Santa Clara County, CA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Mandatory collection is set by County Ordinance Code Division B11, Chapter IX (Ord. NS-517.94, Dec. 7, 2021). Section B11-184 requires the refuse producer of each residential or nonresidential premises to subscribe to and pay for the three-container collection service made available by the permitted collector, at no less than the minimum frequency and level of service offered. Residential producers are automatically enrolled in the County's three-container service, and charges must be paid for all periods the premises are occupied regardless of whether refuse is set out on a given date. Section B11-180 requires garbage and putrescible organic waste from dwellings of four units or less, apartment complexes, and nonresidential premises to be removed at least once each week. Collection in permitted areas may be performed only by the permitted franchised collector. The County franchises haulers by district; per the County's SB 1383 commercial-compliance page, GreenWaste Recovery serves District South and GreenTeam of San Jose serves District West, and residents can find their hauler with the County's hauler lookup map or their trash bill. Exemptions under Section B11-185 cover remote areas where curbside or collection-station service cannot be provided (self-haul to an approved facility), premises where no producer resides or no refuse is produced, and qualifying low-population farms that elect to self-haul.