✅ Last verified 2026-05-17. Nevada County's free used-oil and oil-filter program is still running. Two 2026 filter-exchange events are scheduled and the curbside pickup + drop-off network is unchanged.
What you get, free
- Free curbside pickup of used motor oil and used oil filters from your home, run by WM (Waste Management). They drop off a sealable oil container at no charge — just call to request one. [Source: wm.com/location/california/nevada_county/recycling/oil.jsp (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Free drop-off at 20+ certified collection centers across the county (auto-parts stores, lube shops, transfer stations). No appointment.
- $15 voucher toward a new oil filter when you bring in a used one at the 2026 exchange events (see below). Up to 2 filters per household. [Source: yubanet.com/regional/dont-trash-it-cash-it-oil-filter-exchange-set-for-march-28 (accessed 2026-05-17)]
- Free oil-change kits (funnel, drain pan, jug) at the exchange events, while supplies last — one per household.
Who qualifies
Nevada County residents. Commercial customers and out-of-county residents are not eligible for the exchange events. The curbside pickup and drop-off centers are open to any resident.
2026 Oil Filter Exchange Events
Both 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at O'Reilly Auto Parts, 742 Freeman Lane, Grass Valley (next to Raley's):
- Saturday, March 28, 2026 (already passed for 2026 — second event below is still upcoming)
- Saturday, May 16, 2026
Bring up to 2 used oil filters. Exchange and new-filter purchase must happen in the same visit. [Source: nevadacountyca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=8641 (accessed 2026-05-17)]
How to use curbside pickup
- Call WM Customer Service: 530-274-3090 and ask for a free reusable oil container.
- Drain your oil filter, then seal it in a clear Ziplock bag.
- On your normal recycling day, put the oil jug and bagged filter on top of your recycling cart — not inside it.
- Make sure the oil is not mixed with antifreeze, gas, water, or any other fluid. Mixed oil is treated as hazardous waste and won't be picked up.
How to use a drop-off center
- Put your oil in a sealable container (5-gallon max per visit). Drain the filter and seal it in a bag (2 filters max per visit).
- Go during the business's regular hours — never leave oil outside after closing. Dumping after hours is illegal and can carry fines up to $10,000.
- Some shops pay a 40¢-per-gallon rebate for clean used oil. Ask at the counter.
Drop-off locations
Grass Valley
- PRO LUBE — 582 East Main St.
- Advantage Automotive — 13383 Colfax Hwy.
- Alta Sierra Family Automotive — 15563 Hwy. 49
- Arch's Automotive Service — 1355 E. Main St.
- AutoZone — 412 Brunswick Rd.
- Gold Country Express Lube — 712 S. Auburn
- O'Reilly Auto Parts — 10101 Olympia Park Rd.
- Riebes Auto Parts — 126 Idaho Maryland Rd.
- McCourtney Road Recycling Center / Transfer Station — 14741 Wolf Mountain Rd. (also takes contaminated oil at the Household Hazardous Waste facility)
Nevada City
- Dave's Auto Repair — 747 Zion St.
- Gold Flat 76 Express Lube — 421 Hollow Way
Penn Valley
- Eagle Quick Lube — 17548 Penn Valley Dr. (also accepts antifreeze)
- Penn Valley Service, Inc. — 10165 Commercial Ave.
South County
- Nuts & Bolts Auto Repair — 10100 Streeter Rd., Ste. D
North San Juan
- North San Juan Transfer Station — 10125 Flume St.
Washington
- Washington Transfer Station — 15886 Gaston Rd.
Smartsville
- Engelbright Lake, Skippers Cove Marina — 13104 Marina Dr.
Truckee
- Eastern Regional Landfill — Cabin Creek Rd.
- Truckee Automotive — 12219 Business Park Dr.
- Truckee Rents — 10410 River Park Pl.
- Hall's Excavating, Inc. — 10911 Glenshire Dr.
FLAG: Locations and street addresses are carried forward from the WM program flyer. Call ahead before driving across the county — small shops change hands. Transfer-station hours below are confirmed for 2026.
Transfer station hours (2026)
- McCourtney Road Transfer Station (Grass Valley): Friday–Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., closed for lunch 12–1 p.m. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
- North San Juan Transfer Station: Friday, Saturday, Monday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed for lunch 12–12:30 p.m.
[Source: nevadacountyca.gov/3412/Transfer-Stations + WM Nevada County listings (accessed 2026-05-17)]
If your oil is mixed or contaminated
Take it to the McCourtney Road Transfer Station Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Don't try to drop contaminated oil at an auto-parts store — they can't accept it and it can shut down the whole program.
Common pitfalls
- Leaving oil outside after hours. Illegal. Wait for business hours.
- Mixing oil with antifreeze or gas. Now it's hazardous waste — different facility.
- Putting the jug inside your recycling cart. It needs to sit on top so the driver sees it.
- Forgetting to drain the filter. Filters can hold up to 45% of their weight in oil; un-drained filters get rejected.
Where to get help
- WM (curbside, containers): 530-274-3090
- Nevada County Solid Waste: 530-265-7111, solidwaste@nevadacountyca.gov
- Event calendar: nevadacountyca.gov/SWevents
Why this program exists
The program is funded by CalRecycle's Used Oil Payment Program grant to Nevada County. The grant pays for curbside collection, the certified drop-off network, and the filter-exchange events. [Source: yubanet.com/regional/nevada-county-to-host-used-oil-filter-exchange-event-may-16 (accessed 2026-05-17)]
One gallon of motor oil dumped into a storm drain can contaminate up to one million gallons of drinking water. Recycled oil can be cleaned and reused indefinitely. Used filters are mostly steel — the metal gets recycled into rebar.
Freshness update (2026-05-30): Both 2026 Oil Filter Exchange Events listed above (March 28 and May 16) have now passed. The free year-round services are unaffected — curbside pickup through WM (530-274-3090) and the 20+ drop-off centers are still running. Watch nevadacountyca.gov/SWevents for the next filter-exchange event with its $15 voucher. The existing curator FLAG about confirming shop addresses before driving across the county still stands.