Drop it off free
8 free paint drop-off sites within 12 miles.
- Sherwin-WilliamsPaint store1.7 mi
- PPG PaintsPaint store1.8 mi
- Velvacon and Pittsburgh PaintsPaint store2.1 mi
Stockton, CA Paint Disposal
Everything you need to get rid of leftover paint responsibly in Stockton.
NOW AVAILABLE IN STOCKTON
Paint recycling pickup. Book online.
Book a pickup $89 minimum · No next-day surcharge
All drop-off locations in and near Stockton11
Start with these
San Joaquin County Household Hazardous Waste Facility (Stockton Airport)
7850 R.A. Bridgeford Street, Stockton, CA 95206
- Accepts
- Latex and water-based paint, enamel and oil-based paint, stain, varnish, sealers, rust paint, wood preservative, paint and furniture stripper, thinner, solvent and turpentine, aerosol spray cans, plus car fluids, pool and garden chemicals, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks up to 5 gallons, sharps in a sealed container and electronics.
- Who can use it
- San Joaquin County households. Very small businesses (under 220 pounds, about 27 gallons, of hazardous waste a month) only by appointment through 800-207-8222.
- Hours
- Thursday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., per the county's facility page and its disposal guide. PaintCare's listing and Lathrop's city page say Thursday–Saturday, so call before a Sunday trip. Closed New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, July 4, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Load limits
- 15 gallons or 125 pounds per trip. No container larger than 5 gallons. Up to 5 large electronic devices per trip. Staff can turn away loads over the legal limit.
- Fees
- Free for San Joaquin County residents. Businesses pay by type of waste; the county gives its price list by phone at 800-207-8222. PaintCare's listing (not the county) says businesses pay a $20 appointment fee and no per-gallon charge for paint.
Not taken: explosives, ammunition, radioactive or medical waste, solar panels, controlled substances, tires, large appliances, gas-powered tools, A/C units and large gas cylinders. Use the "Entrance Only" gate off R.A. Bridgeford Street. Fuel containers aren't given back.
Lovelace Transfer Station paint drop-off (San Joaquin County, Manteca)
2323 E. Lovelace Road, Manteca, CA 95336
- Accepts
- Latex and oil-based house paint, stain and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons, per PaintCare. Unlike most PaintCare sites, it also takes empty paint cans.
- Who can use it
- San Joaquin County households and very small businesses, per PaintCare's listing.
- Hours
- PaintCare lists Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. The county's own page says the gates are open daily 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and the 4 p.m. close is strict. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per visit, per PaintCare's listing.
- Fees
- Free for PaintCare products. Regular trash and recycling loads at the transfer station are charged by the county's price sheet.
No spray cans, unlabeled or leaking containers. The county's transfer station page doesn't mention paint at all and lists hazardous and liquid waste as not accepted, so ask at the gate for the PaintCare paint drop-off. Thinner and spray cans go to the airport facility instead.
North County Recycling Center paint drop-off (San Joaquin County, Lodi area)
17720 E. Harney Lane, Lodi, CA 95240
- Accepts
- Latex and oil-based house paint, stain and varnish in containers up to 5 gallons, per PaintCare. Empty paint cans are taken too.
- Who can use it
- San Joaquin County households and very small businesses, per PaintCare's listing.
- Hours
- PaintCare lists Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. The county's own page says the gates are open every day, 7 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and the 4 p.m. close is strict.
- Load limits
- 5 gallons per visit, per PaintCare's listing.
- Fees
- Free for PaintCare products.
No spray cans, unlabeled or leaking containers. This is a county landfill and recycling center east of Lodi. The county's page for it doesn't mention paint and lists hazardous and liquid waste as not accepted; only PaintCare lists the paint drop-off, so ask staff where to unload.
8 PaintCare drop-off sites within 12 miles of Stockton.
7 paint stores and 1 hazardous waste site, 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
1.7 mi2225 Monte Diablo Ave, Stockton, CA 95203
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
PPG Paints
1.8 mi2504 Monte Diablo Ave, Stockton, CA 95203
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
Velvacon and Pittsburgh Paints
2.1 mi706 E Main St, Stockton, CA 95202
- Limits
- Limit: 5 gallons per visit.
U.S. Paints
3.5 mi3206 E Hammer Ln, Stockton, CA 95212
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
San Joaquin County HHW Facility
7 mi7850 R A Bridgeford St, Stockton, CA 95206
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses in San Joaquin County
- Hours
- Thursday-Saturday 9 am - 3 pm Businesses by appointment; call (800) 207-8222 $20 appointment fee - no fee per gallon of paint
- 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.
Lovelace Transfer Station
9.4 mi2323 E Lovelace Rd, Manteca, CA 95336
- Who
- Households and VSQG Businesses in San Joaquin County
- Hours
- Households and qualifying businesses. Monday-Friday 7 am - 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8 am - 4 pm. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day.
- 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 does not accept aerosols (spray paint or other spray products), containers without original labels, or containers that are leaking. This site will accept empty containers.
Sherwin-Williams
10.4 mi920 S Cherokee Ln, Lodi, CA 95240
- Limits
- Limit: 10 gallons per visit.
Sherwin-Williams
10.7 mi15390 S Harlan Rd, Lathrop, CA 95330
- Limits
- Limit: 20 gallons per visit.
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 Stockton cleanout?4
Garage cleanout with spray cans, thinner and old stain
Take it all to R.A. Bridgeford Street on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Keep each product in its own labeled container, nothing over 5 gallons, and stay under 15 gallons or 125 pounds.
Four cans of wall paint from north Stockton
U.S. Paints on East Hammer Lane takes up to 10 gallons of house paint a visit. Call first to make sure it has room.
Manteca or Lodi resident with a few cans on a Monday
The airport facility is closed Monday through Wednesday. PaintCare lists Lovelace Transfer Station in Manteca and North County Recycling Center near Lodi for up to 5 gallons of house paint and empty cans on weekdays.
Small business with leftover primer and solvent
Call 800-207-8222 to book a county appointment; it's first-come, first-served and you'll be asked what you have. House paint alone can go to a PaintCare store that takes business paint.
Stockton rules and tips5
THE LOCAL ANSWER
Take paint, spray cans and thinner to the county facility at 7850 R.A. Bridgeford St., by the Stockton airport; it's free for San Joaquin County residents, up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds a trip. The county says it's open Thursday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., but PaintCare and Lathrop say Thursday–Saturday, so call 209-468-3066 before a Sunday trip. For house paint only, Stockton stores such as U.S. Paints on East Hammer Lane take up to 10 gallons a visit.
In Stockton, California, leftover paint goes to San Joaquin County's household hazardous waste facility next to Stockton Metropolitan Airport, at 7850 R.A. Bridgeford Street. It's free for county residents and also takes thinner, spray cans and other chemicals. For house paint alone, a handful of Stockton paint stores take it free through PaintCare.
Finding the airport facility
From I-5, take French Camp Road east onto Arch Airport/Sperry Road, turn right on Airport Way, left on C.E. Dixon Street, right on R.A. Bridgeford Street, then left at the "Entrance Only" gate. From Highway 99, take Arch Road west, then left on Airport Way and follow the same turns.
Sunday hours: sources disagree
The county's facility page and its 2023 guide say Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. PaintCare's listing and the City of Lathrop's page say Thursday through Saturday. A Thursday–Saturday visit works either way. Closed New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, July 4, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Free paint from the Reuse Room
Staff put usable, mostly full products that people drop off into a Reuse Room, and county residents can take them free. You must be 18 or older and sign a waiver. You can visit once a week and take up to 10 items per vehicle, no more than 5 of them paint. It's for your own use; you can't sell it.
Clean Sweep pickup won't take paint
Republic Services' spring 2025 newsletter says Stockton homes get one free Clean Sweep bulky pickup a year, booked at 209-466-3604 from February through October. Its list of items it won't take includes hazardous waste and liquids, so leave paint cans out of the pile.
Closer drop-offs for Lodi and Manteca
PaintCare lists two county solid waste sites that take up to 5 gallons of house paint a visit: Lovelace Transfer Station in Manteca (every day) and North County Recycling Center east of Lodi (Monday–Saturday). Both also take empty paint cans. The county's own pages for these two sites don't mention paint, so ask at the gate. The county guide says the airport facility is sponsored by the communities of San Joaquin County, and Lathrop sends its residents there.
Free pickup programs and other options
PaintCare lists four Stockton stores for house paint: U.S. Paints at 3206 E. Hammer Ln. and Sherwin-Williams at 2225 Monte Diablo Ave. (10 gallons each), and PPG Paints at 2504 Monte Diablo Ave. and Velvacon and Pittsburgh Paints at 706 E. Main St. downtown (5 gallons each). For a bigger load, Sherwin-Williams at 15390 S. Harlan Rd. in Lathrop and Dunn-Edwards at 3380 N. Tracy Blvd. in Tracy take 20. With 100 gallons or more, ask PaintCare for a free pickup.
Getting your paint ready
Keep paint in its original, labeled can with a tight lid. Don't mix products, and nothing over 5 gallons. Pack cans in the trunk or truck bed so they can't tip. Stay under 15 gallons or 125 pounds per trip.
Full preparation checklist →Stockton questions5
Is the Stockton hazardous waste facility open on Sunday?
The county's own page and guide say yes, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. PaintCare and Lathrop list Thursday through Saturday only, so call 209-468-3066 before you go on a Sunday.
Does it cost anything to drop off paint in Stockton?
No, not for San Joaquin County residents at the airport facility. PaintCare stores are free too, for house paint, stain and varnish.
Can I bring spray paint?
Yes, to the county facility. Aerosol cans are on its list. PaintCare stores and the Lovelace and North County drop-offs don't take spray cans.
I'm a painting contractor. Where do I take leftover paint?
PaintCare stores take house paint from businesses. If you make less than 220 pounds of hazardous waste a month, you can book a county appointment at 800-207-8222; you'll need an EPA ID number for a second appointment. For 100 gallons or more, ask PaintCare about a free pickup.
Can I get free paint in Stockton?
Sometimes. The Reuse Room at the county facility gives away usable products to adults, up to 5 paint items a week. What's there depends on what people drop off.
Sources and how we checked12
October 15, 2026: read San Joaquin County's facility page, its household hazardous waste FAQ, the small business (CESQG) page and the Lovelace and North County site pages; the county's disposal guide PDF (updated February 2023); the City of Lathrop's hazardous waste page; Republic Services' Spring 2025 Stockton newsletter (PDF); and PaintCare's locator data for San Joaquin County. Open days conflict: the county page and guide say Thursday–Sunday, PaintCare and Lathrop say Thursday–Saturday; we tell readers to call before a Sunday trip. The county doesn't publish business prices; the $20 appointment fee comes only from PaintCare's listing. Lovelace and North County paint drop-off is documented only by PaintCare; the county's pages for those sites don't mention paint. The Reuse Room rules are on the county's facility page for 7850 R.A. Bridgeford St. The Clean Sweep details come from a spring 2025 newsletter. October 15 peer review: rechecked every source; North County is open Monday–Saturday for paint per PaintCare, not daily. No City of Stockton paint page was found. Store hours weren't checked.
Checked October 15, 2026 against these sources, not by phone. How we research.
San Joaquin County: Household Hazardous Waste Facility ↗San Joaquin County: household hazardous waste disposal guide (PDF, updated Feb. 2023) ↗San Joaquin County: household hazardous waste FAQ ↗San Joaquin County: small business (CESQG) hazardous waste program ↗San Joaquin County: Lovelace MRF and Transfer Station ↗San Joaquin County: North County Recycling Center and Sanitary Landfill ↗City of Lathrop: household hazardous waste ↗Republic Services: City of Stockton residential newsletter (Spring 2025, PDF) ↗PaintCare California ↗PaintCare drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare program products ↗PaintCare large-volume pickup ↗
