North Hempstead, NY Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Threshold
- 5 pounds or more of garbage/refuse/rubbish
- First offense fine
- $1,000 to $2,000, or up to 10 days jail
- Second offense (within 5 yrs)
- $1,500 to $3,000, up to 15 days jail
- Third+ offense (within 5 yrs)
- $2,500 to $4,000, up to 15 days jail
- Civil penalty option
- $1,000 or full cleanup cost, whichever is greater
Summary
North Hempstead makes it a crime to dump five pounds or more of garbage, refuse or rubbish on property you do not own or on any street, sidewalk or public place, with first offenses starting at a $1,000 fine or 10 days in jail under Chapter 34, Article II.
§ 34-21. Dumping from a vehicle or motor vehicle. No person who owns or operates a vehicle or motor vehicle shall knowingly or unknowingly permit the use of his or her vehicle or motor vehicle to deposit, discard or dispose of garbage, refuse or rubbish weighing five pounds or greater: A. On a parcel or continuous parcels of real property which he or she does not own, operate, lease or otherwise lawfully occupy, except with permission from the record owner of the property; or B. On any street, sidewalk, easement, recharge basin, park or other public place within the town except as designated and permitted by the Town Board.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4892187; v82 updated 2026-04-21; through 04-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
North Hempstead Code § 34-21 targets dumping from a vehicle: no person who owns or operates a vehicle or motor vehicle may knowingly or unknowingly permit its use to deposit, discard or dispose of garbage, refuse or rubbish weighing five pounds or greater on a parcel the operator does not own, operate, lease or otherwise lawfully occupy without the record owner's permission, or on any street, sidewalk, easement, recharge basin, park or other public place in the Town except where the Town Board has designated and permitted it.
Section 34-20 imposes the parallel prohibition on dumping generally, without the vehicle element, covering the same five-pound threshold and the same private-parcel and public-place scenarios. Both sections were added by Local Law No. 15-1997 as Article II of the chapter, separate from the lighter litter offenses in Article I. The escalating penalty schedule in § 34-30B applies specifically to Article II violations and is graduated by how many offenses a person has racked up within a five-year window, reflecting the Town Board's judgment that dumping is a more serious act than ordinary littering. The Town also retains a civil enforcement option independent of the criminal fine.
Violations & Fines
Under North Hempstead Code § 34-30B, a first Article II dumping conviction draws a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $2,000, or imprisonment up to 10 days, or both. A second offense within five years increases the fine to $1,500 to $3,000 and up to 15 days in jail, and a third or subsequent offense within five years brings a fine of $2,500 to $4,000 with up to 15 days in jail. Separately, § 34-30C authorizes the Town to bring a civil action and collect a $1,000 civil penalty or the full cost of remedying the violation and clearing the dumped material, whichever amount is greater.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much garbage has to be dumped for it to be a crime in North Hempstead?
What is the penalty for a first illegal dumping conviction?
Can the Town go after a dumper civilly instead of just fining them?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in North Hempstead
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