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Kane County, IL Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

License required
2+ trucks hauling garbage/recyclables/refuse countywide
Base fee
$500.00 per license, plus $50.00 per vehicle
License term
One calendar year, beginning January 1
Enforcing agency
Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources
Tonnage report due
January 31 each year
Appeal window
15 calendar days after denial or suspension notice

Summary

In unincorporated Kane County, any company running two or more trucks to collect garbage, recyclables or other refuse must hold an annual hauler license from the county under Code Sec. 11-113. The Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources issues, renews and can suspend that license, and licensees pay a flat base fee plus a per-vehicle charge.

City-specific rules exist: Elgin has its own recycling rules rules that differ from Kane County's county-level regulations. If you live in Elgin, check the city-specific page instead.

A. Licenses Required: No person or company with two (2) or more trucks shall engage in the business of collecting or hauling garbage, municipal waste, recyclables, or other refuse from sites within the County without first procuring a license to do so from the County. Such license shall be valid for one calendar year, beginning on January 1. ... F. License And Vehicle Registration Fee: 1. Schedule Of Fees: The following fees shall be required: a. For each license: Five hundred dollar ($500.00) base fee. b. For each vehicle used in collecting or hauling garbage, municipal waste, recyclables, or other refuse: Fifty dollars ($50.00) per vehicle. Payment of all fees must accompany the license application/renewal.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 26-183, passed 4-14-2026).

Full Breakdown

Kane County Code Sec. 11-113 requires any person or company operating two or more trucks in the business of collecting or hauling garbage, municipal waste, recyclables or other refuse anywhere in the county to first procure a license, valid for one calendar year beginning January 1. Applicants file with the county and disclose the business name, manager, address, and for each vehicle its year, make, model, type, VIN, plate number, weight and hauling capacity in cubic yards and tons; any change to that information must be reported in writing within 30 days.

00 for every vehicle used in the hauling operation, all due with the application or renewal. The county has 30 days to act on an application; if it misses that window, a 30-day temporary license issues automatically. An incomplete application can draw a conditional license instead, spelling out what must be fixed and by when; missing those conditions revokes the conditional license and blocks the permanent one. Renewal notices go out 60 days before expiration, and completed renewal paperwork is due back 30 days before the old license lapses.

Every licensee must also file a tonnage report with the county clerk's office by January 31 covering the prior calendar year's total municipal waste and recyclables collected by sector, landscape waste and food scrap tonnage, and account counts; skipping that report is itself a violation that triggers suspension or revocation. A denied license or renewal comes with written reasons and a right to request a hearing within 15 calendar days, heard by a three-member Hearing Commission drawn from the county board's Energy and Environmental Committee.

Violations & Fines

Operating as a hauler in Kane County without a license, or after license suspension or revocation, is a violation of Code Sec. 11-113 enforceable under Sec. 11-114: a first offense draws a $50.00 fine, a second $100.00, a third $200.00, and a fourth triggers a 14-day license suspension. A fifth violation can bring a two-month suspension, and further violations can mean revocation for the rest of the license term plus another year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a county license to collect recyclables in Kane County?
Yes, if you or your company run two or more trucks collecting garbage, municipal waste, recyclables or other refuse anywhere in unincorporated Kane County. Code Sec. 11-113 requires a license from the county, valid for one calendar year starting January 1, before you can operate. Fewer than two trucks falls outside this licensing requirement, but the county can still require compliance with the separation and collection rules in the rest of Article IV.
How much does a Kane County hauler license cost?
The license carries a $500.00 base fee plus $50.00 for each vehicle used to collect or haul garbage, municipal waste, recyclables or other refuse, payable with the application or renewal under Sec. 11-113(F). The county can also issue a vehicle registration decal for each licensed truck, and licensees must report any change in fleet or business information within 30 days.
What happens if a hauler violates the recycling ordinance?
Fines escalate with each offense: $50.00 for a first violation, $100.00 for a second, and $200.00 for a third, all under Sec. 11-114. A fourth violation brings a 14-day suspension, a fifth up to two months, and repeated violations can lead to revocation of the license for the rest of its term plus an additional year.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kane County

All Kane County rules

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