Raleigh Landfill, Dump & Recycling — Hours, Fees & What They Take

Raleigh residents have two systems to work with. Wake County's 11 convenience centers are open every day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with no gate fee for your own household trash and recycling. The City of Raleigh will pick up a bulky load (about two couches' worth) from your curb for $35. Bigger or heavier loads go to the South Wake Landfill in Apex at $37 a ton.

Here's each option, the hours and what it costs.

Disposal sites in Raleigh

Wake County convenience centers

Collection Station

Wake County Solid Waste Management

In Raleigh: Site 1 (10505 Old Stage Rd), Site 4 (3600 Yates Mill Pond Rd), Site 5 (8401 Battle Bridge Rd), Site 7 (9024 Deponie Dr). 11 sites countywide. Directions to Yates Mill Pond Rd

📞 (919) 856-7400

Hours
Every day	7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Fees

No gate fee — the centers are funded by a $20 annual fee paid by Wake County homeowners
For Wake County residents hauling their own waste; no business or contractor waste
Box truck, dual-axle or enclosed trailer? Apply for a free Trash Pass first (allow up to 2 business days)

Accepts: Household trash, Bulky items under 8 feet, Mixed recycling, Cardboard, Scrap metal, Mattresses (select sites), Homeowner construction debris (select sites)

Sites 1, 4 and 7 in Raleigh are among the five that take mattresses (two a day) and homeowner construction debris, with residency verification. Site 4 and Site 7 also take food waste. Electronics are taken at Sites 1 and 4 on weekends only. No appliances, batteries or chemicals at any center; see the recycling and hazardous-waste sites below. Closed on major holidays.

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City of Raleigh bulky & special load pickup

Curbside Pickup

City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services — curbside customers only

📞 Customer Support (919) 996-3245

Fees

Bulky load — $35 (up to 4 cubic yards: furniture, mattresses, box springs); no limit on pickups
Special load — $70 (appliances, exercise equipment, up to 15 bags of extra garbage or excess yard waste)
E-waste — free, up to 4 items a week, Tuesdays only

Accepts: Furniture, Mattresses, Appliances, Exercise equipment, Electronics

For households with City garbage service; not for businesses. Call to schedule. A 4-cubic-yard bulky load is roughly two couches or three queen mattresses. No construction debris or hazardous waste.

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South Wake Landfill

County Landfill

Wake County

6300 Old Smithfield Road, Apex, NC 27539 Directions

📞 (919) 856-7400

Fees

Household and commercial waste — $37 per ton (includes the $2/ton state excise tax)
Mattress or box spring — $15 each
Cash, check or credit card (card payments up to $200)

Accepts: Household trash, Commercial waste, Mattresses, Oversized items that won't fit convenience-center containers

The landfill mostly takes waste from licensed haulers, but residents can bring loads on a limited basis. All waste must come from inside Wake County. Wake County doesn't publish walk-in hours online, so call before you load up. A convenience center, recycling facility and hazardous-waste site share Old Smithfield Road.

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Raleigh Yard Waste Center

Yard Waste

City of Raleigh — Wake County residents, no commercial loads

900 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh, NC 27610 Directions

📞 (919) 996-3245

Hours
Mon–Fri	7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sat	7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sun	Closed

Fees (from July 1, 2026)

Yard waste — $55 a ton, $27.50 minimum
Organic or leaf mulch $8 a cubic yard; compost and dyed mulch $35
Card only (Visa, Mastercard or debit) since August 1, 2026

Accepts: Leaves, Grass, Brush, Limbs

Weigh in at the scale house. Loads can be no bigger than a single-axle, non-dumping utility trailer (5 by 8 feet, 2 feet deep), and no pallets. Staff can't help unload.

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North Wake recycling, tire & hazardous waste sites

Recycling & Hazardous Waste

Wake County Solid Waste Management

9029 Deponie Drive (recycling), 9033 (tires) and 9037 (hazardous waste), Raleigh, NC 27614 Directions

📞 (919) 856-7400

Hours
Recycling & tires	Mon–Sat 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Hazardous waste	Sat 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (temporary)

Fees

Free for Wake County residents: appliances, electronics, motor oil, antifreeze, tires (off rim) and household hazardous waste

Accepts: Appliances, Electronics & TVs, Motor oil & filters, Antifreeze, Cooking oil, Scrap metal, Wood pallets (limit 10), Tires, Paint, Chemicals, Batteries

The hazardous waste facility is temporarily closed after fire damage, with a collection event on site every Saturday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. South Wake HHW (6150 Old Smithfield Rd, Apex) is open Monday to Saturday. Residents bringing more than five tires fill out a state certification form. Lithium-ion batteries become illegal to landfill in NC on December 1, 2026.

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Raleigh dump hours

Wake County's 11 convenience centers are open every day, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., except major holidays. The North Wake recycling and tire sites on Deponie Drive run Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The City's Yard Waste Center is open weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wake County doesn't post walk-in hours for the South Wake Landfill, so call (919) 856-7400 before a landfill run. The East Wake Transfer Station (820 Corporation Pkwy) is mainly for licensed haulers. Trailers, box trucks and hand-unloaded loads must wait until after 10 a.m. there, and pay $49 a ton.

What it costs to dump in Raleigh

Household trash & recycling — no gate fee at the Wake County convenience centers (funded by the $20 annual homeowner fee).
Curbside bulky load — $35 from the City (up to 4 cubic yards); special loads $70; e-waste free.
Appliances, electronics, tires, hazardous waste — free at Wake County's recycling, tire and hazardous-waste sites.
Yard waste — $55 a ton at the Raleigh Yard Waste Center ($27.50 minimum), card only. City customers get weekly curbside yard waste collection.
Larger loads — $37 a ton at the South Wake Landfill; mattresses $15 each.

For most households, a convenience center plus the $35 curbside bulky pickup covers a full clean-out without ever paying a per-ton rate. See what it costs to dump across North Carolina for how Wake County compares.

Haul it yourself, or hire junk removal? — Raleigh

Clearing a whole house, a rental, or a remodel? A convenience center won't take a big construction load. Two ways people handle the big stuff here:

Haul it yourself — cheapest by a long way if you have a vehicle and can lift it. The gate rates above are the whole cost.
Junk-removal crew — a crew does the loading and hauls it away — check whether the price you are quoted is for curbside or in-home collection. Usually the better call for heavy furniture, appliances, or a cleanout on a deadline.

Not sure which is cheaper for your load? Check an upfront junk-removal price and weigh it against the gate fee — no obligation either way.

Getting rid of something specific in Raleigh?

Common questions

Is it free to dump in Raleigh?

For Wake County residents, dropping off household trash and recycling at the 11 convenience centers has no gate fee; the centers are funded by a $20 annual homeowner fee. The City charges $35 for a curbside bulky load, and the South Wake Landfill charges $37 a ton.

What are the Wake County convenience center hours?

The 11 convenience centers are open every day, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., except major holidays. The Raleigh Yard Waste Center is open weekdays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Who can use the Wake County convenience centers?

Wake County residents hauling their own waste. Contractors and businesses aren't permitted. Residency verification is required for mattresses and construction debris, and box trucks, dual-axle and enclosed trailers need a free Trash Pass first.

Where do I take construction debris or a large load in Raleigh?

Homeowner construction debris can go to convenience center Sites 1, 4 or 7 in Raleigh with residency verification. Larger loads go to the South Wake Landfill, 6300 Old Smithfield Road in Apex, at $37 a ton. The East Wake Transfer Station is mainly for licensed haulers.

How do I get rid of a large or heavy load in Raleigh?

Book a $35 City bulky load pickup (up to 4 cubic yards) if you have City garbage service, use a convenience center for household trash, or haul bigger loads to the South Wake Landfill. Or get a junk-removal crew to carry it out and haul it. If you'd rather not do the lifting, check an upfront junk-removal price.

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