How to get rid of a paint in San Diego County, CA

Researched 2026-10-23 from official sources. Programs change, so confirm with the program before you go.

Short answer: Leftover house paint (latex or oil-based) is household hazardous waste, so don't put it in the trash or pour it down a drain. In San Diego County you can drop it off for free:

At a PaintCare drop-off site, usually a paint or hardware store. Anyone can use these.
At the City of San Diego HHW Transfer Facility at Miramar, if you're a City of San Diego resident. Appointment required.
At a County HHW facility, if you live in an unincorporated area (Alpine, Fallbrook, Julian, Ramona and so on).
Through your city's HHW program, if you live in another city (Chula Vista, Escondido, El Cajon and so on).

1. PaintCare drop-off sites (free, no appointment)

PaintCare is California's paint stewardship program. It's overseen by CalRecycle and funded by a small fee charged on new paint. Dropping paint off at a PaintCare site is free. Find a PaintCare drop-off site

Accepted: interior and exterior house paint (latex, acrylic, water-based, alkyd, oil-based, enamel), deck coatings and floor paints, primers, sealers, undercoaters, stains, shellacs, lacquers, varnishes and single-component urethanes, waterproofing sealers for concrete, masonry and wood, metal coatings and rust preventatives, and field and lawn paints.

Not accepted: aerosol (spray) paint, paint thinners, mineral spirits and solvents, auto and marine paints, art and craft paints, caulk, epoxies, glues and adhesives, 2-component coatings, roof patch, tar and asphalt products, deck cleaners, and industrial coatings.

Container rules: Paint must be in its original container (5 gallons or smaller) with the manufacturer's label and a secure lid. Open, leaking, empty or unlabeled cans are not accepted. The City of San Diego notes that most PaintCare California locations also cap the total amount of paint they accept per visit (often 5 gallons), so check with the site if you have a lot. PaintCare accepted products · City of San Diego – paint

Big jobs: PaintCare offers a free Large Volume Pickup service for 100 gallons or more (aimed at contractors, property managers and similar). PaintCare California · PaintCare hotline: (855) PAINT09 (855-724-6809)

2. City of San Diego residents: HHW Transfer Facility (free, by appointment)

City of San Diego residents can drop off paint and other household hazardous waste for free, by appointment only:

Location: Miramar Landfill entrance, 5161 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111 (north of SR-52)
Hours: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 am–3 pm, except holidays. Listed closures: Nov 28, 2026; Dec 26, 2026; Jan 2, 2027.
Bring: proof of City residency, such as a photo ID or a recent bill showing your name and address.
Transport: keep the materials in your trunk or truck bed.
Not accepted: business waste (contractors, landscapers, HOAs) and containers larger than 5 gallons.
Call 858-694-7000 for loads over 50 lbs, containers over 5 gallons, leaking or unidentified products, or help for elderly or disabled residents who don't have transportation.

Make a HAZMAT drop-off appointment (Get It Done) · City of San Diego HHW page

3. Unincorporated San Diego County residents: County HHW facilities (free)

The County gives unincorporated residents access to these HHW facilities. Bring proof of residency and stay in your vehicle.

Chula Vista HHW Facility: 1800 Maxwell Rd, Chula Vista 91911. No appointment needed. Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9 am–1 pm.
Ramona HHW Facility: 324 Maple St, Ramona. Appointment required. 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 9 am–1 pm.
Escondido HHW Facility: 1044 W Washington Ave, Escondido. Appointment required. Select Saturdays, 12:30–2:45 pm.
El Cajon HHW Facility: temporarily closed to unincorporated residents, per the County.

Appointments and questions: (877) 713-2784 (877-R-1-EARTH). The County also offers limited door-to-door pickup for qualifying elderly (65+) or disabled unincorporated residents. The County says the legal limit is 15 gallons or 125 lbs of HHW per trip. County HHW Collection Facilities

Not sure whether you're in a city or an unincorporated area? The County points to SANDAG's parcel lookup map, linked from its HHW page.

4. Other cities in San Diego County

If you live in an incorporated city other than San Diego (for example Chula Vista, Escondido, El Cajon, Oceanside or Carlsbad), use your city's HHW program. The County keeps a contact list: HHW contacts for cities in San Diego County

What we couldn't verify

Store hours and per-visit limits at individual PaintCare retail sites. Check the locator or call the store.
Dried-out latex paint: some programs let you throw fully dried latex paint in the trash, but we didn't find that on an official San Diego source, so we don't recommend it here.