San Diego trash fee
Trash fee rates and bills for 2026-27
- The City of San Diego charges $44.57 a month for a 95-gallon trash bin in 2026-27, $39.86 for 65 gallons and $33.66 for 35 gallons.
- The City bills the fee on the county property tax bill as "SD Solid Waste Mgmt Fee". The Treasurer-Tax Collector adds the 10 percent late penalty to the fee as well as the tax.
- The City Council cut the rates to $38.75, $34.37 and $28.52 a month from July 1, 2027, with no refunds for 2025-26 or 2026-27.
A Clairemont homeowner pays the San Diego trash fee, property tax and any fixed charges such as Mello-Roos together in the two installments on the county bill. The City's Environmental Services Department runs the service, and the County Treasurer-Tax Collector collects the fee with the tax.
San Diego trash collection fee by bin size and year
| Monthly fee | 35-gallon trash bin | 65-gallon trash bin | 95-gallon trash bin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | $32.82 | $38.94 | $43.60 |
| 2026-27 | $33.66 | $39.86 | $44.57 |
| 2027-28 | $28.52 | $34.37 | $38.75 |
| 2028-29 | $29.43 | $35.43 | $39.91 |
Each bundle is one trash bin, one 95-gallon recycling bin and one 95-gallon organics bin.
The City Council cut the 2027-28 and 2028-29 rates in June 2026 as part of a settlement agreement. The City says its costs are unchanged, so it no longer funds weekly recycling, bulky item pickup or an electric vehicle pilot.
City voters see no measure to repeal the fee on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
San Diego trash fee on the property tax bill
The City Council approved collecting the fee on the county tax roll on June 24, 2025, under Measure B, which voters passed in November 2022. Before Measure B, San Diego trash collection for eligible homes was free of charge.
The City billed every customer at the 95-gallon rate for 2025-26. It bills 2026-27 at the service level in place on July 1, 2026. Owners who switched to a smaller bin during 2025-26 get a credit from the day of delivery.
The City charges owners of the homes it collects from: single-family homes, and lots of up to four units on a public street. Seasonal and part-time residents can't turn the service off.
2026-27 trash fee billing error
In September 2026, the City gave the County wrong trash fee data for about 87,000 property tax statements for 2026-27, about 44,000 of them too high. The County has shown corrected amounts online since September 26, and owners can check their own fee at WastePortal.
Owners who were overcharged get a corrected statement. Owners who were undercharged pay the amount shown, and the City follows up on the difference.
Trash fee credit for switching to a 65-gallon bin
A Clairemont owner who got a 65-gallon bin on November 1, 2025 can expect this 2026-27 trash fee, if the City prorates the credit by month at 2025-26 rates:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 fee for a 65-gallon bin, $39.86 times 12 | $478.32 |
| Credit for 8 months at $4.66, the 2025-26 gap between the 95 and 65-gallon rates | minus $37.28 |
| Trash fee on the 2026-27 bill | $441.04 |
| Each of the two installments | $220.52 |
The City hasn't published its credit formula; prorated by day, the credit is $37.08.
Changing bin size and getting help with the fee
From July 1, 2026, owners can change their service level once per fiscal year, July 1 to June 30, through the City's Residential Waste Collection Services Portal. Within 30 days of a new bin's delivery, they can request a different size.
The City and MAAC, a San Diego County anti-poverty nonprofit, take applications for 2026-27 help until April 30, 2027, first come, first served, up to the funding available:
- Who can apply: homeowners whose primary residence gets City trash service; tenants can't
- Income test: household income at or below 60 percent of State Median Income, $6,407.16 a month for four people (2026-27)
- Benefits test (either test qualifies): a household member enrolled in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, SDG&E CARE or LIHEAP
- Help: 50 percent of the fee, or 100 percent for owners also on a County payment plan for past-due property taxes
MAAC takes calls at 619-946-4419 and holds in-person clinics through April 2027. City customer service is at 858-694-7000 and trash@sandiego.gov.
Is the trash fee tax deductible?
The IRS treats a trash collection charge as a fee for a service, which owners can't deduct as a real estate tax. A landlord with a four-unit lot can ask a CPA how to treat the fee and the San Diego rental unit business tax on the rental's return. Start with how to choose a CPA.