York County, VA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- York County Code § 19-66
- Placement window
- up to 12 hrs before pickup, by 7 a.m.
- Removal deadline
- midnight of collection day
- Solid waste schedule
- once per week
- Container weight limit
- 240 lbs when filled
- Penalty
- up to $1,000 fine / 30 days (§ 19-3)
Summary
In York County, Virginia, curbside solid waste containers must reach the roadside no more than 12 hours before pickup and be set out by 7 a.m. on collection day, then pulled back by midnight, under County Code Sec. 19-66(a). Solid waste is collected weekly, and no loose bags or bundles may be set beside the container under Sec. 19-66(c).
(a)Period permitted for placement; placement within enclosures. On the day scheduled for collection, containers shall be placed at the roadside ready for collection prior to 7 a.m. the day of collection, unless the occupants of the premises have been exempted from this requirement under the provisions of subsections (d) or (e) of this section. Containers shall not be placed at the roadside for collection more than twelve (12) hours before the regularly-scheduled collection time, and shall be removed from the roadside no later than midnight of the day of collection. ... (c)Bags and bundles of solid waste or recyclable materials. No bags, bundles of solid waste, recyclable materials or yard waste may be placed outside of a container for collection, nor may any private containers be set out for collection by the county's contractor.
Full Breakdown
Section 19-63(a) has the county furnish solid waste and recycling collection to single-family detached residences that agree to receive it, and optionally to other households, qualified small businesses, and federal-property households. Sec. 19-64 governs the containers themselves: each participating household or business gets one container for trash and one for recycling, capped at four total residential containers unless the County Administrator authorizes more, containers must be kept clean and sanitary, may not exceed 240 pounds when filled, and must be placed near the edge of the pavement with the lid facing the street.
Sec. 19-66(a) sets the timing: containers go out no earlier than 12 hours before the scheduled pickup and must be at the roadside before 7 a.m. on collection day, then removed by midnight. Sec. 19-66(b) sets solid waste collection at once per week, timed with the county's biweekly recycling schedule and subject to holiday and weather adjustments. Sec. 19-66(c) bars setting loose bags, bundles or private containers outside the county-furnished container. Sec. 19-66(d) lets the County Administrator exempt residents for medical reasons or advanced age with a filed affidavit, and Sec.
19-66(e) offers backyard or long-driveway service for an added fee under Sec. 19-73. Sec. 19-69 separately bars tampering with a roadside container and requires dog owners to keep pets from damaging one.
Violations & Fines
Setting containers out earlier than 12 hours before pickup, leaving them past midnight on collection day, or placing loose bags or bundles outside the container violates Sec. 19-66. Any Chapter 19 violation, including improper placement, carries a fine of up to $1,000 and/or 30 days in jail per violation under Sec. 19-3(a), with each day of a continuing violation counted separately, and the county may refuse collection under Sec. 19-68(b).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do I need to put my trash out in York County?
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What if I can't physically bring my container to the curb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the Virginia trash & recycling overview
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