Fond du Lac County, WI Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Maximum forfeiture
- $500.00 per violation
- Governing section
- County Code § 38-111
- Covers
- highways, state waters, public/private property
- Receptacle exception
- waste in a designed receptacle is exempt
- Abandoned vehicle deadline
- 30 days to remove from waters
- Default on unpaid forfeiture
- jail up to 90 days (§ 1-8)
Summary
Fond du Lac County bans dumping solid waste on highways, in waters of the state, or on any public or private property in unincorporated areas of the county. Violators face a forfeiture of up to $500.00 under County Code § 38-111. The ban does not apply to waste placed in a proper trash receptacle or disposed of under a state DNR permit.
(b)Except as provided in subsection (c), a person who does any of the following may be required to forfeit not more than $500.00:(1)Deposits or discharges any solid waste on or along any highway, in any waters of the state, on the ice of any waters of the state or on any other public or private property. ... (c)Subsection (b)(1) does not apply to a person who places solid waste in a receptacle designed for solid waste storage that is located along a highway or on other public or private property.
Full Breakdown
00. The same forfeiture applies to a person who permits solid waste to be thrown from a vehicle they operate, who fails to remove an abandoned automobile, boat or other vehicle from waters of the state within 30 days, or who owns an aircraft that crashes in county waters and does not remove it within the 30-day window set by the ordinance. The ban carries built-in exceptions: it does not apply to someone who places waste in a receptacle designed for solid waste storage located along a highway or on public or private property, and it does not apply to discharges made in conformance with Wis.
chs. 30, 31, 144 or 147 or under a DNR permit, license or approval issued under those chapters. Sheriff's deputies and other county law enforcement officers cite violations under the county's Uniform Municipal Citation procedure (§ 1-9), and a person cited can pay the forfeiture as a cash deposit before the scheduled court date or contest the citation in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court. Because the county has no general zoning ordinance covering unincorporated land, littering enforcement under Chapter 38 stands as one of the county's few direct anti-dumping tools outside the incorporated cities and villages.
Violations & Fines
A dumping violation is a forfeiture action, not a criminal charge: the court can order up to $500.00 per violation plus costs of prosecution under § 1-8. Someone who does not pay a citation deposit or appear in court can be summoned, and unpaid forfeitures and costs can result in commitment to the county jail for a term capped at 90 days under § 1-8's default provision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping in unincorporated Fond du Lac County?
How much is the fine for dumping trash illegally?
Can I be cited for putting trash in a public trash can?
Who enforces the illegal dumping ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fond du Lac County
Compare Fond du Lac County to another location·View the Wisconsin trash & recycling overview
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