Hauling Requirements for Haulers

Hauler Licensing Region Map Update 2025

To advance zero waste efforts in the community, Boulder County has updated the county’s Waste Hauler Ordinance Regions map to increase organics collection access for the northern most parts of the county. Haulers must comply with the updated regions map by July 1, 2025.

Boulder County Waste Hauler Regions Map
Please note the updated map has four zones but they are labeled 1,2,4, and 5 to be consistent with the Waste Hauler Ordinance language.

Changes Overview: The Waste Hauler Ordinance Regions map divides the county into five regions with different hauler collection requirement for trash, recycling and organic materials. These regions are based on considerations like population density and area geography, and only apply to single-family residences. The map update incorporated the former Region 3 (north of Nelson Road and east of foodhills) into Region 5, thereby requiring adding food and yard waste collection access for single-family residences in that area. Haulers servicing businesses and multi-family residents in this area may offer food and yard waste collection.

Key Change: Haulers that provide regular or periodic trash collection service to addresses north of Nelson and east of the foothills are required to provide food and yard waste collection to single-family residents.

Why: The region map update increases equitable access to organics collection services. The boundaries were drawn back in 2007, over 17 years ago. The county has grown and changed since the previous waste haulers map was drawn and the updated map helps reflect these changes. An estimated 2,525 residents will have access to curbside food waste and yard waste collection services with this map change.

Timeline: The County update the website and notified haulers of the map change in August 2024. A Hauler Stakeholder meeting was held on September 10, 2024; for a copy of the presentation, please email Meghan Wiebe mwiebe@bouldercounty.gov. Reminders and on-going support for haulers were provided from October-December 2024.

January 1, 2025 – New map implemented. Haulers must provide food and yard waste collection to homes north of Nelson Road and east of the foothills.
July 1, 2025 – Compliance deadline. Haulers will need to be finished rolling out compost collection services to the new service area.

Hauler Comments and Questions

If you are a hauler and have questions or comments about the map change, please reach out to Meghan Wiebe at mwiebe@bouldercounty.gov

Hauler Licensing

Boulder County Ordinance #2019-3 requires licensing of all hauling companies operating within Boulder County that collect, transport, or dispose of discarded materials (trash, recyclables, compostables, construction and demolition materials, aggregate, or landscaping materials). Hauler licenses must be renewed annually by the hauler.

Collection Requirements Overview

Waste haulers are required to offer services based on which region of unincorporated Boulder County the customer resides. Please refer to the Waste Hauler Ordinance Regions Map for region boundaries.

Overview of regions with different collection requirements:

Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) / volumetric priced trash collection only – mountain areas
PAYT trash collection and unlimited recycling – north of Nelson Rd., east of foothills
PAYT trash collection, unlimited recycling and yard waste composting – south of Nelson Rd., just east of the foothills and Eldorado Springs
PAYT trash collection, unlimited recycling, food scrap & yard waste composting -south of Nelson Rd., east of the foothills

Food and Yard Waste Collection

Curbside compost collection varies by hauling region. Please refer to the Waste Hauler Ordinance Regions Map for region boundaries. Food waste may be collected outside of required areas, provided that food waste is collected in a bear-proof organics collection container.

Recycling Collection

Materials are required to be collected as Single-Stream Recycling from residential properties covered by the ordinance.

License Application and Renewal

Please follow the steps below to receive your new or renewed hauler license:

Log into your Re-TRAC account or create a Re-TRAC account
- Please find the Re-TRAC Login and Reporting Forms here.
- Instructions for Re-TRAC are in the Waste Hauler Reporting Guide. This also contains links to YouTube videos should you need additional reporting help. Complete the Commercial Waste Hauler Licensing Application and Self-Certification Form in Re-TRAC

Calculate your license fee based on an annual fee of $50 for up to the first three vehicles (i.e. if you operate one, two, or three vehicles, the cost is $50). Each additional vehicle is $10 (i.e., if you operate four vehicles, the cost is $60).

Submit your payment electronically or by check. To pay electronically, use the Boulder County payment system linked in your Re-TRAC account. To pay by check, submit a check made out to “Boulder County Treasurer” and mail to:

Boulder County Resource Conservation Division
Attn: Hauler License
1901 63rd Street
Boulder, CO 80301

Upon receipt of your Application, Self‐Certification Form and payment, your Hauler License will be issued, and you will receive the appropriate number of windshield stickers for your vehicles.

If you have questions, please contact Michal Duffy (they) at mduffy@bouldercounty.gov.

Current Licensed Haulers

Annual Reporting

Through a partnership with Boulder County, haulers and companies report for both the City of Boulder and unincorporated Boulder County using the same software program, Re-TRAC. No paper reporting forms will be accepted. All data reported to the city and the County shall be treated as confidential commercial documents under the provisions of the Colorado Open Records Act, Section 24-72-201, C.R.S., et seq.

Please find the Re-Trac Login and Reporting Forms here.
Instructions for Re-Trac are in the Waste Hauler Reporting Guide. This also contains links to YouTube videos should you need additional reporting help.

Please note, Re-TRAC is being implemented for reporting waste hauled from within the City of Boulder and unincorporated Boulder County, City of Broomfield, City of Lafayette, City of Louisville, City of Longmont, Town of Erie, Town of Lyons, Town of Superior, and Town of Nederland. Haulers may enter data for other communities listed in the Annual Service Summary form; however, this is optional and not required during this reporting cycle.