Street vs driveway placement in Fairfield
Driveway (private property): A dumpster placed entirely on private property (driveway or yard) does not need an encroachment permit - the permit requirement applies only to city-owned right-of-way and easements (street, curb line, sidewalk, planter strip). Related code rules: loose solid waste transported on city streets must be covered/secured (Fairfield City Code 9.240), and collection vehicles may not be parked overnight on public streets (FCC 9.090).
Street / right-of-way: Yes. Fairfield requires an Encroachment Permit for any work or placement in city-owned right-of-way, and the city's permit page explicitly lists "Placement of a dumpster within a public street" as requiring one. Apply through the Fairfield B.U.I.L.D. online portal (account required). The city currently warns of a 4-6 week processing window from submittal to approval, so street placements need lead time.
Handled by: City of Fairfield Public Works Department - Engineering Division (Encroachment Permit Desk), 1000 Webster Street, Fairfield, CA 94533; (707) 428-7485; [email protected]; applications via the Fairfield B.U.I.L.D. online permit system.
Fee: Per the FY 2026/27 Master Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2026): Encroachment Permit application fee $199.00 (no traffic control plan review) or $458.00 with traffic control plan review; permit extension $85.00. A bond/deposit of 110% of work value (minimum $750) applies to construction work in the right-of-way - confirm with the permit desk whether it is assessed for simple dumpster placement.
Where does the debris legally go?
| Facility | Type | Location | Gate fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potrero Hills Landfill (Waste Connections) | Class III landfill (MSW and C&D); primary landfill serving Fairfield/Suisun - Fairfield's residential landfill-coupon program is redeemed here | 3675 Potrero Hills Lane, Suisun City, CA 94585; (707) 432-4627; about 7 miles from central Fairfield | Not reliably published - the facility's website displays a Waste Connections template that mixes in another landfill's rate table, so no published Potrero Hills gate rate can be cited; call (707) 432-4627 for current public rates. Fairfield residents get one free disposal coupon per household per year (up to 2 cubic yards plus 1 bulky item). |
| Recology Hay Road Landfill | Class II landfill accepting municipal solid waste, C&D debris, clean soil, clean concrete (recycled on site), wood, metal, yard trimmings; serves Solano County including Vacaville and Dixon | 6426 Hay Road, Vacaville, CA 95687; (707) 678-4718; about 15 miles northeast of Fairfield | Gate rates are not published online; call (707) 678-4718 for current per-ton pricing. Tire and asbestos surcharges apply; no liquid waste, paint, HHW, or e-waste. |
| Devlin Road Transfer Station (Napa Recycling & Waste Services) | Transfer station / recovery facility accepting garbage, mixed C&D, roofing, concrete/asphalt, dirt, bulky items, tires, mattresses | 889 Devlin Road, American Canyon, CA 94503; (707) 258-9005; about 15 miles west of Fairfield off Highway 12/29 | Published rates effective July 1, 2026: MSW or C&D $91.00/ton with a $48.00 per-vehicle minimum (up to 1,000 lbs); clean concrete/asphalt $34.00/ton ($27 min); clean dirt $48.00/ton ($41 min); appliances $29 each ($29 Freon removal); uncovered-load fee $19.00 (per 2026 DRRTF price sheet, naparecycling.com) |
Local rules worth knowing
- Hauler authorization (Fairfield): no person may collect solid waste in Fairfield without a Collection Agreement with the city, but the City Manager may approve nonexclusive Construction & Demolition Waste Collection Agreements (Fairfield City Code Ch. 9, sec. 9.040) - so independent roll-off/debris-box companies can legally serve C&D work once authorized; the city publishes its list of authorized C&D debris-box providers (currently including Atlas Disposal, Delta Debris Box Service, Pacific Sanitation, Quality Construction Cleanup, Patrick's Construction Clean Up, and Republic Services).
- Household garbage remains exclusive: Republic Services (Solano Garbage) is Fairfield's franchised hauler for residential and commercial garbage/recycling/organics, and residents and businesses may not hire any other company to haul ordinary solid waste to a transfer station or landfill (FCC 9.120, 9.140.D, 9.210) - third-party dumpsters are for C&D debris, not regular trash service.
- C&D diversion ordinance (Fairfield): construction or demolition projects over 1,000 sq ft must file a C&D Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan (materials checklist before permit issuance, recycling report with weight tags before final inspection, tracked via Green Halo Systems), and city code plus CALGreen require a 65% or greater diversion rate for construction projects.
- Bulky-pickup limits (the dumpster trigger in Fairfield): Republic Services gives residents two free curbside bulky collections per year (about 3 cubic yards plus 2 large items each), one free extra cart pickup per year, and the city issues one Potrero Hills landfill coupon per household per year (2 cubic yards + 1 bulky item) - anything beyond those allowances, or any renovation debris, is dumpster/self-haul territory.
- Self-haul is legal with records: Fairfield householders and businesses may haul their own waste in lieu of subscribing (FCC 9.170) but must keep facility receipts for 24 months; licensed contractors may haul their own C&D debris, and any C&D hauling subcontractor must be a city-Authorized Collector (FCC 9.150).
- Vallejo (the original NAP city) is closed to third parties: per the City of Vallejo's C&D program page, the franchise agreement makes Recology Vallejo the only company permitted to provide debris box (dumpster) service in Vallejo; Vallejo's C&D ordinance (VMC Ch. 7.53) requires 65% diversion (75% for concrete/asphalt) on covered projects ($50,000+ or 1,000+ sq ft, and all demolition), with penalties up to 3% of project value - Vallejo-facing content must route dumpster requests to Recology Vallejo (707-552-3110) or legal self-haul, not third-party rentals.
- Transport rules (Fairfield): loads of loose solid waste on city streets must be covered and secured (FCC 9.240); Devlin Road Transfer Station charges a $19 uncovered-load fee.
- SB 1383 (statewide) organics rules apply in both cities: organic waste including lumber and green waste must be diverted from landfill, and mixed C&D loads must go to facilities that recover organics - one more reason projects must use authorized haulers or documented self-haul.
- Service-area note: Vallejo bans third-party roll-offs outright (the city's C&D page states Recology Vallejo is "the only company permitted to provide debris box (dumpster) service in Vallejo"), and next-door Benicia is also closed (BMC 8.24.050/.060 exclusive franchise with no detachable-debris-box exception), so the site is re-anchored to Fairfield - the nearest same-county city where independent debris-box companies legally operate under nonexclusive C&D Collection Agreements approved by the City Manager (Fairfield City Code Ch. 9, sec. 9.040; city publishes its authorized-hauler list) - note a hauler must still obtain that city authorization, and confirm Fairfield is not already covered by the network before build-out.
Frequently asked questions
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Last updated: August 2026 · Prices and local rules verified for Fairfield and surrounding cities.