Lincoln County, SD Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Chapter 52 of the Lincoln County Code puts every commercial trash and recycling pickup operation in the county under a licensing gate. Section 52.07 states plainly that it is unlawful for a commercial garbage hauler or recyclable collector to use the roads for the collection, removal, or disposal of any garbage, waste, or rubbish and recyclable materials without first having obtained a license from the county. That license is more than a formality: § 52.09 requires proof of insurance before one is issued, and § 52.12 requires the hauler to file an application at the County Auditor's office listing the true name and address of the owner or operator, proof of liability insurance, a written emergency operational plan for periods when the hauler cannot operate, and the proposed days and hours of operation; every license expires December 31 unless renewed.

The Board of County Commissioners can deny or revoke a license under § 52.14 if the applicant cannot obtain insurance, if the operation creates pollution or a public health hazard or nuisance, or if the licensee violates noise or fire ordinances, this chapter, or state law, and licenses are not transferable without Board approval under § 52.13. The vehicles doing the pickup work also have to meet § 52.08's design rules: watertight, permanently covered containers with metal doors closed while the truck is moving, and any loosely loaded open box must be tarped. Because § 52.10 also makes every licensed garbage hauler a licensed recyclable collector, one license covers both waste streams once issued.