Lake County Landfill & Transfer Station (Polson, Montana) — Fees and Rural Sites

Lake County runs two disposal sites outside Polson: the Transfer Station at 36117 North Reservoir Road for household trash and recycling, and the county landfill at 39276 Kerr Dam Road for construction debris and bulky items like couches and mattresses, open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Property owners get permit tags through their taxes. Without a tag, household trash is $10 minimum and $10 a yard, or buy a punch card ($32 for six cans). Six rural container sites cover the county from Arlee to the Swan Valley.

Disposal sites in Lake County

Lake County Transfer Station

Transfer station

Lake County Solid Waste

36117 N. Reservoir Rd., Polson, MT 59860 Directions

📞 (406) 883-7323

Hours
Hours	Call (406) 883-7323 before you go

Fees

Permit tag holders: household trash included
Pay as you throw: $10 minimum, then $10 a yard
Punch cards: $32 for 6 or $62 for 12 (one punch = one large garbage can)

Accepts: Household trash, clothes, books, small appliances, dead animals, small amounts of paint, cleansers and pesticides; recycling for used oil, antifreeze, car batteries, tires, cardboard, paper, cans, #1 and #2 plastic bottles and scrap metal; brush, stumps, untreated lumber, concrete and rock at the inert landfill next door

Won't take: Liquids; plywood, OSB and particle board at the inert landfill (take those to the county landfill)

Separate appliances that have or had Freon. Sorting your load saves you money.

Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us

Lake County Landfill (construction and bulky waste)

C&D landfill

Lake County Solid Waste

39276 Kerr Dam Rd., Polson, MT 59860 Directions

📞 (406) 883-5412

Hours
Mon–Sat	8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday	Closed

Fees

Sorted construction and demolition debris: $10 minimum, then $10 a cubic yard
Unsorted loads (household trash or metal mixed in): $50 a cubic yard

Accepts: Treated wood, carpet, asphalt, drywall, insulation, shingles, windows, furniture, couches, recliners, mattresses and box springs, TVs, exercise equipment, plastic tubs, pine needles and cones

Won't take: Ash or burned waste, asbestos, refrigerators, freezers and AC, food and animals, liquids, oil, paint or solvents, hazardous or medical waste, tires

Large construction or demolition projects need an approved C&D form before you haul.

Spot a wrong hour or fee? Tell us

What it costs

Item	Price
Household trash with a permit tag	Included
Household trash, pay as you throw	$10 minimum, then $10 a yard
Punch card, 6 / 12 punches	$32 / $62
Permit tag for a year (if you don't get one with taxes)	$180
Sorted construction and demolition debris (landfill)	$10 minimum, then $10 a cubic yard
Unsorted loads (landfill)	$50 a cubic yard

Each punch covers one large garbage can of household waste. Punch cards are sold at the Solid Waste office and the rural sites. The county doesn't take asbestos in any form; for that, call Republic Services in Missoula at (406) 543-3157.

Every Montana rate we've verified is side by side in our guide to what it costs to dump in Montana.

Rural container sites

Site	Address	Open
Charlo	55633 Herak Rd., Charlo	Sun, Wed & Fri, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ferndale	13003 Hwy. 83, Bigfork	Sun, Tue & Thu, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Proctor	45642 Lake Mary Ronan Rd., Proctor	Sun, Tue, Thu & Sat, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ravalli	66972 N. Valley Creek Rd., Arlee	Tue, Thu & Sat, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Swan	25781 Hwy. 83, Bigfork	Tue & Sat, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (no recycling)
Woods Bay	14692 Sylvan Dr., Bigfork	Mon, Wed & Sat, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

The rural sites take household garbage and animals under 200 pounds, with a permit tag or $10 a cubic yard, and they're monitored. Most also take motor oil and scrap metal; Charlo, Ferndale, Ravalli and Woods Bay take leaves and grass for compost, and Ferndale and Proctor take cardboard.

Permit tags

Tags are mailed each November and December to property owners who pay the solid waste fee on their taxes (2026 tags are green). Renters get tags from their landlord or management company. If you own property and didn't get yours, call the office at (406) 883-7323. Recycling containers are also in Polson, Ronan and Pablo, and the county holds a yearly electronics recycling event at the Transfer Station (May 16 in 2026).

Find a disposal site near you

Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites across Montana, then call ahead — hours and access rules vary a lot here.

Getting rid of something specific in Lake County?

Common questions

Where is the Lake County landfill?

At 39276 Kerr Dam Road, Polson. It takes construction debris and bulky items Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Household trash goes to the Transfer Station on North Reservoir Road.

How much does it cost to dump in Lake County, Montana?

With a permit tag, household trash is covered. Without one, it's $10 minimum and $10 a yard, or $32 for a six-punch card. Sorted construction debris at the landfill is $10 a cubic yard.

Can I dump a couch or mattress in Polson?

Yes, at the county landfill on Kerr Dam Road, which takes furniture, couches, mattresses and box springs.

Do renters need a Lake County permit tag?

Yes. Tags go to property owners, so ask your landlord or management company for one.

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