Drop it off free
37 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store1.4 mi
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store1.5 mi
- Vista PaintPaint store1.6 mi
San Diego, CA Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in San Diego.
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All drop-off locations in and near San Diego39
Start with these
San Diego HHW Transfer Facility
5161 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111
- Accepts
- Latex or oil-based household paint and other household chemicals the site takes.
- Who can use it
- City of San Diego residents with proof of address. No business waste, including from contractors or HOAs.
- Hours
- Wednesday and Saturday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., by appointment.
- Load limits
- No containers over 5 gallons. Call first about loads over 50 pounds, unknown products or leaking cans. Ask the total liquid limit when you book.
- Fees
- Free for city residents.
Follow your appointment's entry steps at Miramar; landfill traffic can cause delays. The city's regular recycling events don't take paint.
Dunn-Edwards Sports Arena PaintCare drop-off
3191 Sports Arena Blvd #A, San Diego, CA 92110
- Accepts
- House paint, primer, stain and clear finish, latex or oil, in original cans.
- Who can use it
- Households and businesses. Business oil paint has PaintCare size rules.
- Hours
- Monday–Saturday 6 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Store hours; ask if there's room.
- Load limits
- No posted total limit. Ask if they'll take your amount first. Cans 5 gallons or less.
- Fees
- No charge for PaintCare paint.
Label and tight lid required. No leaking or empty cans, thinner, spray paint or industrial paint. Confirm room before you load.
37 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of San Diego.
26 paint stores and 4 hazardous waste sites, closest first. Paint stores take house paint, stain and varnish, usually up to a set amount per visit. Hazardous waste sites also take chemicals like thinner, but some only serve local residents. Call before you go.
Rules most stores here share
Who: Households and Businesses in California
Hours: Paint is accepted during regular business hours. Call ahead for hours and to make sure the store can accept the amount and type of paint you would like to recycle.
Products: This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking or empty.
Each listing below shows only what’s different, plus its limit.
Sherwin-Williams
1.4 mi4802 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
1.5 mi4925 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Vista Paint
1.6 mi5700 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Dunn-Edwards
1.8 mi7347 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92111
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
HHW Transfer Facility for San Diego
1.9 mi5161 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in San Diego
- Hours
- Wednesday and Saturday 9 am - 3 pm by appointment Closed on major holidays.
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers.
- Notes
- City of San Diego Residents Only. Proof of Residency Required. By appointment only.
Dunn-Edwards
4.2 mi2011 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
- Limits
- Limit: 15 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
4.2 mi3301 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
4.6 mi2231 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Show 22 more sites
Sherwin-Williams
4.8 mi6625 Miramar Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Shilpark Paint
4.9 mi7630 Carroll Rd, San Diego, CA 92126
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Vista Paint
5 mi1228 Knoxville St, San Diego, CA 92110
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
5.1 mi6080 Miramar Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Dunn-Edwards
5.3 mi8400 Miramar Rd, San Diego, CA 92126
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
PPG Paints
5.4 mi8604 Miramar Rd, San Diego, CA 92126
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Dunn-Edwards
6 mi3191 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
6.2 mi3677 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
6.6 mi1220 Garnet Ave, San Diego, CA 92109
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
7.2 mi6941 Federal Blvd, Lemon Grove, CA 91945
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Dunn-Edwards
7.2 mi5180 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
City of La Mesa HHW Facility - EDCO Station
7.2 mi8184 Commercial St, La Mesa, CA 91942
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in La Mesa Lemon Grove
- Hours
- Select Saturday 9 am - 2 pm by appointment (about 8 days per year).
- Limits
- Limit: 15 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers.
- Notes
- City of La Mesa Residents.
Dunn-Edwards
7.7 mi5250 Jackson Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
7.8 mi8784 Grossmont Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
8.1 mi7477 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
PPG Paints
8.3 mi2393 Newton Ave, San Diego, CA 92113
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
City of Coronado HHW Facility at Public Services Facility
8.4 mi101 B Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
- Who
- Households Only (No Businesses) in Coronado
- Hours
- 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month 9 am - 2 pm except holiday weekends. (No Businesses)
- Limits
- Limit: 15 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers.
- Notes
- Coronado Residents Only.
Sherwin-Williams
8.7 mi9567 Mission Gorge Rd, Santee, CA 92071
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Vista Paint
10 mi1220 N Magnolia Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
10 mi1604 N Magnolia Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
Dunn-Edwards
10.4 mi12344 Poway Rd, Poway, CA 92064
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
City of Poway HHW Facility
10.6 mi12325 Crosthwaite Cir, Poway, CA 92064
- Who
- HHW and VSQG Businesses in DelMar Encinitas Escondido National City Poway Solana Beach Vista Carlsbad San Marcos
- Hours
- Households Saturdays 9 am - 3 pm Closed holiday weekends. Businesses by appointment.
- Limits
- Limit: 15 gallons per visit.
- Products
- This site accepts latex and oil-based house paint, stains and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons in size. This site also takes most other household hazardous waste -- contact the site for details and restrictions. Please do not bring empty, leaking or unlabeled containers. SOME BUSINESSES may use this program by appointment or on special days. Contact the program for details if your paint (or other hazardous waste) is from a business.
From PaintCare’s drop-off map ↗, updated October 6, 2026. Hours and limits are PaintCare’s. Distances are straight-line, not driving.
Which option fits your San Diego cleanout?3
Dropping off paint on a weekday
The Sports Arena store's own page says it takes PaintCare paint, and it's open seven days. Ask how much it can take; open doesn't mean it has room. Leave spray cans, thinner and wash water out.
Paint plus solvents from your house
Book a Wednesday or Saturday slot and bring proof you live in the city. Put everything where staff can reach it. Miramar traffic can be slow, so leave extra time.
Your address says San Diego, but you're outside city limits
The city program goes by where you live, not your mailing address. Unincorporated residents call County help at 877-713-2784; other cities have their own programs. A PaintCare store may still take paint-only cans.
San Diego rules and tips2
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Paint only? Take it to Dunn-Edwards Sports Arena. Paint plus thinner or other chemicals? Book the city's hazardous waste site, which is for City of San Diego residents only.
Only people living inside San Diego city limits can use the city's hazardous waste site. A San Diego mailing address isn't enough.
Book before you load
The city lists Wednesday and Saturday appointments. Bring proof you live in the city and follow your booking's directions.
Skip the oil-and-battery events
The city's oil-and-battery events don't take paint. Book a hazardous waste appointment or use a PaintCare store.
Free pickup programs and other options
Elderly or disabled and can't drive it in? Ask about help at 858-694-7000. Unincorporated county residents call 877-713-2784. PaintCare may also pick up large amounts free if you qualify.
Getting your paint ready
Pack cans so they can't tip in the trunk or truck bed. Call before moving a leaking or unlabeled can.
Full preparation checklist →San Diego questions2
Can my painter drop off job waste here?
No. The household site takes no business waste. Ask about a business service or whether PaintCare will take it.
Is drop-off free?
Yes, for city households. You still need an appointment.
Sources and how we checked7
The store says it takes paint. Its ads mention paint water, but PaintCare doesn't take that. Total store capacity is unconfirmed.
Checked October 4, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
