A public resource guide
Every legitimate way to get rid of furniture, appliances, mattresses, and bulk waste in Indianapolis, including the unique two-items-per-week heavy trash rule, LRS becoming the citywide collector in January 2026, subscription-based curbside recycling, the Citizens' Transfer Station, and what to do when paid hauling isn't an option.
Last updated: May 2026 · Maintained by Freemoval as a public resource
Indianapolis takes an unusual approach: up to 2 heavy trash items per week, every week, on your regular trash day, no scheduling required. The system is consistent and predictable, but the 2-item cap is tight for big cleanouts. Indianapolis is also one of the very few major U.S. cities where curbside recycling is a paid subscription service, not automatically included with trash. Big change as of January 2026: LRS became the citywide trash collector for former Republic and WM service areas. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
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Indianapolis residents have free weekly trash collection, free heavy trash pickup (2 items/week with regular collection), free recycling drop-off sites citywide (curbside recycling requires paid subscription), free Indy Tox Drop hazardous waste disposal (Marion County), and donation pickup programs. The Department of Public Works (DPW) and contracted hauler LRS serve eligible residential properties within Indianapolis/Marion County limits.
Heavy trash pickup (2 items/week, no scheduling)
Free with serviceEach Indianapolis household may place up to 2 heavy trash items at the curb next to your trash cart on your regular trash collection day. No appointment needed, no per-month limit on the 2-per-week pace, no application required. This is one of the simplest bulk pickup systems of any major U.S. city.
Eligibility: Residential properties served by DPW or LRS for weekly trash collection.
Limit: 2 large items per household per regular collection day. No scheduling needed.
Set-out time: Place items at curb by 7:00 AM on your trash collection day. Crews have until 6 PM to complete pickup.
NOT accepted: Hazardous waste, automotive parts, tires, appliances containing refrigerants (unless properly prepared and tagged), construction debris.
Find your day: Use the official trash pickup lookup at indy.gov/activity/trash-pickup. Each address has an assigned weekday.
Free recycling drop-off sites (citywide)
Free for residentsBecause curbside recycling in Indianapolis is a paid subscription service, the city has invested in free public recycling drop-off sites citywide. Residents who don't subscribe to LRS curbside recycling can drop off recyclables at any participating location at no cost.
What's accepted: Paper, cardboard (flattened), plastic bottles/jugs/tubs, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, cartons.
Where: Multiple drop-off sites citywide. Find locations through the city's recycling resources at indy.gov.
Why this matters: Indianapolis is one of the very few major U.S. cities where curbside recycling isn't automatically included with trash. Drop-off sites are the free alternative to the LRS subscription ($6+/month).
Indy Tox Drop (Marion County HHW)
Free for residentsIndy Tox Drop is Marion County's free household hazardous waste program for residents. Drop off paint, chemicals, batteries, motor oil, automotive fluids, and other HHW at no charge. The cleanest legal path for items that can't go in regular trash.
What's accepted: Paint, automotive fluids (motor oil, antifreeze), batteries, pesticides, household chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, propane tanks.
Where: Permanent drop-off facility plus periodic mobile collection events. Find current locations and schedule at indy.gov.
Cost: Free for Marion County residents.
Citizens' Transfer Station (extra trash)
Tipping feesIndianapolis residents who exceed regular weekly trash limits can take extra household trash bags to the Citizens' Transfer Station rather than leaving them at the curb (which won't be collected). Tipping fees apply but are minimal for typical small loads.
Useful for: Move-outs, large cleanouts, items beyond the weekly cart capacity, items that exceed the 2-heavy-trash-per-week limit.
Cost: Standard tipping fees by weight or load size.
Why this matters: Indianapolis does NOT pick up extra bags placed at the curb, only what fits in the cart with the lid closed.
Freemoval (partner-community pickups)
FreeFreemoval is a social impact program that subsidizes free junk removal pickups in partner communities, typically affordable housing properties and select municipal partnerships. Indianapolis partner expansion is in progress for 2026.
Eligibility: Households in active partner communities. Ask your property manager whether your building participates.
Status in Indianapolis: Onboarding partner properties throughout 2026.
Donation-pickup programs
FreeIndianapolis-area nonprofits offer free pickup for items in usable condition.
The Salvation Army: Free pickup of clothing, furniture, household items. Schedule at satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
Habitat for Humanity Indianapolis ReStore: Free pickup for furniture, appliances, building materials.
Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana: Donation pickup for larger items in the Indianapolis metro area.
Major change January 2026. LRS (Legacy Recycling Solutions) became the citywide trash collector in former Republic Services and WM service areas starting January 1, 2026. The City says routes and schedules stay the same, you should still have the same trash day. But your hauler company changed. New service starts: contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622.
Weekly trash, biweekly recycling (subscription only). Indianapolis trash is collected weekly Monday through Friday by route. Curbside recycling is a paid subscription service through LRS at $6+ per month, if your weekly trash is collected by DPW or LRS, you can sign up by calling 317-245-4444. Recycling collected biweekly when subscribed. Free recycling drop-off sites citywide are the alternative.
Set-out rules. Trash carts at the curb by 7 AM on collection day. All trash must fit inside the city-issued cart with the lid fully closed. Late placement may result in missed service. Crews have until 6 PM to complete pickup.
Cart-only rule. Indianapolis does NOT collect extra bags placed at the curb. If trash doesn't fit in your cart with the lid closed, take it to the Citizens' Transfer Station instead. The cart-only rule is unusually strict compared to many cities.
2 heavy trash items per week. Heavy trash collection happens on the same day as your regular trash pickup. Each household is permitted up to 2 large bulky items per regular collection day. No scheduling required, just place items at the curb. The 2-per-week pace means the system is more flexible than monthly bulk programs in some cities, but the weekly cap is tight for full-house cleanouts.
Yard waste / leaves. Each household is permitted 40 bags of leaves for weekly disposal. Place leaves in plastic trash bags, specially-built large paper lawn-waste bags, or in your regular trash cart. Place bags out by 7 AM on your regular trash day. Keep all leaf bags at least 3 feet away from cart collection areas to ensure trucks can service the carts.
Holiday delays. When a city-observed holiday occurs, service shifts one day later for the rest of that week (the “slide rule”). Monday holiday → Monday routes Tuesday, Tuesday routes Wednesday, etc.
Christmas tree drop-off. DPW and Indy Parks team up for several drop-off sites citywide. From December 26 until January 31, trees can be dropped off from dusk until dawn at participating Indy Parks locations. Remove all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and tree stands.
Reporting missed pickups. Wait until 6 PM on your pickup day to report. The City says collectors have until 6 PM to complete service, so missed-pickup reports usually cannot be entered until the next business day. Call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622.
Multi-family limits. City service is for residential properties of dwelling units. Larger apartment complexes typically use private waste haulers under separate commercial contracts.
Mayor's Action Center. 317-327-4622. Submit requests at maps.indy.gov/RequestIndy. The primary contact for city service questions and missed pickups.
Indianapolis's donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don't work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you're unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
For households who exceed 2 heavy trash items per week, can't fit material in the weekly cart (the cart-only rule means extras at the curb won't be collected), live in 5+ unit buildings using private haulers, need same-day service, or have items the city won't take (construction debris, tires), paid options are available. Note: the Citizens' Transfer Station is often cheaper than private haulers for small self-haul loads.
LoadUp paid pickup
$89+For households who need same-day service, exceed the 2-heavy-items-per-week limit during a cleanout, can't fit material in their weekly cart, or live in apartment buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Indianapolis with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What's included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes, crew handles in-home pickup.
Pricing: Starts around $89 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
When this beats waiting: Move-outs, real estate timelines, large cleanouts beyond 2-items-per-week, items the city won't accept.
Other paid services in Indianapolis: 1-800-Got-Junk, College Hunks Hauling Junk, Junk King, comparison-shop for larger jobs.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book an Indianapolis pickup with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Different items have different rules in Indianapolis. Here's a quick reference for the most common things people need to dispose of.
Indianapolis residents have access to Indy Tox Drop, Marion County's free household hazardous waste disposal program. Drop off paint, chemicals, batteries, motor oil, automotive fluids, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, and propane tanks at no charge. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications.
To report illegal dumping in Indianapolis, call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or submit a request through maps.indy.gov/RequestIndy. Reports can also be filed via the RequestIndy app. Include the location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible. Indianapolis takes illegal dumping seriously, with active code enforcement. If you're considering dumping because you exceeded the 2-heavy-items-per-week limit, please use the Citizens' Transfer Station or a paid hauler, LoadUp pickups starting around $89 are dramatically cheaper than illegal dumping fines under Indiana law.
Is there really free junk removal in Indianapolis?
Yes, Indianapolis offers free heavy trash pickup with regular weekly collection. Each household is permitted up to 2 large bulky items per collection day, no scheduling required. Place items at the curb by 7 AM on your regular trash day. The 2-per-week pace adds up: that's 8+ free items per month, more than most cities' monthly bulk programs. Indy Tox Drop is also free for hazardous waste. Donation pickup through Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, and Goodwill is also free for usable items. Note: televisions, electronics, hazardous waste, tires, automotive parts, and construction debris are NOT accepted in heavy trash, use Indy Tox Drop, Best Buy, the Citizens' Transfer Station, or paid services for those.
Why is curbside recycling not free in Indianapolis?
Indianapolis is one of the very few major U.S. cities where curbside recycling is a paid subscription service rather than automatically included with trash collection. The city took this approach historically and continues today, if your weekly trash is collected by DPW or LRS, you can sign up for curbside recycling by calling LRS at 317-245-4444 (currently around $6 per month). The free alternative is recycling drop-off sites citywide. While unusual nationally, this structure means residents who don't recycle aren't subsidizing those who do, and active recyclers can self-haul to free drop-off locations to avoid the subscription cost.
What changed in Indianapolis trash service in January 2026?
LRS (Legacy Recycling Solutions) became the citywide trash collector in former Republic Services and WM service areas starting January 1, 2026. The City has stated that routes and schedules stay the same, you should have the same trash day, same set-out time, and same general service pattern. What changed is the company name on the side of the truck. If you previously paid Republic or WM directly, billing arrangements have transferred. New service starts and questions: contact the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622.
How do I qualify for Freemoval in Indianapolis?
Freemoval works through partner communities, typically affordable housing operators, public housing authorities, and select municipal partnerships. We’re actively expanding partnerships in Indianapolis through 2026. If your property is part of the program, your property manager will provide a booking code. If you operate housing or work in a city department in Indianapolis, contact us to discuss adding your community.
What if I have more than 2 heavy items?
Three options. (1) Spread items across multiple weeks, place 2 items per week until you've cleared everything. This works for non-urgent cleanouts. (2) Self-haul to the Citizens' Transfer Station (tipping fees apply but typically $25-$60 for small loads). (3) Hire a paid hauler, LoadUp starts around $89 with same-day or next-day pickup. Donation pickups (Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, Goodwill) are also free for usable items and can clear large amounts in a single visit.
Why don't my extra trash bags get picked up?
Indianapolis enforces a strict cart-only rule: trash must fit inside the city-issued cart with the lid fully closed. Bags placed next to the cart will NOT be collected. If you regularly have more trash than fits in your cart, request a larger cart through the Mayor's Action Center (317-327-4622) or take extras to the Citizens' Transfer Station. The 2-heavy-trash-items rule applies to bulky items, not extra bags, those are different categories.
How do I report illegal dumping in Indianapolis?
Call the Mayor's Action Center at 317-327-4622 or submit a request through maps.indy.gov/RequestIndy. Reports can also be filed via the RequestIndy app. Include location, description of dumped material, and a photo if possible.
Is this page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated May 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
Freemoval is actively onboarding Indianapolis partner properties through 2026. Reach out to prioritize your community.
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