Davis County, UT Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Utah Code § 76-9-1802
- Penalty
- Class C misdemeanor, $100 minimum fine
- Extra sanction
- 4+ hours of court-ordered cleanup
- Local authority
- County may adopt its own dumping ordinance
- County parallel rule
- County Code § 8.04.010, Ordinance 90-1954
Summary
Utah Code section 76-9-1802 makes it a class C misdemeanor to drop, throw, deposit or discard litter, including trash, garbage, cans and construction debris, on public or private land or a waterway in unincorporated Davis County without the owner's permission. Every violation carries a minimum $100 fine, and a judge can also order cleanup hours.
(1)(a) As used in this section, "litter" includes a glass bottle, glass, a nail, tack, wire, can, barbed wire, board, trash or garbage, paper or paper products, or any other substance that would or could mar or impair the scenic aspect or beauty of the land. (b) Terms defined in Sections 76-1-101.5 and 76-9-1801 apply to this section. (2) An actor commits unlawful littering on land or waterway if the actor drops, throws, deposits, or discards, or permits to be dropped, thrown, deposited, or discarded, litter in a park, recreation area, or other public or private land, or waterway, without the permission of the owner or person having control or custody of the land or waterway. (3)(a) A violation of Subsection (2) is a class C misdemeanor and subject to a minimum fine of $100 for each violation. (b) The court may require the actor to participate in at least four hours of cleaning up: (i) litter caused by the actor's offense; and (ii) existing litter from a safe area designated by the court.
Full Breakdown
Section 76-9-1802 defines litter broadly to include a glass bottle, glass, a nail, tack, wire, can, barbed wire, board, trash or garbage, paper or paper products, or any other substance that would or could mar or impair the scenic aspect or beauty of the land. An actor commits unlawful littering by dropping, throwing, depositing or discarding litter, or permitting someone else to do so, in a park, recreation area, or other public or private land or waterway without the permission of the owner or the person who controls it.
The statute sits inside Part 18 of Title 76 Chapter 9, alongside related offenses for failing to clean up glass or debris after towing a wrecked vehicle, letting litter build up at a construction or demolition site, and failing to post required warning language on a recycling bin. 010 separately bans dumping garbage, dead animals, ashes, trade waste or any other refuse on a highway, street, alley, right-of-way, ditch or private premises in the unincorporated area without permission from the County Commission and the County Board of Health, a rule dating to Ordinance 90-1954.
Violations & Fines
A violation of section 76-9-1802 is a class C misdemeanor carrying a minimum fine of $100 for each separate violation, and the court can also order the offender to spend at least four hours cleaning up the litter their offense caused plus existing litter from a safe area the court designates. Dumping in the unincorporated county without permission from the County Commission and Board of Health additionally violates County Code section 8.04.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as litter under Utah's dumping law?
What's the fine for illegal dumping in unincorporated Davis County?
Can I dump yard waste on my own property in the unincorporated county?
Does the littering law apply on private land, or just public property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis County
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