Trash and recycling carts in Santa Cruz County

Each rule below links to the section of the Santa Cruz County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Santa Cruz County's code says

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Required collection service	You must have recyclable materials, organic materials and solid waste collection service. Applies: Residential property within the urban or rural services line and, as of January 1, 2022, any unincorporated County area, unless exempt. § 7.20.230 · code text No person shall reside in or lease to any other person a residential property, and no person shall operate any commercial business or lease to any other person commercial property within the urban services line or the rural services line, and, as of January 1, 2022, within any area of the unincorporated County, at any time during which recyclable materials, organic materials, and solid waste collection service is not being provided to the premises from a County-authorized service provider, unless exempt as provided herein.
When carts must come back	Within 24 hours after they have been emptied. § 7.20.150 · code text Discarded materials containers shall not be placed on curbside or otherwise adjacent to streets or roadways to facilitate discarded materials collection more than 24 hours prior to pick-up time, and they shall be removed from the pick-up site within 24 hours after they have been emptied.
When carts may go to the curb	No more than 24 hours before pick-up time. § 7.20.150 · code text Discarded materials containers shall not be placed on curbside or otherwise adjacent to streets or roadways to facilitate discarded materials collection more than 24 hours prior to pick-up time, and they shall be removed from the pick-up site within 24 hours after they have been emptied.

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Frequently asked questions

When can trash carts go out to the curb in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County's code: You must have recyclable materials, organic materials and solid waste collection service. (Residential property within the urban or rural services line and, as of January 1, 2022, any unincorporated County area, unless exempt.) (§ 7.20.230); Within 24 hours after they have been emptied. (§ 7.20.150).

Trash and recycling carts in Santa Cruz County

What Santa Cruz County's code says

Who this affects

Frequently asked questions

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