the site shall not create a public nuisance or any conditions adversely affecting the environment or public health.
Full Breakdown
Section 12 of the Washington County Solid Waste Management Ordinance No. 5. That means a resident does not need a Department of Public Health and Environment license, an engineered site plan, or an operational plan to keep a compost pile on their own land parcel. The exemption comes with two conditions written directly into the ordinance: the pile cannot exceed ten cubic yards in size, and the site cannot create a public nuisance or any condition that adversely affects the environment or public health. Ten cubic yards is roughly a pile 10 feet long, 10 feet wide and 3 feet high, well above what a typical household produces from kitchen scraps and yard trimmings but a real ceiling for anyone stockpiling brush or leaves. 1.
Violations & Fines
A backyard pile that exceeds ten cubic yards, or that creates odors, pests, or runoff reaching a public-health-nuisance level, loses its exemption and can be enforced as an unlicensed Compost Facility under Section 20 of Ordinance No. 202, a misdemeanor with each day of noncompliance a separate offense, or pursued as a nuisance under the county's Public Health Nuisance Ordinance No. 165.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a compost pile in my Washington County backyard?
How big can my compost pile be without a county license?
What happens if my compost pile smells or attracts pests?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota landscaping rules overview
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