Chelan County, WA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Chapter 4.16, Litter Control
- Core ban
- No dumping litter on public or others' property
- Vehicle dumping
- Separately barred under § 4.16.160
- Max penalty
- 90 days jail or $250 fine
- Who enforces
- Sheriff's deputies, fire, building, health staff
- Conflict rule
- Most stringent conflicting ordinance controls
Summary
Dumping litter or garbage on a street, alley, sidewalk, waterway or someone else's property in unincorporated Chelan County violates the county's Litter Control ordinance, Chapter 4.16. Dumping from a vehicle is separately prohibited, and any violation of the chapter is a misdemeanor punishable by up to ninety days in county jail or a two-hundred-fifty-dollar fine.
§ 4.16.030. Litter in general. No person shall throw, drop, deposit, discard or otherwise dispose of litter upon any street, alley, sidewalk or any other public place in the county or upon a private residence or other private property not owned by him, or in any waters within the jurisdiction of the county whether from a vehicle or otherwise except: ... § 4.16.160. Litter thrown by persons in vehicles or dumped or strewn from vehicles. No person, while a driver or passenger in a vehicle or at any other time, shall throw, dump or otherwise deposit or dispose of litter or garbage on any street, road, or other public place or upon any private residence or private property except approved disposal at an approved land fill. ... § 4.16.220. Penalties. Every violation of this chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a sentence of not more than ninety days in the county jail or a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars.
Full Breakdown
030. The prohibition applies whether the material is dumped from a vehicle or otherwise, with narrow exceptions for using a licensed disposal site, using a litter receptacle properly, or dumping with the property owner's consent in a way that does not create a nuisance. 160 separately targets motorists, barring any driver or passenger from throwing, dumping or depositing litter or garbage on a street, road or other public place, or on private property, except at an approved landfill. 040. 180. 210 directs that where another county ordinance conflicts, the more stringent provision controls.
Violations & Fines
Any violation of Chapter 4.16, including dumping litter or garbage on a road, sidewalk, waterway or another person's property, or dumping from a vehicle in violation of Section 4.16.160, is a misdemeanor under Section 4.16.220. The maximum sentence is ninety days in the county jail, a two-hundred-fifty-dollar fine, or the court may impose both. Any deputy sheriff, fire department, building department or health department officer may issue the citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping in unincorporated Chelan County?
Is dumping trash out of a vehicle treated differently?
What's the penalty for illegal dumping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelan County
Compare Chelan County to another location·View the Washington trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.