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Oxnard, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Service frequency
Once per week
Standard cart size
96-gallon refuse/recycle/organics
Subscription
Mandatory, §19-160(C)
Hours set by
City council resolution, §19-153(A)
Max penalties
$1,000 misdemeanor or $100-$500 infraction

Summary

Oxnard requires every single-family home and mobile home to subscribe to weekly refuse, recycling, and organics pickup under City Code § 19-203(A), which sets a 96-gallon refuse cart (64-gallon minimum), 96-gallon recycling cart, and 96-gallon organics cart serviced once a week. Subscription is mandatory under § 19-160(C), and the city council fixes collection days and hours by resolution under § 19-153(A).

Single family dwellings, single family dwellings with less than three units, and mobile homes shall each receive a 96-gallon refuse container, a 96-gallon recycle container, and a 96-gallon green/organics waste container that will be serviced once a week. The minimum service requirements for residential and mobile home type dwellings listed herein shall be a 64-gallon refuse container, a 96-gallon recycle container, and a 96-gallon green/organics waste container that will be serviced once a week.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Contains Supplement current through 1-26-2026).

Full Breakdown

The Public Works solid waste division runs Oxnard's mandatory cart program under Chapter 19, Article II of the city code. Section 19-203(A) sets residential minimum service at a 96-gallon refuse container, 96-gallon recycling container, and 96-gallon organics container serviced once a week for single-family homes and mobile homes with less than three units; the citywide floor is a 64-gallon refuse cart. Section 19-160(C) requires every single-family generator to subscribe to the city's two- or three-container collection service for all refuse, recycling, and organic materials generated, to place source-separated material in the correct cart, and to allow the city periodic inspection access to containers.

The city retains the right under § 19-160(C)(3)-(4) to review and adjust a generator's container size or collection frequency and can require the resident to change service level on request. Section 19-153(A) gives the city council authority to set collection hours by resolution, and during a declared local or general emergency or pandemic the city manager may adjust those hours directly. Multi-family and commercial accounts follow a parallel weekly schedule under § 19-160(D)-(E), though those generators may request a de minimis or physical-space waiver under § 19-154(B) if their organic waste volume falls below the thresholds set for a two-cubic-yard or larger container.

Violations & Fines

Noncompliance with the collection-schedule requirements is enforced under § 19-201, which routes violations to § 1-10's citywide penalty schedule: a general misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, or, at the city attorney's discretion, prosecution as an infraction carrying escalating fines of $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for the third and each later offense. Every day a violation continues is a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is trash collection mandatory for Oxnard homes?
Yes. Section 19-160(C)(1) requires every single-family generator to subscribe to the city's two- or three-container refuse, recycling, and organics service; residents cannot opt out of the base program, though multi-family and commercial accounts may request narrow waivers under § 19-154(B).
What size trash cart does Oxnard provide?
Section 19-203(A) sets a 96-gallon refuse container as the standard size, with matching 96-gallon recycling and organics carts, all serviced weekly; the minimum allowed refuse cart citywide is 64 gallons for residents who request a smaller size.
Who decides my collection day and pickup time?
The city council sets collection hours and days by resolution under § 19-153(A). During a declared emergency or pandemic, the city manager may adjust those hours for the duration of the emergency.

Sources & Official References

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