Santa Clara County requires trash, recycling, and organics carts to be placed curbside only on collection day and stored out of public view between pickups.
In unincorporated Santa Clara County, residents must follow hauler and county guidelines for cart placement to keep neighborhoods clean and accessible. Carts should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6 PM the evening before collection, and removed from the curb within 24 hours after pickup. Between collection days, carts must be stored out of public view, typically behind a fence, in the side yard, or in a garage. Leaving carts visible from the street throughout the week can trigger a nuisance citation. Carts must be placed with wheels against the curb, handles facing the house, and spaced at least 3 feet apart and 3 feet from any obstruction so the automated truck arm can grab them. Do not block driveways, crosswalks, fire hydrants, or disabled parking ramps with carts. Overfilled carts with lids unable to close may be refused by haulers.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Santa Clara County's bin placement rules rules stack up against other locations.
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