Placentia, CA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest set-out
- 4:00 p.m. on the day before scheduled collection
- Latest removal
- 12:00 p.m. on the day after collection
- Collection hours
- Not before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.
- Base penalty
- $100 first, $200 second, $500 third or later
- Who collects
- The city's exclusive franchisee only
- Enforcer
- Public works director and city enforcement officials
Summary
In the City of Placentia, California, residential waste containers cannot go out to the curb, alley, or right-of-way before 4:00 p.m. on the day before scheduled collection, and every container has to be removed before 12:00 p.m. on the day after collection. Collection itself is barred before 7:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. anywhere in the city.
No waste containers used in residential collections shall be placed out at the curb, alley, or right-of-way before 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to scheduled collection, and all containers shall be removed before 12:00 p.m. on the day following collection.
Full Breakdown
Placentia Municipal Code § 8.04.110 sets a two-sided window for residential carts. The earliest set-out is 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to scheduled collection, and the latest removal is 12:00 p.m. on the day following collection. The rule covers the curb, the alley, and the right-of-way, so a cart parked on the public side of the property line outside that window is a violation. Section 8.04.120 separately says there is no collection of discarded materials before 7:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. in any area of the city.
Only one company picks up. Section 8.04.130 bars anyone from collecting discarded materials or placing a container at any premises in the City of Placentia unless that person holds an exclusive franchise agreement with the city, and each day of a violation is a separate offense. Residents who haul their own material to a processing or disposal facility fall under the exceptions in § 8.04.140 and the self-haul rules in § 8.04.280.
The chapter also protects what sits at the curb. Section 8.04.100 makes it unlawful for anyone other than the owner, agent, or employee of the owner to place anything in a container or tamper with, meddle with, or move it. Section 8.04.090 makes it unlawful for an unauthorized person to remove source separated materials from a curb or other pick-up location. Under § 8.04.170 a hauler can tag a container that is not clean, covered, and leak-free, and the tagged container is treated as condemned and unfit for service.
Single-family households are billed on the city utility bill under § 8.04.200, at a monthly rate the city council sets by resolution under § 8.04.190. Inspectors under § 8.04.400 cannot enter the interior of a private residence without a warrant.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 8.04 can bring a notice of violation and an administrative citation under § 8.04.410. The city sets the base penalty at $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second, and $500 for a third or subsequent violation. The notice of violation requires compliance within 60 days, and the city can also pursue a misdemeanor or infraction. Under § 1.10.030 each day a violation exists is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I put my trash cans out in the City of Placentia?
What time does the Placentia hauler start and stop collecting?
Can I hire my own hauler instead of the city franchisee?
What is the fine for leaving containers out too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placentia
California rules heatmap·Compare Placentia to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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