Washington County, MD Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Any hauler averaging 3+ pickups a week (§2.1.1)
- License term
- July 1 to June 30, fiscal year
- Application deadline
- June 20 for July 1 licenses
- Vehicle sticker
- Required on driver's side, visible
- Loads
- Must be secured and covered if necessary
- First violation fine
- Up to $1,000 civil fine
Summary
Anyone in the business of collecting trash in Washington County needs a county license first. The Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance requires any hauler, including one who picks up for another party an average of three times a week, to be licensed before collecting, hauling, or disposing of solid waste, and it bans littering, spillage, or uncovered loads during pickup.
No person whose business is solid waste collection shall engage or continue to engage in the collection, haulage or disposal of solid wastes, including the collection or purchase of recyclables, within Washington County without first filing for and obtaining a license from the County. Any person hauling for another party on a regular basis (i.e., average 3 times weekly) must obtain a license. ... No person shall collect, transport or deliver any solid waste in Washington County in such manner as to allow for littering, spillage or the creation of a nuisance in any other manner. All loads shall be secured and covered, if necessary.
Full Breakdown
1 of the Solid Waste Collection Licensing Ordinance makes it illegal for anyone whose business is solid waste collection to engage in the collection, haulage, or disposal of solid waste, including buying recyclables, within Washington County without first filing for and obtaining a license from the county. Anyone hauling for another party on a regular basis, meaning an average of three times a week, is captured by this requirement and must get licensed. 2 sets June 20 as the deadline to apply for a license effective that July 1.
3. 6 bars any hauler, licensed or not, from collecting, transporting, or delivering solid waste in a manner that allows littering, spillage, or the creation of a nuisance, and requires that all loads be secured and covered when necessary. 4 add that a collection vehicle cannot be used beyond its design capabilities or in a way that lets material spill onto a roadway. 6. 1.
Violations & Fines
Hauling solid waste in Washington County without a license, or in a way that lets loads litter or spill, violates the Ordinance and exposes the hauler to a civil fine of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each later one under Section 9.1. A licensee who fails to report changes to its license application within 30 days can have the license summarily revoked under Section 2.1.6, and the Director of Solid Waste may suspend or revoke a license under Section 9.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to collect trash for my neighbors in Washington County?
When do Washington County hauler licenses expire?
What are haulers required to do during pickup?
What happens if a hauler collects trash in Washington County without a license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Maryland trash & recycling overview
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