Every 2 weeks
bulk and brush on your trash day during your recycling week, no appointment
$50
per appliance for a scheduled DPW pickup through 311 (free if you self-haul)
2
free city drop-off sites: East Richmond Road Convenience Center and Southside Transfer Station
Every route for tires in Richmond, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Richmond guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Richmond, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Richmond bi-weekly bulk and brush collection: tires
$50 appliance pickup, or free self-haulTires are collected with bulk only with rims removed, up to 4 per household. Both city drop-off sites take 4 free without rims.
Who qualifies: Households with City of Richmond DPW trash collection.
How to schedule: No appointment. Bulk and brush is collected every other week, on your trash day during your recycling week (check your Blue or Red week at cvwma.com or the DPW Service Finder). Put items next to your recycling cart the night before. If the crew misses you, they return by Saturday of that week.
Limits: No published volume cap for ordinary household bulk. Appliances are a separate $50 per-appliance pickup through 311. A 24-hour rush pickup is $100.
Set-out: Next to your recycling cart, at the same spot as household trash, by 6 a.m. on trash day during recycling week. Brush under 6 feet and 3 inches, bundled.
Richmond Southside Transfer Station: tires
Free, up to 4, no rims$1 each beyond 4.
Where: 3520 N. Hopkins Rd, Richmond, VA 23224
How it works: Free for city residents, no commercial vehicles. Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Large bulk items, appliances, brush, and up to 4 tires without rims ($1 each beyond 4).
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Richmond: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering tires, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Richmond: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Richmond runs an unusually comprehensive system: biweekly year-round Bulk and Brush pickup that mirrors the recycling Blue/Red week schedule, two free transfer stations open year-round, AND a 15 neighborhood Saturday Cleanup program that visits each zone twice between March and November. Trash collection requires City-issued "supercans" only per Section 86-81 ordinance, items in non-issued containers will not be collected and a violation notice will be issued. Set-out timing is strict: out no earlier than 4 PM the day before, removed by 7 AM the day after. Appliance pickups carry a $50 fee. Tire disposal limited to 4 free per household at the East Richmond Road Convenience Center. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Richmond rule for tires: Tires are collected with bulk only with rims removed, up to 4 per household. Both city drop-off sites take 4 free without rims.
Program basics: No published volume cap for ordinary household bulk. Appliances are a separate $50 per-appliance pickup through 311. A 24-hour rush pickup is $100. Next to your recycling cart, at the same spot as household trash, by 6 a.m. on trash day during recycling week. Brush under 6 feet and 3 inches, bundled.
What the city will not take: Carpet, auto parts, construction debris, and electronics. Tires are collected only with rims removed. Hazardous waste goes to the East Richmond Road Convenience Center.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Richmond DPW: Bulk and Brush collection, City of Richmond DPW: Trash Collection (transfer station and appliance fee), City of Richmond: Neighborhood Clean-Up Program 2026. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Richmond. Richmond residents can dispose of household hazardous waste through Central Virginia Waste Management Authority (CVWMA) HHW programs and periodic special events. The City of Richmond does NOT accept hazardous waste in regular trash, bulk pickup, or Saturday Cleanups. Several retailers 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 discarded tires or illegal dumping in your alleyway or along the roadside: call 3-1-1 or 804-646-7000 and provide the specific location to have abandoned tires removed.
Why tires are different from ordinary bulk. Tires are widely banned from landfills (state laws in nearly every U.S. state) but easy to recycle through the established tire fee system. The disposal fee is built into every new tire purchase ($1 to $5 per tire), funding end-of-life processing.
Three mistakes that get tires left at the curb:
When free options don’t fit (no new tire purchase, no upcoming collection events, more than the per-event limit):
Auto Shop Tire-Only Disposal
$3 to $8 eachMost auto shops will accept old tires WITHOUT a new tire purchase for $3 to $8 per tire. The fee covers their disposal cost since they didn’t collect the tire fee on a new purchase from you.
The most universal paid option: Available at virtually every auto shop nationally, Discount Tire, Costco Tire Center, Walmart Auto Care, NTB, local independent shops. Many will let you drop off tires anytime during business hours, no appointment.
Volume limit: Most shops cap at 4 to 5 tires per visit. Larger volumes need specialized tire recyclers.
LoadUp paid tires pickup
$80+For households who need same-day service, can’t wait for biweekly Bulk and Brush, have items the City won’t take, want to avoid the $50 appliance fee while also avoiding self-hauling, live in apartments, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in Richmond with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your tires. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
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 tires pickup in Richmond with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Richmond proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Richmond junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national tires disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Richmond: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Richmond pick up tires for free?
Yes, up to 4 with rims removed, during recycling week, or free at a city drop-off site.
How much does paid tire removal cost in Richmond?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single tires pickup in Richmond starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day service, can’t wait for biweekly Bulk and Brush, have items the City won’t take, want to avoid the $50 appliance fee while also avoiding self-hauling, live in apartments, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in Richmond with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s the cheapest way to dispose of tires?
If you’re buying new tires anyway: free with new tire purchase at any tire shop. The disposal fee is built into the new tire price by state law. If you have old tires without buying new ones: $3 to $8 per tire at most auto shops, or free at periodic city tire collection events. Auto shops are the most universal option, every Discount Tire, Walmart Auto Care, Costco Tire Center, and local independent shop accepts old tires for the disposal fee.
Why are tires banned from landfills?
Whole tires don’t compress in landfills, they trap air and rise to the surface over time, breaking the landfill cap and creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus and Zika. Tire piles are also a major fire hazard, tire fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish and release toxic smoke. Nearly every U.S. state has banned whole tires from landfills under solid waste laws. Recycled tires get shredded and used as tire-derived fuel for cement kilns and paper mills, crumb rubber for athletic field surfacing and playgrounds, and recycled rubber products.
How does the tire disposal fee work?
Every new tire sold in the U.S. includes a small disposal fee ($1 to $5 per tire built into the purchase price) that funds end-of-life recycling. Tire shops are required by state law to take old tires when you buy new ones, this is the simplest disposal channel and feels free because the cost was already paid when you bought the new tire. The fee varies by state: California $1.75 per tire, New York $2.50 per tire, most southern states $1 to $2 per tire.
What about specialty tires (agricultural, oversized, off-road)?
Most auto shops only accept passenger and light-truck tires. For agricultural tractor tires, oversized truck tires, motorcycle tires, and off-road tires, you’ll need a specialized recycler. Search “tire recycling” plus your tire type. Some farm equipment dealers accept their own brand back. Disposal fees for specialty tires are typically $20 to $100 per tire because of the larger volume of rubber.
Is this Richmond page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Richmond guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
