Cobb County, GA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Small dump fine
- Up to $1,000 and 60 days jail (10 lb or less)
- Large dump fine
- Flat $1,000 per occurrence (over 10 lb/15 cu ft)
- Governing section
- County Code section 102-92
- Scope
- Unincorporated Cobb County only
- Cleanup order
- Up to 1 mile of right-of-way
- Last amended
- November 20, 2025
- Enforcement
- Police, code enforcement, sustainability and waste dept.
Summary
Dumping, throwing, or leaving litter on public or private property in unincorporated Cobb County is a misdemeanor under County Code section 102-92(a). A load of ten pounds or 15 cubic feet or less is fined under the chapter's general penalty, up to $1,000 and 60 days in jail; anything larger draws a flat $1,000 fine for each dumping incident.
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to dump, throw or leave litter on any public or private property in the unincorporated areas, unless: (1) The property is designated by the state or by any of its agencies or political subdivisions for the disposal of such litter, and such person is authorized by the proper public authority to use such property; (2) The litter is placed into a litter receptacle or container installed on such property in such a manner as to prevent it from being carried and deposited by the elements upon any public or private property... Any person who violates subsection 102-92(a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as follows: (1) If litter is ten pounds in weight or less or 15 cubic feet in volume or less, by a fine as set forth in section 12-14 of this chapter; or (2) If litter is more than ten pounds in weight or 15 cubic feet in volume, notwithstanding the fines set forth in section 102-14 of this chapter, by a fine of $1,000.00 for each occurrence and each occurrence shall be deemed a separate offense.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53).
Full Breakdown
Cobb County's litter ordinance, County Code section 102-92, makes it unlawful for anyone to dump, throw, or leave litter on public or private property anywhere in the unincorporated county, unless the material goes to a site the state has designated for disposal or into an installed litter receptacle that keeps it from blowing back out. The same section separately bans hauling an uncovered or unsecured load: any vehicle carrying material on or in it must have that load adequately covered and secured so nothing drops or shifts onto the roadway, a rule echoed and expanded at section 102-93 for trucks headed to a county disposal site. "Public or private property" is defined broadly for this article: rights-of-way, roads and highways, any body of water or watercourse and its shores, parks, playgrounds, buildings, refuges, conservation or recreation areas, and residential, farm, timber, or forest land all count.
Penalties turn on quantity. A violation of subsection (a) involving ten pounds or 15 cubic feet of litter or less draws the chapter's general fine under section 102-14, up to $1,000 and 60 days in jail, escalating on repeat offenses within 12 months. Anything larger triggers a flat $1,000 fine per occurrence, with each dumping event charged as a separate offense. On top of the fine, a convicted violator must reimburse the county for the cost of removing the litter, and a court may order the person to pick up litter along up to one mile of public right-of-way or repair property they damaged. Courts may also publish the names of people convicted under the article. Separately, subsection (d) bars dumping commercial or industrial waste at a Cobb County Residential Drop-Off Center; that material has to go to a materials recovery facility instead. Finding a person's name on discarded mail or paperwork in a pile of litter creates a rebuttable presumption under section 102-95 that they dumped it. The article was last amended November 20, 2025.
Violations & Fines
A first small-scale violation, ten pounds or 15 cubic feet of litter or less, is fined under the chapter's general penalty: up to $1,000 and 60 days in jail, rising by $200 then $650 for a second or third offense within 12 months. Any larger dump is a flat $1,000 fine per occurrence, plus reimbursement for the county's removal costs, court-ordered cleanup of up to a mile of right-of-way, and possible publication of the offender's name. Dumping commercial waste at a Residential Drop-Off Center is a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping under Cobb County's ordinance?
How much is the fine for illegal dumping in Cobb County?
Does this ordinance apply inside Marietta, Smyrna, or Kennesaw?
Can a court order someone to clean up after an illegal dumping conviction?
What happens if commercial waste is dropped at a residential drop-off center?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cobb County
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