Dakota County, MN Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest residential pickup
- 6:00 a.m.
- Latest residential pickup
- 9:00 p.m.
- Governing section
- Ordinance 110, Sec. 15.02(I)
- Applies to
- Residential sources only
- Licensing authority
- Dakota County Environmental Resources Department
- Collection arranged
- Directly with a private licensed hauler
Summary
Licensed haulers serving unincorporated Dakota County may not collect or transport residential solid waste before 6:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., a countywide curfew set in the Solid Waste Management Ordinance's equipment and operations section that applies to every hauler license the county issues.
The licensee may not collect and transport solid waste from residential sources
before 6:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
J. YARD WASTE COLLECTION. Solid waste haulers shall only accept for collection, yard waste that is
generated and placed for collection in Dakota County: (1) that has been placed in paper bags or other
containers that meet all the specifications in American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard
Specific for Compostable Bags (D6400) or (2) that is in a container that is not collected with the yard waste;
or (3) that is not containerized.
K. PROHIBITED WASTES. Solid waste haulers shall not accept for collection in Dakota County any mixed
municipal solid waste that contains yard waste, Christmas trees, dry cell batteries (as prohibited by Minn.
Stat. �115A.9155), wastes containing mercury (as prohibited by Minn. Stat. �115A.932), motor vehicle
fluids and filters (as prohibited in Minn. Stat. �115A.916), cathode ray tubes or any additional materials
prohibited under Section 3.01 A and B.
Full Breakdown
Dakota County does not run its own curbside collection program in the unincorporated area; residents contract individually with a hauler licensed under Ordinance No. 02. ' The restriction applies only to residential sources; it does not by its terms limit commercial or industrial collection times. 02(G). anywhere in the unincorporated county, regardless of the day of the week service falls on. The Dakota County Environmental Resources Department administers hauler licensing and can act on a complaint that a truck is running outside the permitted hours.
Violations & Fines
A hauler that collects residential waste outside the 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window is in violation of its Dakota County license under Section 15.02(I), and the department can pursue the same license enforcement tools, including suspension or revocation, that apply to other operating violations in Section 15.02. Residents who are woken by early trucks or see late-night pickups can report the hauler's name and decal number to the Environmental Resources Department for follow-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can trash trucks start collecting in Dakota County?
How late can a hauler pick up residential trash?
Does Dakota County set my actual pickup day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dakota County
Compare Dakota County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
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