What it costs to dump in Maryland: 2026 fees by county
In much of Maryland, residents don't pay to drop off household trash at all: Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County and Howard County take it free, within limits. Where counties do charge, it's by the vehicle ($5 a carload in Charles County, $8 in Harford County) or by weight, from $70 a ton in Carroll County to $125 in Baltimore County once you've used up your free visits.
2026 cost to dump in Maryland, county by county
| County | Small load (minimum) | Per ton after that | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore County | Free for residents, up to 10 visits a year | $125 a ton after 10 visits (prorated) | Commercial haulers need a county permit and account |
| Baltimore City | Free for city residents with ID | Small haulers: $20 flat at the Northwest Transfer Station (vehicles up to 7,000 lbs) | Limit of 2 loads a day and 5 a week |
| Anne Arundel County | Free for residential waste | $100 a ton for dump trucks, box trucks and trailers | Show an Anne Arundel driver's license and vehicle registration |
| Howard County | Free, up to 2 tons a year | Construction debris $106 a ton | Vehicle up to ¾ ton, registered in Howard County |
| Prince George's County | Free at the two convenience centers | $90 a ton at the landfill from July 1, 2026 (trailers, big pickups, commercial) | No trailers at the convenience centers |
| Charles County | $5 a car, $15 a pickup | $118 a ton for trailers ($15 minimum) | Yard waste and scrap metal free; no out-of-county waste |
| Harford County | $8 a car, $11 a pickup | $117 a ton for other vehicles, by waiver | Residents only; cash or credit card, no checks or debit |
| Carroll County | $8 for a car load under 200 lbs | $70 a ton ($8 minimum) | Bulky items $75 a ton and construction debris $85 since January 1, 2026 |
| Cecil County | $14 under 200 lbs ($7 with recyclables separated) | $79 a ton | The posted fee sheet is dated 2016; call to confirm |
| Montgomery County (Shady Grove) | Not posted | Not posted | Loads over 500 lbs are weighed and pay the posted fee |
Rates verified from each county's own published pages and fee sheets, October 2026. Tires, mattresses, appliances and electronics are often billed separately from trash. Confirm with the facility before a big load.
Find a landfill near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest disposal sites across Maryland, then open your city's page for its exact hours, fees and what it accepts.
Why prices vary so much in Maryland
Every Maryland county runs its own disposal system and sets its own prices. Several pay for residents' trash through taxes or a yearly solid waste charge, so the gate is free: Anne Arundel County, for one, covers residential drop-off through its annual solid waste service charge. Others charge each trip, either a flat price by vehicle (Charles and Harford counties) or by weight at the scale (Carroll and Cecil counties).
Montgomery County is the outlier: its Shady Grove Transfer Station weighs any load over 500 lbs and charges the posted fee, but the county doesn't publish a current per-ton rate online.
Residents only, almost everywhere
Maryland's county sites are built for their own residents. Bring a driver's license with a local address; some counties also want your vehicle registration (Anne Arundel) or a vehicle registered in the county (Howard). Charles County and Howard County don't take out-of-county waste at all.
The catches that cost people money
- Count your free trips. Baltimore County allows 10 free visits a year; after that you pay $125 a ton at the Eastern Sanitary Landfill. Howard County's free allowance is 2 tons a year, July to June.
- Leave the trailer at home. Prince George's County convenience centers don't allow trailers; those loads go to the Brown Station Road landfill at $90 a ton.
- Bring the right payment. Harford County takes cash or credit cards only, no checks or debit cards.
- Arrive early on Saturday. Harford County warns of waits of an hour or more on Saturdays and asks you to arrive by 2:30 p.m. with trash.
- Gear up at Cecil County. In the area where trucks dump, you need a hard hat, safety vest and safety footwear, and the county doesn't provide them.
What Maryland landfills can't take
Tires have been banned from Maryland landfills since the Scrap Tire Recycling Act of 1991, and a $1 fee on every new tire (since January 1, 2026) pays for the state program. Counties take a few from residents for recycling; Charles County charges a $40 recovery fee for any tire found in its landfill.
Electronics aren't banned from the trash in Maryland, but the state's eCycling law has manufacturers offering takeback, and most counties take electronics free.
Car batteries aren't covered by a state ban either, but auto parts stores and county drop-offs take them; Baltimore County's centers accept lead-acid and rechargeable batteries from residents.
Paint has a free route now: Maryland's PaintCare program began April 1, 2026. There's no mattress recycling law, so mattresses are trash or bulky waste: Charles County takes 2 a day free, Carroll County charges $75 a ton.