Solano County, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Base fine
- Mandatory $10, infraction
- Repeat-offense penalty
- Misdemeanor after qualifying prior
- Court-ordered cleanup
- 4 hrs (2nd), 8 hrs (3rd+)
- Enforcing agencies
- Sheriff, transportation dept., env. health
- Citation authority
- Penal Code §§ 853.5, 853.6
Summary
Dumping or discarding litter anywhere in unincorporated Solano County outside a lawful container or disposal area is an infraction under the county's Litter Control Program, carrying a mandatory $10 fine plus court-ordered litter cleanup duty on repeat offenses. A second conviction bumps the crime to a misdemeanor if it follows certain fish, game, health or vehicle code litter convictions.
It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, discard, place or deposit litter in any manner or amount on any public or private property in the unincorporated portions of the county, except in containers or areas lawfully provided.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1868, passed April 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Solano County Code Chapter 23.5, the Litter Control Program, makes it unlawful for any person to throw, discard, place or deposit litter in any manner or amount on public or private property in the unincorporated county, except in lawfully provided containers or areas, under Section 23.5-13(a). Litter is defined in Section 23.5-11 as any quantity of uncontainerized paper, metal, plastic, glass or miscellaneous solid waste classed as trash, debris, rubbish, refuse, garbage or junk, and public property covers streets, sidewalks, alleys, parks, county waterways and other public land.
The chapter also targets specific dumping scenarios: Section 23.5-14 bars hauling loose, unsecured cargo that can shed litter onto roads, Section 23.5-15 requires businesses to containerize loading-dock litter and clear it daily, and Section 23.5-16 bans letting litter accumulate on a construction or demolition site before, during or after the project. Enforcement runs through deputy sheriffs, county transportation staff and the Department of Environmental Management's Division of Environmental Health, with park rangers specifically authorized to enforce the dumping ban at county park facilities under Section 23.5-19.
A car's registered owner is presumed responsible for litter thrown from that vehicle under Section 23.5-13(b), a rebuttable evidentiary presumption built directly into the ordinance rather than a general negligence rule. Violations are issued as a notice to appear under Penal Code Sections 853.5 and 853.6 per Section 23.5-20, and dumping is not simply excused because it happens on the violator's own land: Section 23.5-21(b) bars using private property in a way that creates a public health hazard, nuisance or fire hazard.
Violations & Fines
A first violation is an infraction carrying a mandatory $10 fine under Section 23.5-21(c). The offense escalates to a misdemeanor if it follows a prior conviction under Fish and Game Code Section 5652, Health and Safety Code Sections 13001 or 13002, or Vehicle Code Sections 23111 through 23113. On top of any fine, a court may order a convicted violator to pick up litter for at least four hours on a second conviction and at least eight hours on a third or later conviction, per Section 23.5-21(d).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for illegal dumping in unincorporated Solano County?
Does dumping on my own private land violate Solano County's litter law?
Who enforces Solano County's illegal dumping ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Solano County
California rules heatmap·Compare Solano County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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