Lee County, FL Trash & Recycling: Illegal Dumping (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- Code of Ordinances Ch. 23, Art. IV
- First offense fine
- $50.00 civil penalty
- Second offense fine
- $250.00 civil penalty
- Third offense fine
- Up to $500.00 civil penalty
- Fourth offense
- Criminal charge under Sec. 1-7(c)(2)
- Criminal max penalty
- $500 fine, 60 days jail, or both
- Who cites you
- Law/Code Enforcement Officer, Sec. 23-95
Summary
Throwing or dumping litter, rubbish or refuse on any street, alley, canal, beach, waterway or other public place in unincorporated Lee County is a civil infraction. Fines escalate fast: $50 for a first offense, $250 for a second, up to $500 for a third, and a fourth violation becomes a criminal case under the County's general penalty section.
It is unlawful for any person to throw or deposit litter in any manner or amount upon any street, alley, sidewalk, lakes, canals, beaches, rivers and tributaries, or other public place within the County except in public receptacles, in authorized private receptacles for collection, or in official city or County landfills. ... Any person who violates this article shall be cited as follows: (1)Civil penalties. Any person who litters in violation of this article is guilty of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a civil penalty of $50.00 for the first violation.a.Any person who litters in violation of this article is guilty of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a civil penalty of $250.00 for the second violation.b.Any person who litters in violation of this article is guilty of a noncriminal infraction, punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $500.00 for the third violation.c.All fines are encouraged to be converted to community service time.(2)Criminal penalties. The fourth and all subsequent violations of the provisions of this article shall be punishable as provided in Section 1-7.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 7 | Land Development Code: Supplement 3 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 23, Article IV of the Lee County Code of Ordinances bans dumping litter, rubbish or refuse anywhere in the unincorporated County except in public receptacles, authorized private collection receptacles, or official city or County landfills, per Sec. 23-87. Companion sections extend the ban to sweeping litter into gutters (Sec. 23-89), throwing it from a moving vehicle (Sec. 23-90), and hauling a load that spills onto a roadway (Sec. 23-91). Sec. S. Ch. 403, and defines "private premises" to reach yards, driveways and porches, not just public land.
A Law Enforcement Officer, Code Enforcement Officer or other enforcement agency employee may issue a citation under Sec. 23-95 on personal investigation and reasonable cause, without needing to witness the act firsthand. Sec. 23-96 sets the escalating fine schedule and expressly encourages converting fines to community service hours. A fourth violation is no longer a civil infraction: it is prosecuted as a criminal offense under the Code's general penalty provision, Sec. 00 fine, 60 days in jail, or both, and treats each day a continuing violation persists as a separate offense. through its Litter Lookouts program under Sec. 23-97, which forwards tips to Code Enforcement and the Sheriff's Office for citation.
Violations & Fines
First violation: $50.00 civil penalty as a noncriminal infraction. Second violation: $250.00. Third violation: up to $500.00. All three are civil, not criminal, and the County encourages converting the fine into community service hours instead. A fourth or later violation loses civil-infraction status entirely and is charged criminally under Sec. 1-7(c)(2): a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is dumping trash on a vacant lot in unincorporated Lee County a civil or criminal matter?
Who can issue a littering or dumping citation in Lee County?
Does Lee County's litter ordinance cover private property, not just streets?
How do I report illegal dumping in unincorporated Lee County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lee County to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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