Ventura, CA Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SBMC § 8.250.020
- Enforcing agencies
- Police, Fire, Public Works departments
- Default penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or 6 months
- Nuisance abatement notice
- 10 days to remove litter
- Cross-reference
- Solid waste collection, Chapter 6.500
Summary
Ventura Municipal Code Section 8.250.020 makes it unlawful to dump solid waste, waste matter, rocks or dirt on any public or private road, right-of-way, park or private property without the owner's consent. Community Development's Code Enforcement Division, the Ventura Police Department, Fire Department and Public Works enforce the ban, and violators face misdemeanor prosecution plus city cleanup billing.
It is unlawful to throw, dump or cause to be dumped any solid waste or waste matter in or upon any public or private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or in or upon any private property into or upon which the public is admitted by easement or license, or upon any private property without the consent of the owner, or in a container, as described in this chapter, of another person without their permission, or in or upon any public park or other public property other than property designated or set aside for that purpose by the department or division of the city having charge of that property. ... It is unlawful to throw, place, deposit, or dump, or cause to be placed, deposited, or dumped, any rocks or dirt in or upon any private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or any private property, or any container described in this chapter, without the consent of the owner, or in or upon any public park or other public property, without the consent of the state or local agency having jurisdiction over the highway, road, or property.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
010). 020 splits the dumping ban in two: subsection A bars dumping solid waste or waste matter on any road, right-of-way, park, or private property without consent, and subsection B separately bars dumping rocks or dirt in the same locations without the same consent. 050; after a warning or citation the city sends written notice giving the owner 10 days to remove it, and if the owner does not act, city crews clean the property and bill the cost, which becomes a lien on the property once the city council confirms the assessment by resolution following a noticed hearing.
070 bans transporting uncovered loose cargo by truck within the city, cross-referenced to the Title 16 vehicle code. 080 authorizes the police department, fire department, and public works department, or any other person the city manager designates, to enforce the entire chapter.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 8.250 does not set its own fine, so a violation defaults to the general misdemeanor penalty in Section 1.150.020: a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. Separately, the city can treat accumulated litter as a public nuisance under Section 8.250.050, issue a 10-day notice to remove it, and if ignored, remove the litter itself and bill the property owner, with unpaid costs becoming a recorded lien confirmed by city council resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on someone else's private property illegal in Ventura?
What happens if I don't clean up litter on my property?
Who enforces Ventura's illegal dumping law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Illegal Dumping in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle illegal dumping.