San Benito County, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Ban
- No dumping outside approved facilities
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
- Applies to
- Unincorporated San Benito County only
Summary
Dumping solid waste, soil, or fill material anywhere in unincorporated San Benito County other than an approved solid waste facility is banned outright and is a misdemeanor.
Except as otherwise provided by law and this chapter, no person or entity shall deposit or discharge, or cause to be deposited or discharged any solid waste, soil, or fill material in any place other than an approved solid waste facility. No person shall allow or permit the deposit or discharge of solid waste in violation of this chapter on property owned, controlled or possessed by that person.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: current through Ordinance 1078).
Full Breakdown
County Code flatly prohibits dumping at unauthorized sites: no person or entity may deposit or discharge, or cause to be deposited or discharged, any solid waste, soil, or fill material anywhere other than an approved solid waste facility, and property owners can't allow such dumping on land they own, control, or possess. Because the code doesn't set a specific fine for this section, the general penalty clause applies: violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. This applies only in the unincorporated county, not inside Hollister or San Juan Bautista.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor: fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, under the county's general penalty clause; each day of continued dumping is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on vacant land illegal in San Benito County?
What's the penalty for illegal dumping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Benito County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Benito County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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