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

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
§ 6-17.304(a)
Earliest curb placement
5:00 p.m. day before collection
Removal deadline
7:00 a.m. day after collection
Old Willowbank exception
9:00 a.m. removal deadline
Curbside distance (no curb)
Within 5 feet of street edge

Summary

Yolo County residents may not put trash carts at the curb before 5 p.m. the day before collection and must pull empty carts back in by 7 a.m. the next morning. Section 6-17.304(a) sets the window, with a later 9 a.m. removal deadline for Old Willowbank.

City-specific rules exist: West Sacramento has its own pickup rules & schedules rules that differ from Yolo County's county-level regulations. If you live in West Sacramento, check the city-specific page instead.

Curb/Roadside placement shall occur no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day prior to Collection, and emptied Containers shall be removed from the Curb by 7:00 a.m. on the day after Collection, except for the Old Willowbank community where Containers shall be removed from the Curb by 9:00 a.m. on the day after Collection.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).

Full Breakdown

304(a) governs curbside placement for Single Family Residences: Discarded Materials Containers must be placed at the Curb/Roadside for collection unless the county franchisee agrees to an alternative pickup location because of a customer's disability. m. Outside of that placement window, discarded materials containers, including recyclables and organics containers, cannot be left in or on any street or alley right-of-way unless the Department authorizes it. 201(k) defines "Curb (or Curbside)" as the location where a container is placed against the face of the curb, or, where no curb exists, not more than five feet from the outside edge of the street or alley nearest the property's entrance, or an alternate location the county designates for flag lots and other special circumstances.

304(b) requires containers to sit in a location easily accessible for collection as agreed between the owner or occupant and the franchisee. on, the scheduled collection day.

Violations & Fines

Leaving a discarded materials, recyclables, or organics container in or on any street or alley right-of-way outside the permitted placement window is a violation of § 6-17.304(a) unless the Department authorizes it, and enforcement proceeds as an infraction under § 6-17.102 through the Director of the Community Services Department's administrative citation process. Blocking access with a vehicle or other item so the county's contract hauler cannot service a cart or yard-waste pile violates § 6-17.307(5).

Frequently Asked Questions

What time can I put my trash cart out in unincorporated Yolo County?
Not before 5:00 p.m. on the day before your scheduled collection day. Section 6-17.304(a) sets that as the earliest curbside placement time for single-family residences, and empty containers must come back off the curb by 7:00 a.m. the following morning.
Is there an exception to the cart removal deadline?
Yes, for the Old Willowbank community. Section 6-17.304(a) gives Old Willowbank residents until 9:00 a.m. the day after collection to remove emptied containers from the curb, instead of the standard 7:00 a.m. deadline that applies elsewhere in the unincorporated area.
Where do I put my cart if my street has no curb?
Section 6-17.201(k) defines Curbside, where no curb exists, as not more than five feet from the outside edge of the street or alley nearest the property's entrance, or an alternate location the county designates for flag lots and other special circumstances.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Yolo County

All Yolo County rules

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