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San Jose
In San Jose construction debris haulers hold a city franchise
Local haulers do the work; we hold the contract, own the problems, and send one bill. San Jose franchises the companies that haul construction debris and residential clean-out material, and it treats debris stored with other waste as commercial solid waste.
Last reviewed October 27, 2026.
Short answer
- San Jose grants non-exclusive franchises under Chapter 9.10 of its Municipal Code to collect, transport, and dispose of construction and demolition debris and residential clean-out material, and to use public streets and rights of way for that purpose.
- Debris stored with other solid waste and not free of all but incidental contamination is deemed commercial solid waste, which carries franchise and diversion-program fees plus liquidated damages.
- Franchise containers must be watertight and carry the hauler name, phone number, and material type in letters at least 4 inches high, with a visible serial number.
- 12 providers in our provider network have completed jobs in San Jose.
A franchise that is not exclusive
San Jose does not give one company the debris business. It grants non-exclusive franchises, so several licensed haulers can serve a site. We keep your sites on one account and answer for the hauler behind each one. When a pickup gets missed, we contact the hauler the same business day.
San Jose lets several franchised haulers serve construction and clean-out debris, which gives you choices, but the load has to stay clean to stay in that category. Mixed loads that carry ordinary trash get treated as commercial solid waste, with fees and damages attached. Keep the debris container for debris only. Ask your hauler to confirm its franchise and check that the container is marked the way the city requires, because an unmarked container is an easy citation and hard to argue with.
A single remodel with a hauler already franchised is a job for that hauler. The hauler, broker, and provider network page shows where we fit, and the California page has state rules.
San Jose deliveries
Jobs delivered to San Jose addresses, October 26, 2024 through October 26, 2026. Canceled jobs are not counted.
Figures are counts of completed deliveries, providers, and accounts in this window from our records, as of October 2026. Roll-off deliveries are containers delivered. Portable toilet deliveries are units placed, not orders. A company that completed both services is counted in both service rows, so those rows are not a split of the provider total. The counts are not a promise that every address is covered. Front-load service, compactors, and balers are not in these counts. The sanitation figure adds portable toilets and hand-wash units placed. Where a restroom-trailer count is shown, it is units placed.
What the debris franchise covers
The agreement we read is a draft posted with a City Council packet. It recites that the Council held its public hearing on December 9, 2025, and it runs from February 12 through December 31, 2026. The franchisee may collect, transport, and dispose of residential clean-out material and construction and demolition debris generated in the city, and may use public streets and rights of way to do it. Nothing in it grants a franchise for commercial solid waste. If clean-out or debris is stored with other solid waste and isn't free of all but incidental contamination, the load is deemed commercial solid waste, subject to franchise fees, the city's diversion-program fees, and liquidated damages.
Container rules and the diversion deposit
Franchised containers must be watertight and built to prevent spills, and the hauler has to repair or replace one that isn't serviceable within five business days and clear graffiti within 48 hours of notice. Each container is marked with the hauler's name, phone number, and material type in letters at least 4 inches high, carries safety messaging and reflectors, and shows its own serial number. For jobs that need a building or demolition permit, the city's Construction and Demolition Diversion Program has two parts: a diversion deposit under Chapter 9.10, Part 15, meant to deter landfilling debris, and the CalGreen review and final under Section 9.10.2480.
Wet winters, offshore heat, and the San Jose calendar
NWS describes San Jose's climate in a memo for the valley, and its numbers explain why schedules slip in winter. Census permit data shows houses edging up while large apartments jump.
- November to March
The wet season
NWS says 82 percent of the year's rain falls in these months, and rain is sparse from May through October.
- Fall
Offshore heat
When high pressure builds over the Great Basin, marine influence disappears and temperatures can reach triple digits, most often in fall.
- June to August
Dry summers
Rain in these months normally totals only 0.20 inches, with mid-summer highs of 80 to 85 degrees under a sea breeze.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, January to August 2026 against the same months of 2025. Large apartment permits are up by more than two fifths while single-family permits are slightly up.
San Jose services and hauler sign-up
San Jose buyers can book dumpster rental, portable toilets, hand-wash stations, and restroom trailers.
Franchised in San Jose, or renting toilets here? Join the provider network on the vendor form, free of charge. Email invoices to accounting@detritus.us. Bill.com pays them, counting from the processing date, and the vendor payment guide lists the steps.
Answers
Common questions
Is the San Jose debris franchise exclusive?
No. San Jose grants non-exclusive franchises under Chapter 9.10 of its Municipal Code to collect, transport, and dispose of construction and demolition debris and residential clean-out material, so several licensed haulers can serve a site.
What happens if debris is mixed with other waste in San Jose?
Debris stored with other solid waste and not free of all but incidental contamination is deemed commercial solid waste, which is subject to franchise fees, diversion-program fees, and liquidated damages under the agreement.
How must a San Jose franchise container be marked?
With the hauler name, phone number, and material type in letters at least 4 inches high, with safety messaging, reflectors, and a visible serial number. Containers must also be watertight.
Can an approved San Jose account get payment terms?
Approved accounts can be offered Net 30, 60, or 90, subject to credit review. Nothing on this page is an offer of credit. Terms of use apply to a San Jose account.
Talk to us
(888) 588-2607
Send the San Jose sites
Send the San Jose addresses and which ones have a building permit, or call.
Sources
Public sources read October 28, 2026.
- Our own delivery records.
- Non-Exclusive Franchise Agreement, draft, City of San Jose.
- Climate of San Jose, NWS San Francisco Bay Area.
- Building Permits Survey, U.S. Census Bureau.
Also in California: Riverside, Sacramento.