Monterey County, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- MCC § 10.41.040(A), (D)
- First-violation fine
- Up to $2,500
- Second-violation fine (12 mo.)
- Up to $5,000
- Third+ violation fine (12 mo.)
- Up to $10,000
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Monterey County only
- Added by
- Ord. No. 5412, 2-27-2024
Summary
Dumping refuse anywhere except a permitted disposal facility is banned in unincorporated Monterey County under Monterey County Code § 10.41.040(A). A County Enforcement Official can issue an escalating administrative civil citation: up to $2,500 for a first violation, up to $5,000 for a second within twelve months, and up to $10,000 for a third or later violation.
A.A person shall not throw or deposit, or cause to be thrown or deposited, any refuse upon any premises whatsoever except at a permitted disposal facility. ... D.Violations. The Enforcement Official may issue an administrative citation for the violation of this Section as a civil penalty as follows:1.The first violation shall be punishable by a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500.00).2.The second violation during a twelve (12) month period shall be punishable by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).3.The third, and any subsequent, violation during a twelve (12) month period shall be punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).
Full Breakdown
010(D)); dumping inside Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Marina, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove or King City is governed by each city's own code instead. Subsection A bars throwing or depositing refuse on any premises whatsoever except a permitted disposal facility, and Subsection B closes a related loophole by making it unlawful to transport refuse in a container that has been used for burning. Subsection C flags that state law also reaches illegal dumping along public highways through Penal Code § 374 et seq. The teeth of the section are in Subsection D, added by Ord.
No. 010(G) as any County officer, employee, or agent charged with enforcement) can issue an administrative citation as a civil penalty rather than pursuing criminal charges, with fines tiered by how many violations occur within a rolling twelve-month period. Because the citation is civil, it can be issued and collected without a criminal conviction, though other remedies, including misdemeanor prosecution under the County Code's general provisions, remain available for the same conduct.
Violations & Fines
Fines escalate with repeat conduct: up to $2,500 for a first violation of § 10.41.040, up to $5,000 for a second violation within twelve months, and up to $10,000 for a third or any subsequent violation in that same twelve-month window. These are administrative civil penalties issued directly by a County Enforcement Official, separate from the County Code's general default misdemeanor penalty, and dumping refuse on public highways can also trigger separate liability under Penal Code § 374 et seq.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as illegal dumping in unincorporated Monterey County?
How much can I be fined for illegal dumping?
Who issues the citation for illegal dumping?
Does this fine schedule apply inside Salinas or Monterey city limits?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Monterey County
California rules heatmap·Compare Monterey County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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