Ventura County, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies to
- Single-family homes, unincorporated area
- Requirement
- Subscribe with a contract collector
- Standard
- Sufficient for refuse, recyclables and organics volume
- Exempt
- Self-haulers meeting § 4770-6
- Penalty
- Infraction fines, Chapter 1, § 13-2
Summary
Every single-family dwelling organic waste generator in unincorporated Ventura County must subscribe to solid waste collection service with a contract collector under Ordinance Code § 4770-3(a). The service level must be sufficient to handle the volume of refuse, recyclable material, and organic waste the household generates or accumulates, and the household must also comply with the requirements of those collection services.
Single-family dwelling organic waste generators shall subscribe to a level of solid waste collection service with a contract collector as stated below that is sufficient to handle the volume of refuse, recyclable material, and organic waste generated or accumulated on the premises and comply with requirements of those collection services, except for single-family dwelling organic waste generators that are self-haulers and meet the requirements of Section 4770-6 of this Article.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
The section sets a sufficiency standard rather than a fixed container size: the subscription must match the volume of refuse, recyclable material, and organic waste actually generated or accumulated on the premises. A household that routinely produces more than its service handles is out of step with § 4770-3(a) even though it has a subscription, and the county can review a household's container size and count to confirm the service level is adequate. Subscribing is only half the duty. Generators must also comply with the requirements of the collection services themselves, so holding the account without following the service's rules does not satisfy the section.
The single exit from the subscription mandate is self-hauling: a single-family dwelling organic waste generator that is a self-hauler and meets the requirements of Section 4770-6 of the same article does not have to hold a collector subscription. Simply declining service without meeting the § 4770-6 self-hauler requirements is not an option the section recognizes. The rule governs only the unincorporated area; incorporated cities such as Moorpark and Thousand Oaks set their own collection rules.
Violations & Fines
Generators who fail to comply with the collection-service and diversion requirements are subject to fines for an infraction, and subsequent infractions, under Ordinance Code Chapter 1, § 13-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I opt out of trash collection entirely?
How much service do I have to buy?
Does this apply in Moorpark or Thousand Oaks?
What happens if I do not subscribe?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura County
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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