Fairfield, CA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Curb spacing
- 2 feet apart, 6 feet from fixed objects
- Earliest set-out
- Sunset the night before pickup
- Latest removal
- 10:00 p.m. on collection day
- Storage rule
- Hidden from right-of-way, alleys excepted
- Unpermitted street container
- Impounded within 24 hours (Sec. 9.330)
Summary
Fairfield residents must roll carts to the curb in front of the home, spaced two feet apart and six feet from any fixed object or parked car, under City Code Section 9.390. Carts cannot go out before sunset the night before pickup and must be pulled back out of street view, alleys excepted, by 10 p.m. on collection day.
Every Residential Householder shall place each Container for Collection at the curb in front of the premises, or at the curb at the side of the premises where the premises are adjacent to more than one street. Where feasible, carts shall be placed for collection a minimum of two feet apart and six feet from any fixed object including parked vehicles. No Person shall place any such Container for Collection earlier than sunset of the day preceding the day designated for Collection, and all Containers and receptacles shall be removed from the place of Collection prior to 10:00 p.m. of the day the Containers have been emptied. Such Containers shall be removed to a storage location, which is not visible from any public right-of-way, excluding alleys.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-02, passed February 17, 2026).
Full Breakdown
390 sets the placement window for every Residential Householder: containers go at the curb fronting the home, or at the side curb for corner lots touching more than one street. Where feasible, carts must sit at least two feet apart from each other and six feet from any fixed object, including a parked vehicle. the day it was emptied, into a storage location that isn't visible from any public right-of-way other than an alley. 320 backs this up by banning cardboard boxes, paper, or plastic bags as outdoor solid-waste receptacles and requiring any outdoor container to have a lid keeping out moisture, flies, rodents, and vermin.
330 bars anyone but the Authorized Collector from placing a container in the public right-of-way without the City Manager's prior written consent; an unpermitted container can be impounded 24 hours after written notice, or immediately if it carries no owner identification. 340 separately makes it unlawful to interfere with collection or to remove waste from a container other than the property owner, occupant, a public agency employee on duty, or the Authorized Collector.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of the placement or timing rules is an infraction with a fine up to $100 under Section 1.7, rising to a $250 infraction or a $1,000 misdemeanor with up to six months in jail for a second offense within a year, and each day counts separately. An unauthorized container left in the right-of-way without written City Manager consent can be impounded within 24 hours of notice under Section 9.330, or immediately if unmarked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early can I put my trash cart out in Fairfield?
How far apart do carts need to be at the curb?
Can I just use a regular trash can or bag instead of the city cart?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Fairfield to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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Bin Placement Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle bin placement rules.