Rapid City Landfill (South Dakota) — Hours, Rates & Rules
The Rapid City Landfill is at 5555 S. Highway 79, south of town, run by the city's Solid Waste Division. It's open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Mountain time).
Small loads pay a flat rate: $10 for a car, $15 for an SUV, $30 for a pickup. Bigger loads are weighed at $73 a ton. Residential yard waste, scrap metal and recycling are free.
Disposal sites in Rapid City
Rapid City Landfill
Landfill
City of Rapid City Solid Waste Division
5555 S. Highway 79, Rapid City, SD 57701 Directions ↗
Mixed waste (garbage) or construction debris, by weight
$73 a ton
Minimum charge
$10
Asphalt or wood shingles
$73 a ton
Concrete (and rocks over 8 inches)
$10 a ton
Mattress or box spring, any size
$10 each
Tire, 17 inches or smaller, no rim
$7 each
Tire over 17 inches, or any tire on a rim
$15 each
Loads of 6 or more tires
$260 a ton
Pallets and clean wood (no painted, treated or particle board)
$20 a ton
Residential yard waste, limbs, grass
Free
Metals, cardboard, household recycling, clean fill dirt
Free
From the city's landfill rate sheet. Card payments carry a 3% processing fee. Households that pay for city garbage collection can request landfill disposal coupons from the city; coupons don't cover mattresses.
Besides the landfill, the city keeps recycling and cardboard containers at two remote sites, Fitzgerald Stadium on Sheridan Lake Road and the corner of Anamosa and Nickel streets (1117 Nickel St.). From May through November they also take residential yard waste: grass, leaves and branches under six feet long and four inches thick, in biodegradable bags only. Logs, long branches and root balls go straight to the landfill, and garbage, lumber, furniture and tires aren't allowed at the remote sites. Regional residents may use them too.
Construction waste such as lumber, carpet and drywall can't go in a curbside cart; haul it to the landfill. Old electronics go to an electronics recycler; the city's Solid Waste Division can point you to current options at (605) 355-3496.
South Dakota has banned whole tires from its landfills since July 1995 (SDCL 34A-6-64): a tire has to be shredded or quartered first, which is why landfills charge for tires one by one. Stores that sell car batteries must take a used one back for each one they sell (SDCL 34A-6-91). State rules don't ban appliances or electronics outright, so each landfill sets its own rules for them.
Find a disposal site near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites across South Dakota, then call ahead — hours and access rules vary a lot here.
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain time, at 5555 S. Highway 79. It's closed Sundays.
How much does it cost to dump a pickup load in Rapid City?
A flat $30 for a pickup load, $15 for an SUV and $10 for a car under the rates effective July 1, 2026. Weighed loads are $73 a ton, with a $10 minimum, plus tax.
Can I take yard waste to the Rapid City landfill for free?
Yes. Residential yard waste, tree limbs and grass clippings are free, as long as limbs are under 16 feet long and 36 inches across. Commercial yard waste is $30 a ton.
How much does Rapid City charge for tires and mattresses?
Tires 17 inches or smaller without a rim are $7 each; bigger tires or any tire on a rim are $15 each, and loads of six or more are $260 a ton. Mattresses and box springs are $10 each.
