Placer County, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Placer County Code § 8.16.220
- Mandatory areas
- Franchise Areas 3 and 4
- Minimum billed service
- One 32-gallon can weekly if found in use
- Quarterly exemption window
- One month, e.g. Nov 15-Dec 15
- Appeal deadline
- 15 days from delinquency notice
Summary
Section 8.16.220 makes franchise refuse collection mandatory for occupied homes and businesses in Placer County's Franchise Areas 3 and 4. An unused property can seek a quarterly exemption, but the window to request one is narrow, and unpaid service bills go onto the property tax roll.
A. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this article to the contrary, all refuse accumulated within the territory described in subsection B of this section shall be collected, conveyed and disposed of by the franchise holder. No person shall collect, convey, or dispose of, any refuse accumulated within Franchise Areas 3 and 4 except as provided by this article. 1. Exception for Actual Producers. This part shall not be construed to prohibit the actual producers of refuse, or the owners of premises upon which refuse has accumulated, from personally collecting, conveying and disposing of occasional loads of refuse, provided such owners or producers comply with the provisions of this article; however, such actual producer or owner shall still be liable for the payment of fees for the collection of refuse as herein below set forth.
Full Breakdown
220(A) requires that all refuse accumulated within the mandatory territory be collected, conveyed and disposed of by the franchise holder, and bars anyone else from collecting, conveying or disposing of refuse accumulated within Franchise Areas 3 and 4. Actual producers or owners may still personally haul occasional loads themselves under paragraph (1), but they remain liable for the same collection fees as if the franchise holder had served them. Under paragraph (2), if a house or business in Franchise Area 3 is used, the property owner must maintain refuse service; if it is unused for an entire quarter it can qualify for exemption, but the request must be filed within a fixed window, for example November 15 to December 15 for the first quarter (January-March) or May 15 to June 15 for the third quarter (July-September).
Properties found in use despite no service are automatically placed on a minimum level of one 32-gallon can per week and billed for the full quarter; unpaid bills are reimbursed by the county to the disposal company and then added to the property tax bill. Paragraph (3) allows a business owner whose primary residence sits in Franchise Area 3 a single annual exemption for that residence, requested each year between November 15 and December 15, contingent on the business itself staying current on service with no public health lapses.
Violations & Fines
An account the county determines delinquent may be appealed within 15 days of the notice of delinquency under § 8.16.220(A)(4)(a); appeals are heard by a hearing officer, and denied appeals go to the board of supervisors at a publicly noticed hearing. Outside the appeal process, unpaid mandatory service charges are billed to the disposal company by the county and then placed on the property owner's tax bill for collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to have trash service if I live in unincorporated Placer County?
Can I cancel trash service if my Placer County home is vacant?
What happens if I do not pay my mandatory refuse bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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