Is trash pickup delayed for Thanksgiving and Christmas in San Diego?
No City pickup on Thanksgiving (Thu Nov 26) or Christmas (Fri Dec 25). Starting on the holiday, everything that week moves one day later, so Thursday's bins go out Friday and Friday's go out Saturday.
- Thanksgiving
- Thu, Nov 26
- Christmas
- Fri, Dec 25
- Bins out by
- 6 a.m.
- Questions
- 858-694-7000
Thu and Fri routes slide one day
Friday routes go out Saturday, Dec 26
Trucks run until 5:30 p.m.
City Environmental Services
The short version
- The City of San Diego lists 5 no-collection holidays in 2026; the last two are Thanksgiving (Thu, Nov 26) and Christmas (Fri, Dec 25).
- From the holiday on, trash, recycling and organics are all collected one day later for the rest of that week, per Environmental Services.
- Thanksgiving week: Thursday routes move to Friday, Friday routes to Saturday, Nov 28. Christmas week: Friday routes move to Saturday, Dec 26.
- Bins must be at the curb or alley by 6 a.m.; trucks run until 5:30 p.m. (City of San Diego).
- Only City-serviced homes follow this; condos, apartments and other cities use private haulers with their own holiday rules.
If the City of San Diego picks up your trash, a holiday doesn't cancel your pickup, it pushes it back a day. The City's Environmental Services Department says there's no collection of trash, recycling or organic waste on City-observed holidays, and that 'starting on the day of the holiday, trash is collected one day later for the remainder of that week.' We checked the City's collection schedule page on November 5, 2026.
Which holidays have no trash pickup in 2026?
City of San Diego no-collection holidays, 2026
| Holiday | Date | What moves |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Thu to Fri, Fri to Sat |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Every day that week moves one day later |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sept 7 | Every day that week moves one day later |
| Thanksgiving | Thu, Nov 26 | Thu to Fri, Fri to Sat (Nov 28) |
| Christmas | Fri, Dec 25 | Fri to Sat (Dec 26) |
New Year's Day
- Date
- Thu, Jan 1
- What moves
- Thu to Fri, Fri to Sat
Memorial Day
- Date
- Mon, May 25
- What moves
- Every day that week moves one day later
Labor Day
- Date
- Mon, Sept 7
- What moves
- Every day that week moves one day later
Thanksgiving
- Date
- Thu, Nov 26
- What moves
- Thu to Fri, Fri to Sat (Nov 28)
Christmas
- Date
- Fri, Dec 25
- What moves
- Fri to Sat (Dec 26)
Source: City of San Diego Environmental Services, collection schedule page, checked Nov 5, 2026. Applies to the gray, blue and green bins alike.
What about New Year's Day 2027?
The City's page lists only 2026 holidays, and it hadn't posted a 2027 list as of November 5, 2026. New Year's Day is on this year's list. If it stays on next year's, as you'd expect, Friday, January 1, 2027 routes would move to Saturday, January 2. Check the schedule page in late December before you count on it.
Does this apply to every bin?
Yes. The one-day shift covers all three City carts: the gray trash bin and green organics bin, both picked up weekly, and the light blue recycling bin, picked up every other week. If your recycling week falls in a holiday week, it moves too. Don't bag organics in plastic, even compostable bags, and keep recyclables loose and dry, the City says. Holiday extras have their own rules: see how to recycle a Christmas tree and where to drop off batteries, paint and electronics.
How to find your own pickup day
- 01
Look up your address
Use 'Find Your Collection Schedule' on the City's collection schedule page (sandiego.gov/environmental-services/collection/schedule).
- 02
Check your recycling week
Recycling is every other week, so note whether this is a blue-bin week.
- 03
Shift for holidays
If a holiday falls on or before your day in the same week, put bins out one day later.
- 04
Still unsure
Call Environmental Services at 858-694-7000.
The City also now charges for this service; see what the City trash fee costs. Planning the rest of the holiday? See what's open on Christmas Day.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 5, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryCollection Schedule
City of San Diego Environmental Services · Checked November 5, 2026
2026 no-collection holidays, one-day-later rule, bin frequencies, 6 a.m. set-out, phone number