Monterey County, CA Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Bin placement in the unincorporated county is governed mainly by the Unified Franchise Agreement and the hauler's service terms rather than a separate County placement ordinance. The franchise agreement specifies that for on-call and curbside collection, the customer's material must be placed within three (3) feet of the curb, swale, paved surface of the public roadway, or closest accessible roadway, in a location that allows safe and efficient access for the collection crew and truck. The hauler also requires that carts be set out by its morning deadline on the scheduled collection day - the hauler's published rule for the area is to place the cart at the curb with wheels against the curb by 6:00 a.m., keep it at least three feet from parked cars, mailboxes, and other obstacles, and remove it the same day after collection. The agreement obligates the hauler to leave each container upright at the same point it was collected, without obstructing alleys, roadways, driveways, sidewalks, or mailboxes. For homes that are 'difficult to serve,' the hauler may offer roll-out or push service for an added charge. Carts that are stored in public view, left out long after collection, or placed so they block sidewalks or the roadway can be addressed as a nuisance under the County's code-enforcement chapter (Ch. 1.22). Residents with questions about exactly where and when to set carts should follow the instructions provided by their franchised hauler for their route.