Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Tulare
Trash Day
Trash (brown or gray container) is collected on either Thursday or Friday, depending on your address.
Recycling
Recycling (blue container) is collected weekly on either Monday or Tuesday, depending on your address.
Yard Waste
Yard and organic waste (green container) is collected weekly on either Monday or Tuesday, depending on your address.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
City utility bills are mailed on the 1st of each month and combine charges for water, sewer, and solid waste services onto a single statement due by the 20th.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, Drop Box, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
No specific rate discounts listed, though free carry-out assistance is available for eligible residents with a doctor's note.
Brown or Gray Bin (Trash)
Use this container only for non-hazardous, non-recyclable, and non-organic waste. Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 A.M.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated wood or heavily painted items
- ✓Styrofoam packing materials
- ✓Chip bags and non-recyclable plastics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be placed loosely in the Blue cart. Absolutely no plastic bags should be used to bundle recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard boxes (must be flattened)
- ✓Clean paper, newspaper, and junk mail
- ✓Plastic detergent jugs and water bottles
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Clothing and textiles
- ✕Electronic waste
Yard Waste Bin
Do not put dirt, rocks, concrete, or animal waste in the Green bin. Contaminated organics bins will not be serviced.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves and small tree branches
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, and food scraps
- ✓Uncoated food-soiled paper (if approved by current city guidelines)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
No routine free curbside bulk pickup. The city provides Landfill Voucher Weeks three times a year for free disposal.
Placement
Temporary 3 CY bins can be placed on the street or on your driveway (driveway placement incurs an extra $20 fee). Must be removed or serviced within 30 days.
Accepted
- ✓ General junk (in rented bins)
- ✓ Mattresses (free drop-off at Corp Yard)
- ✓ E-waste (during bi-annual drop-off events)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals
- ✕ Heavy concrete, dirt, or roofing (unless renting a specific 10 CY heavy-duty roll-off)
A prepayment is required at City Hall (411 East Kern) before delivery. $77 for a 3 CY bin, or $251.53 for a larger 10-40 CY roll-off dumpster.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling services are generally pushed back one day for the remainder of that week. The city releases a specific printable holiday calendar annually.
Yard Waste Exception
The Green organics container and Blue recycling container follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the standard Brown/Gray trash carts.
City Hall offices close on observed holidays. If a holiday lands on Saturday, offices close on Friday; if on Sunday, they close on Monday.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
Late November to Mid-JanuaryThe highly anticipated Leaf Vac program operates during this window. Remember that you must dial 559-684-4325 (press 9) to put your address on the active pickup list; the trucks will not collect unlisted piles.
Year-Round
VariousTulare offers 'Landfill Voucher Week' three times a year and 'Household Hazardous Waste Day' twice a year. Keep an eye on the city's utility billing inserts or social media to catch these exact dates.
Local Tips & Community Info
Tulare Municipal Solid Waste Guidelines
The City of Tulare requires all residential properties within city limits to maintain an active trash service account. Keeping neighborhoods pristine relies on strict adherence to cart placement rules. All residential refuse containers must be placed curbside no later than 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. Carts should be positioned with the wheels against the curb, spaced at least three feet apart from one another, and clear of parked cars, mailboxes, or low-hanging branches. Once the collection trucks have emptied your carts, municipal code requires that you remove them from the street by the end of the same day.
Your Designated Collection Days
Unlike some municipalities that collect all refuse on a single day, Tulare splits its residential collection schedule. Your recycling and organic waste carts (Blue and Green) are serviced early in the week, specifically on either Monday or Tuesday, depending on your exact neighborhood zone. Conversely, your standard household garbage cart (Brown or Gray) is serviced later in the week, falling on either Thursday or Friday. This staggered schedule helps optimize the city's routing efficiency. Residents can view the official boundary map on the city's Public Works webpage to confirm their specific collection days.
Proper Cart Sorting: The Three-Color System
Tulare utilizes a strict color-coded cart system to comply with California's environmental mandates, including SB 1383. The Green container is for organic material, meaning all yard trimmings, leaves, and notably, household food scraps must go here to be composted. The Blue container is exclusively for clean recyclables, such as cardboard, paper, glass bottles, and rigid plastics. Finally, the Brown or Gray container is reserved for standard non-recyclable household trash, such as pet waste, diapers, foam packaging, and soiled paper products. Mixing unacceptable items into the recycling or organics carts can result in contamination charges.
Special Services for Seniors and Medical Needs
The City of Tulare understands that not all residents have the physical ability to maneuver heavy refuse carts to the curb each week. For individuals with medical limitations, the Solid Waste Division offers a complimentary carry-out service. To qualify, residents must submit a prior approved application accompanied by a verified doctor’s note. Once approved, sanitation workers will retrieve the bins from your property, empty them, and return them to their storage location. Additionally, if you generate more waste than your bins can handle, you can request extra containers for an additional $11.09 per month by submitting a form at City Hall.
Disposing of Bulky Furniture and E-Waste
You should never stuff oversized items, construction debris, or electronic waste into your curbside carts. Items like old couches, mattresses, broken televisions, and large appliances require special handling. Fortunately, residents can take advantage of bulky item collection services to safely remove these oversized materials without having to haul them to a transfer station themselves. Temporary rental bins are also available for residential customers undergoing major cleanouts. For safe disposal of batteries, sharps, and paint, the city provides designated drop-off locations and periodically hosts e-waste recycling events to ensure hazardous materials stay out of local landfills.
Holiday Collection Schedule Adjustments
Refuse collection operations in Tulare are subject to change during major federal holidays. When a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, all subsequent collections for that week are typically pushed back by one day. For example, if a holiday lands on a Thursday, Thursday routes will be collected on Friday, and Friday routes will be serviced on Saturday. If the holiday falls on a weekend, your regular weekday collection schedule remains completely unaffected. It is always wise to double-check the city's annual holiday calendar during November and December, as Thanksgiving and Christmas frequently cause routine schedule shifts.
Drop-off Facilities
Tulare Corporation Yard (Mattress Drop-Off)
3989 South K Street, Tulare, CA 93274
Materials Accepted
Tulare City Hall (Utility & Solid Waste Payments)
411 E Kern Ave, Tulare, CA 93274
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time should I put my trash bins out in Tulare?
All containers (Blue, Green, and Brown/Gray) must be placed at the curb by 6:00 A.M. on your assigned service day. They must be removed from the street by the end of that same day.
Does Tulare offer a free curbside bulky item pickup?
No, Tulare does not offer a standard free curbside bulky pickup. However, the city hosts 'Landfill Voucher Week' three times a year for free disposal. For home cleanups, you can rent a temporary 3-cubic-yard bin for $77.
How do I get on the list for the Leaf Vac Program?
Between late November and mid-January, you can have large piles of leaves vacuumed from your street. You must call 559-684-4325 and press 9 to put your address on the official pickup list.
Where can I recycle an old mattress for free?
Through the 'Bye Bye Mattress' program, Tulare residents can drop off old mattresses and box springs for free at the City Corporation Yard (3989 South K Street) every Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.