Washington County, MN Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Requires
- County Operating License plus home-county Base License
- License term
- July 1 to June 30, two-year cycle
- Late fee
- 25%-100% of fee for late renewal
- Storage limit
- 48 hours in a collection vehicle
- Self-haul exemption
- Passenger-plated vehicle, own waste only
- Enforcement
- License suspension/revocation, misdemeanor charges
Summary
Only a hauler holding a valid Washington County Operating License, backed by a Base License from its home county, may collect or transport household garbage generated in Washington County. Residents who haul their own trash in a passenger-plated vehicle are exempt from that license, but pickup still has to be nuisance-free under Ordinance No. 202.
This section shall apply to all Persons seeking a license to collect and transport Mixed Municipal Solid Waste (MMSW)... Persons hauling the Solid Waste they Generate in vehicles bearing passenger license plates are exempt from the licensing requirements of this section; but, Solid Waste shall be collected and transported in a nuisance free manner consistent with the intent of this section. ... No Hauler shall collect or transport MMSW Generated in Washington County unless the Hauler has a valid Base License from the Base County and a valid Washington County Operating License. On the expiration date of the current license, any activity for which the license is required shall cease.
Full Breakdown
Section 9 of Ordinance No. 2); licenses run from July 1 through June 30 of the second year and cannot be transferred to another company. Renewal applications are due by April 30, and late applications draw an escalating fee: 25% for one to seven days late, 50% for eight to thirty days late, and 100% for thirty-one or more days late. Every collection vehicle must be leak-proof, covered, and marked on both sides with the hauler's business name and phone number, and it must carry a current county-issued license decal on the driver's side of the cab; an unmarked truck is treated as unlicensed.
Haulers cannot store collected trash in a truck for more than 48 hours without department approval, cannot collect waste that is smoking, smoldering or burning, and cannot charge a resident more for participating in recycling than a resident who does not recycle.
Violations & Fines
The Department can suspend or revoke an Operating License for violating Section 9's collection standards or any license condition, and a Base License suspension by the hauler's home county automatically supports summary suspension of the Washington County license. Operating without the required license, or letting a violation continue, is a misdemeanor under Section 20, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to haul my own trash to the dump in Washington County?
How long can a garbage truck store waste before dumping it?
Can my trash hauler charge extra because I put out a recycling bin?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Minnesota trash & recycling overview
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