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Yuba City, CA Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Service status: Mandatory for every producing property
Accumulation limit: 1 calendar week
Schedule set by: Public Works Director
Appeal window: 15 days after notice
Appeal decided within: 10 days by the Director
Penalty: Misdemeanor

Summary

Yuba City requires every property owner to subscribe to the city's contracted refuse collection service under Municipal Code Section 6-3.03, and bars anyone from letting refuse accumulate longer than one calendar week under Section 6-3.14; the Public Works Director sets the actual routes, hours, and collection days.

The periodic collection of refuse from all places in the City benefits all occupants of places and premises in the City and promotes and protects the health, safety, and welfare of all residents of the City. Therefore, refuse collection services provided by the collector(s), City, or its authorized agents, are mandatory for all owners of property within the City in or from which refuse is created, accumulated, or produced; however, there may be joint or multiple use of refuse containers in certain circumstances.

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Full Breakdown

02 gives the City and its contracted collector(s) the exclusive right to collect, convey, and transport refuse over Yuba City's public streets and alleys, with narrow exceptions for County-authorized haulers serving adjacent unincorporated areas or permitted self-haul. 03 makes subscription mandatory for every owner of property where refuse is created, accumulated, or produced, and separately bars anyone but the collector or City employees from collecting refuse for compensation on a regular schedule. 05 places the payment obligation on the property owner even where a tenant actually pays the bill, and lets the container type and rate be set by the City-collector agreement or Council resolution.

04 lets an owner appeal the mandatory-service requirement in writing to the Public Works Director within 15 days of notice, but only on the grounds of a legal alternative disposal method or complete recycling of all refuse; landfill self-hauling does not qualify, and the Director's decision is final. 15(c) gives the Public Works Director the power to set, and change with notice, the specific routes, hours, and days of collection city-wide.

Violations & Fines

Failing to subscribe to mandatory refuse service, or letting refuse sit longer than one calendar week between collections, is a misdemeanor under Section 6-3.20, on top of being declared a nuisance under Section 6-3.01(c). Only the city's contracted collector may pick up refuse on a regular paid basis; anyone else collecting for compensation also violates Section 6-3.03.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to sign up for trash service in Yuba City?

Yes. Section 6-3.03 makes refuse collection mandatory for every owner of property in the city where refuse is created, accumulated, or produced, and Section 6-3.05 holds the property owner responsible for subscribing and paying even if a tenant handles the actual payments.

How often must my trash be collected in Yuba City?

Section 6-3.14 bars anyone from letting refuse accumulate for longer than one calendar week, and Section 6-3.15(c) gives the Public Works Director authority to set the actual routes, hours, and days of collection and to change them with notice, so the exact weekly pickup day depends on your route.

Can I opt out of city trash collection?

Only through the appeal process in Section 6-3.04: an owner must file a written appeal with the Public Works Director within 15 days of being notified that service is required, and show either a legal alternative disposal method or complete recycling of all refuse; hauling to a landfill yourself does not qualify. The Director's decision is final.

Can anyone besides the city's contractor pick up my trash for a fee?

No. Section 6-3.03 makes it unlawful for anyone other than the city's collector or its employees to collect, remove, or dispose of refuse within Yuba City on a regularly scheduled basis for compensation, though self-haul and in-sink garbage disposal devices under the Uniform Plumbing Code remain allowed.

Sources & Official References

[1]Yuba City Municipal Code, Chapter 3 - Mandatory Refuse Collection Services

Other rules in Yuba City

Recycling RulesSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Chickens & LivestockSome Restrictions Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard FiresSome Restrictions Illegal DumpingHeavy Restrictions Recycling RequirementsSome Restrictions Bin Placement RulesSome Restrictions Yard Waste CollectionSome Restrictions Pickup Rules & SchedulesSome Restrictions Mandatory Organics RecyclingSome Restrictions Dumpster RulesSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Pet LimitsSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: BeekeepingSignificant Restrictions Fire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions Landscaping Rules: Tree TrimmingSome Restrictions

All Yuba City rules

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