Call the site first. Keep paint in its original labeled cans, tap the lids shut and pack the cans upright in a sturdy box in your trunk or cargo area. Don’t mix paints. PaintCare sites take at least 5 gallons per visit, in cans of 5 gallons or less. They won’t take leaking, unlabeled or empty cans.
Before you pack: call the site
PaintCare asks you to contact any drop-off site before you go to check its hours and whether it can take your paint. Stores and county sites can run out of room, close early or have their own limits.
When you call, tell them how many cans you have, the sizes, and what’s in them: latex paint, oil-based paint, stain, spray paint or other products. Say whether the paint is from your home or a business. Ask if you need an appointment or proof of where you live, and whether staff will unload your car.
Write down the address, the entrance to use and the hours. Plan to arrive well before closing.
How much paint can you bring?
If you have more than the limit, split it into more than one trip on different days, or ask about a pickup. Don’t load more than the rules allow just to save a trip.
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gallons per visit at PaintCare sites | Every PaintCare site takes at least 5 gallons per visit. Some take more. | PaintCare |
| Largest container at PaintCare sites | 5 gallons | PaintCare |
| Large amounts in PaintCare states | 100 gallons or more can qualify for PaintCare’s free large volume pickup | PaintCare |
| Businesses at PaintCare sites | Any amount of water-based paint a site agrees to take; oil-based paint has limits | PaintCare |
| California household hazardous waste | State law caps other household hazardous waste at 5 gallons or 50 pounds per trip, and lets local programs raise it to 15 gallons or 125 pounds (Los Angeles County has). Recyclable latex and oil-based paint are exempt from these limits, but must be in closed containers packed so they can’t tip or spill | Cal. Health & Safety Code §25218.5 and §25218.5.1; Los Angeles County |
| County hazardous waste sites elsewhere | Limits vary by county | Call your county program |
Which cans are ready, and which need a call first
| Can | Will a PaintCare site take it? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Original can, label readable, lid tight | Yes | Pack it upright |
| Label missing or unreadable | No | Take it to a household hazardous waste site and tell them it’s unknown |
| Leaking or open | No | Call your local hazardous waste program before you move it |
| Rusted or bulging | No if it’s leaking | EPA says corroding containers need special handling. Call your hazardous waste program or fire department |
| Empty or dried-out can | No | These are not taken at drop-off. See our guide to paint cans |
| Spray paint | No | Take it to a household hazardous waste site |
| Thinner, mineral spirits, solvents | No | Take it to a household hazardous waste site |
| Paint poured into a jar or another can | Usually no | It needs the original printed label. Ask a hazardous waste site |
Labels: keep the original
PaintCare only takes paint in its original container with the maker’s original printed label. The label tells staff what’s in the can and how to handle it.
If a label is peeling, tape it back on with clear tape. A marker note on the lid helps you, but it does not replace the printed label.
EPA also says to keep household chemicals in their original containers and never remove the labels.
How to pack paint for the car
- Check every lid. Wipe the rim and tap the lid down all the way around with a rubber mallet.
- Line a sturdy cardboard box or plastic tub with a trash bag or old towel. PaintCare suggests packing cans in a sturdy box.
- Stand each can upright. Fill gaps with newspaper or towels so cans can’t tip or slide.
- Keep paint separate from other products. Pack spray paint, thinners and other chemicals in their own box. EPA warns that mixing household chemicals can cause reactions or fires.
- Put the box in the trunk, truck bed or cargo area, not on a seat or the floor where people sit. King County tells residents to seal waste and place it upright in boxes.
- Don’t stack heavy boxes on top of paint cans. The lids can pop.
Driving with paint: safety tips
- Go straight to the site. Don’t leave paint in a parked car, especially on a hot day. Paint makers say paint keeps best between 60 and 80 degrees.
- If you smell fumes, open a window. Pull over and check for a leak if the smell gets strong.
- No smoking in the car. Oil-based paint, thinners and spray cans are flammable.
- Keep kids and pets out of the area where the paint is.
- Drive gently. Hard stops are how cans tip.
- Read the labels before you load. EPA says label directions help prevent leaks, spills and fires on the way to a disposal site.
If a can leaks in your car
Stop somewhere safe and stand the can upright. Put it in a plastic tub or bucket so it doesn’t drip more.
For latex paint, soak up what you can with paper towels or rags, then clean the rest with water while it’s still wet.
For oil-based paint, open the windows. Soak up the paint with rags, kitty litter or other absorbent. Rags with oil-based paint can catch fire on their own, so put them in a metal can, cover them with water and close the lid tight. Then ask the drop-off site how to get rid of them. See our oily rags guide.
Tell the site about the leak when you arrive. PaintCare sites don’t take leaking cans, so ask where it should go instead.
At the drop-off site
Follow the signs and staff directions. Ask before you get out of your car or start unloading.
Tell staff about any cans that leaked, have no label or are something other than paint. Don’t leave anything at the gate after hours or next to the building. If a site turns something down, ask where it should go, take it home and store it safely until you can get it there.
No car, or too much paint?
If you can’t drive, have more paint than the limit allows, or can’t lift heavy cans, you have a few choices. Some counties run home collection for people who can’t get to a site. In PaintCare states, a business or property with 100 gallons or more may qualify for PaintCare’s free large volume pickup.
You can also pay a pickup service to come get it. Paint Again picks up paint from homes and businesses, so you don’t have to pack the car at all.
Checklist
- Call the site to check hours, limits and what it takes.
- Sort paint from spray cans, thinners and other chemicals.
- Set aside leaking, unlabeled and empty cans and ask where they go.
- Tap every lid shut and keep the original labels on.
- Pack cans upright in a lined, sturdy box in the trunk.
- Drive straight there and follow staff directions.
Common questions
How many cans of paint can I drop off at once?
PaintCare sites take at least 5 gallons per visit, and some take more. County hazardous waste sites set their own limits. In California, state law limits other household hazardous waste to 5 gallons or 50 pounds per trip, or up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds where the local program allows it, as Los Angeles County does. Recyclable latex and oil-based paint are exempt from those limits, but thinners, spray cans and other chemicals count.
Is it safe to carry paint in my car?
Yes, if the lids are tight and the cans are upright in a box in the trunk or cargo area. Go straight there, open a window if you smell fumes and don’t leave paint in a hot car.
Should I take the lids off before drop-off?
No. Keep lids on tight. PaintCare won’t take open or leaking cans. Taking lids off is only for drying latex paint for the trash, where that’s allowed.
Can I combine leftover paint into one can?
No. PaintCare says not to mix paints, and it only takes paint in the original labeled can.
What if the label fell off?
PaintCare sites won’t take it. Bring it to a household hazardous waste site and tell staff what you think it is, or that it’s unknown.
Can I bring other chemicals on the same trip?
Only to a site that takes them. Many PaintCare sites are paint stores that only take PaintCare products. A county hazardous waste site may take more. Pack other chemicals in a separate box and never mix them.
Do I need to bring the empty cans too?
No. PaintCare sites don’t take empty cans. See our guide to paint cans for what to do with them.
Sources
Checked October 7, 2026. Your local drop-off site’s rules come first.
PaintCare: frequently asked questions ↗PaintCare: products accepted ↗PaintCare: drop-off site locator ↗PaintCare: large volume pickups ↗EPA: household hazardous waste ↗Los Angeles County: household hazardous waste events (15 gallon / 125 pound limit) ↗California Health and Safety Code §25218.5 (transport limits; paint exemption in (b)(1)(D)) ↗California Health and Safety Code §25218.5.1 (local limit of 15 gallons or 125 pounds) ↗King County: hazardous waste disposal facilities ↗Benjamin Moore: storing leftover paint ↗Sherwin-Williams: storing and disposing of leftover paint ↗How we research →