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Kern County, CA Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Duty holder: All single/multi-family and commercial owners
Collection frequency: At least weekly
Sorting mandate: 3-container system per franchise agreement
Self-haul option: Allowed under Section 8.28.062
New-tenant notice: Within 14 days of move-in
Inspection access: Required for compliance checks

Summary

Every owner of a single-family, multi-family or commercial property in unincorporated Kern County must keep discarded-material containers on site and either subscribe to the franchise hauler's collection system or qualify to self-haul. Section 8.28.060 requires generators to sort materials into the designated container under the hauler's one, two or three-container system, with pickup at least weekly unless the county grants a waiver.

City-specific rules exist: Ridgecrest, and Bakersfield have their own recycling requirements rules that differ from Kern County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

It shall be the duty of every person who is the owner of any single-family, multi-family, or commercial property or any temporary or mobile food facility within the County, to provide for themselves or obtain from a franchise hauler, and at all times to keep on the premises, portable discarded materials containers, that meet the specifications outlined in Section 8.28.030 of this code, for holding discarded materials as prescribed by the franchise hauler's one-container, two-container or three-container system. ... It shall by the duty of every generator of discarded materials to participate in the franchise hauler's one-container system, two-container or three-container system, as defined in the franchise agreement, by placing designated materials in designated containers as described in the franchise agreement.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

060 places the mandatory-service duty on the owner of any single-family, multi-family or commercial property, or any temporary or mobile food facility, in the unincorporated county: keep on the premises the portable containers the franchise hauler's one, two or three-container system calls for, and make arrangements for proper collection and disposal of everything generated there. 062. 063. Commercial generators and multi-family dwellings on the three-container system have added duties under subsection D: they must tell employees, contractors, tenants and customers annually how to sort source-separated recyclables and organics, give new tenants sorting information within 14 days of move-in, and let the county inspect the property to confirm compliance. Property owners in conflict with a day-to-day occupant over compliance remain responsible under subsection A.

Violations & Fines

County representatives and the franchise hauler can inspect containers, collection loads and properties under Section 8.28.111 to confirm compliance with Section 8.28.060, and a generator found out of compliance first receives educational materials and a correction notice under Chapter 8.54. Continued noncompliance after that notice is a violation subject to the $250.00-per-day civil penalty in Section 8.28.160, and failing to give the county or its designee access to the property for an inspection is itself a separate violation of the chapter under Section 8.28.111(C).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use the franchise trash hauler in unincorporated Kern County?

Yes. Section 8.28.060 requires every single-family, multi-family and commercial property owner in unincorporated Kern County to arrange collection through the franchise hauler's container system, unless the generator instead qualifies to self-haul under the requirements in Section 8.28.062, which still calls for sorting recyclables and organic waste.

How often must trash and recycling be collected?

At least once a week, per Section 8.28.060(C), unless the franchise hauler sets a different pickup schedule with the public works director's approval and gives affected customers written notice, or unless the generator has an approved collection-frequency waiver under Section 8.28.063.

What extra duties do commercial properties have under the three-container system?

Section 8.28.060(D) requires commercial businesses and multi-family dwellings on a three-container system to tell employees, contractors, tenants and customers annually how to sort recyclables and organics, provide sorting information to new tenants within 14 days of move-in, and allow the county to inspect the property to check compliance.

Can a business haul its own waste instead of using the franchise hauler?

Yes, under Section 8.28.062, if the generator has the public works director's approval, uses its own vehicle, and hauls only material generated on its own premises to a county resource management facility, while still separating recyclables and organic waste from solid waste as required.

Sources & Official References

[1]Kern County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8.28 - Solid Waste

Other rules in Kern County

Collection ScheduleSome Restrictions Recycling RulesSome Restrictions Illegal DumpingHeavy Restrictions Dumpster RulesSome Restrictions Bin Placement RulesSome Restrictions Mandatory Organics RecyclingSome Restrictions Pickup Rules & SchedulesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsLight Restrictions Animal Ordinances: BeekeepingSome Restrictions Business Licensing & Operations: Auto Repair on Residential PropertyHeavy Restrictions Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus LawSome Restrictions Water Use Rules: Turf Replacement RebatesSignificant Restrictions Sign Regulations: Political SignsSome Restrictions

All Kern County rules

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Recycling Requirements in Cities Across Kern County

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