Dakota County, MN Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Collection model
- Open haulers, county-licensed
- License rule
- Ordinance 110, Sec. 15.01
- Self-haul
- Own household waste exempt
- Haulers must
- Accept designated recyclables
- Pickup day
- Set by hauler and city
Summary
Dakota County uses open-hauler collection: residents contract directly with a licensed hauler, and every hauler serving the county must be licensed and accept the county's designated recyclables. Under Ordinance 110, no one may collect solid waste in the county without a license (except hauling your own household waste).
No person may collect and/or dispose solid waste, including recyclable materials, within Dakota County without first being granted a license to do so by the department as specified in this section. This section shall not apply to persons who collect and transport their own household solid waste. This section shall not apply to persons collecting or hauling strictly demolition waste or special waste to a demolition landfill or special waste landfill except for the provisions of section 15.04.
Full Breakdown
Dakota County does not run a single municipal trash service; households arrange collection with a private hauler, some through city-organized collection. Ordinance 110 (Solid Waste Management), Section 15.01, requires every hauler that collects or transports solid waste - including recyclables - within Dakota County to first obtain a county license; the only exemption is people hauling their own household waste. Licensed haulers must accept the county's designated list of recyclables and ensure customer containers are labeled per Section 16.06. Your pickup day, frequency, and set-out time come from your hauler and city, but the county sets the licensing, recyclable-acceptance, and labeling standards that every hauler must follow.
Violations & Fines
Collecting or disposing of solid waste without a county license violates Ordinance 110 and is a misdemeanor (Sec. 2242); the county may issue citations, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who collects my trash in Dakota County?
Can I haul my own trash to the dump?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dakota County
Compare Dakota County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.