Collin County, TX Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- County Code
- None
- State Backstop
- TX HSC Ch. 343 nuisance
- HOA Rules
- Often stricter
- City Rules
- Typically 12-hour window
- Common Practice
- Store behind fence line
Summary
Collin County has no unincorporated-area ordinance regulating trash bin storage. Residents typically store bins out of public view between pickups. HOAs often impose stricter rules than any government code.
Sec. 343.011. PUBLIC NUISANCE. (a) This section applies only to the unincorporated area of a county.(b) A person may not cause, permit, or allow a public nuisance under this section.(c) A public nuisance is:(1) keeping, storing, or accumulating refuse on premises in a neighborhood unless the refuse is entirely contained in a closed receptacle;(2) keeping, storing, or accumulating rubbish, including newspapers, abandoned vehicles, refrigerators, stoves, furniture, tires, and cans, on premises in a neighborhood or within 300 feet of a public street for 10 days or more, unless the rubbish or object is completely enclosed in a building or is not visible from a public street;(3) maintaining premises in a manner that creates an unsanitary condition likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rodents, vermin, or other disease-carrying pests; [...]
Full Breakdown
Collin County Commissioners Court has not enacted a property-maintenance code governing residential refuse container storage, as general-law Texas counties lack building and property-maintenance code authority (see TX Attorney General Opinion JM-1001). TX Health & Safety Code Ch. 343 (Abatement of Public Nuisances) permits county enforcement only when containers cause insect or rodent harborage rising to the level of a public nuisance. City rules dominate: Plano §6-107 requires carts stored behind the front building line except for 12 hours before/after pickup; Frisco §50-6 mirrors that 12-hour window; McKinney §50-55 requires screening from street view. HOA deed restrictions under TX Property Code Ch. 202 commonly require bins stored behind the garage line and screened from public view.
Violations & Fines
County nuisance (HSC §343.011): Class C misdemeanor, up to $200 first offense, $2,000 subsequent. City fines typically $50–$200. HOA fines per CC&Rs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Collin County fine me for storing bins in front?
What do cities like Plano require?
Can my HOA fine me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Collin County
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Collin County to another location·View the Texas trash & recycling overview
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