Thousands of San Diego property owners could see changes to the trash fee listed on their 2026-27 property tax bills after a city data error caused incorrect amounts to appear on some statements.
The City of San Diego said approximately 87,000 property tax accounts were affected by the problem. About 44,000 property owners were shown a trash fee higher than the correct amount, while roughly 43,000 were undercharged.
The issue involved the transfer of property information from the city to San Diego County for the Solid Waste Management Fee. City officials have since supplied corrected information to the county and are working to ensure affected accounts reflect the proper charges.
The error was not limited to one neighborhood or service level. City data shows affected properties across all nine City Council districts. District 2, which includes communities such as Clairemont, Point Loma and Mission Beach, had about 18,400 affected accounts.
For homeowners who were overcharged, corrected tax statements are being issued. The county has also indicated that property owners can check their updated bills through its online tax system.
Those who were undercharged have different instructions. The city says they may pay the amount currently shown on their tax statement and will receive additional information about how to pay the remaining balance.
Property owners who have already paid their taxes are not expected to lose money because of the billing error. Once the corrected amount is reflected in the county’s system, eligible refunds for overpayments will be issued automatically.
Homeowners can also check the correct trash fee associated with their property through the city’s Residential Waste Collection Services Portal. The city says residents who find that both the county statement and the city portal show an incorrect amount can submit a fee dispute for review.
The billing problem comes as San Diego continues its transition to a fee-based system for city-provided residential trash, recycling and organic waste collection. The City Council authorized collection of the Solid Waste Management Fee through the county property tax system.
For the current fiscal year, the standard service level for a 95-gallon trash bundle is $44.57 per month beginning July 1, 2026. The bundle includes trash, recycling and organic waste containers.
The city has also changed future fee levels. Rates for fiscal years 2028 and 2029 were reduced earlier this year, although those reductions do not change the fees for fiscal year 2027.
The county’s 2026-27 secured property tax roll is now available online. Physical tax bills are being mailed during October, and the first installment is due November 1, 2026. That installment becomes delinquent after December 10 if it remains unpaid.
The billing mistake does not affect the regular collection of trash, recycling or organic waste. Those services continue under the city’s normal collection schedule.
Property owners who are unsure about their charge can compare the amount on their county tax statement with the fee shown in the city’s waste services portal before making decisions about the bill.
