Santa Barbara County, CA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum frequency
- Once a week (Sec. 17-30(a))
- Residential hours
- 6 a.m.-6 p.m., Mon-Sat
- Commercial start
- As early as 5 a.m.
- Curb placement window
- 24 hrs before, 12 hrs after
- Resident container cap
- 32 gallons / 60 lbs
Summary
Regular residential trash pickup in unincorporated Santa Barbara County must happen at least once a week and only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under Code Sec. 17-30, while Sec. 17-8 limits how early and late containers can sit at the curb.
Regular solid waste handling services shall be provided as follows: (a)Solid waste shall be collected from regular residential and commercial premises not less frequently than once a week.(b)Solid waste shall be collected from commercial premises which involve food preparation not less frequently than once a week. ... (d)Except as provided under subsection (e) of this section, residential collection shall be made only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of any day, Monday through Saturday, except that collection at commercial premises may begin at 5:00 a.m. On any day. An earlier or later collection time may be authorized only upon prior written approval of the director which shall include requirements for the collector to notify the affected customers prior to implementing the change.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 17-30 sets the baseline: solid waste must be collected from regular residential and commercial premises not less frequently than once a week, and food-service commercial premises must be collected at least weekly too. , and the director can approve an earlier or later window only if the collector first notifies affected customers. The board can also adjust routes, intervals, delivery points, and collection times in a specific area to head off traffic, noise, or road-wear problems. Container placement is separately timed under Sec. 17-8(b): a container can't go out at the curb more than twenty-four hours before the scheduled pickup and must come back in within twelve hours after collection, and containers otherwise have to stay on the property, out of public view, when not awaiting pickup.
Where the resident supplies the container, Sec. 17-8(c) caps it at thirty-two gallons and sixty pounds when full, and bans liquid, toxic, or hazardous waste in any container. Multi-family residents must mark their containers so ownership is clear (Sec. 17-8(f)), and commercial bins used for pickup can't take an item over 150 pounds, more than 500 pounds per cubic yard, or any liquid, toxic, or hazardous waste, and must display a four-inch 'NO LIQUID, TOXIC OR HAZARDOUS WASTE' warning (Sec. 17-8(h)-(i)).
Violations & Fines
Missing the weekly collection minimum, collecting outside the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. residential window, or leaving containers at the curb longer than the Sec. 17-8(b) twenty-four/twelve-hour window violates Chapter 17 and is enforced under Sec. 17-82: infractions of $100 to $500 for repeat offenses, with a civil penalty up to $25,000 per day possible under Sec. 17-81 for a willful violation by a collector.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can trash collection start in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
How early can I put my trash can at the curb?
Is there a size limit on the trash container I put out myself?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Barbara County to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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