1x a year
S.W.E.E.P. curbside collection, up to 10 cubic yards, on your scheduled Sunday
8 p.m.
Sunday deadline to have your pile at the curb
Free
McKay Bay Scale House drop-off for furniture, mattresses, and 2 appliances per visit
Every route for tires in Tampa, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Tampa guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Tampa, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Tampa S.W.E.E.P. and McKay Bay drop-off: tires
FreeUp to 4 tires per S.W.E.E.P. collection, rims removed. Tires on rims are refused.
Who qualifies: Residential solid waste customers in single-family homes and buildings of 4 units or fewer with active City of Tampa accounts.
How to schedule: S.W.E.E.P. gives each household one prescheduled curbside bulk collection a year, up to 10 cubic yards, on a set Sunday; look up your date at tampa.gov/sweep. Between dates, residents with an active account dump furniture, mattresses, appliances (2 per visit), and yard waste free at the McKay Bay Scale House, or pay for a special pickup through 813-274-8811.
Limits: 10 cubic yards per S.W.E.E.P. collection; extra yards are billed. Up to 4 tires. McKay Bay: 2 appliances per visit.
Set-out: One pile at the curb on the right of way in front of your home no later than 8 p.m. on your Sunday S.W.E.E.P. date. Crews do not come back to cleared streets. Flat glass taped or wrapped; yard waste cut to 4 feet.
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 Tampa: 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 Tampa: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Tampa has one of the more generous free disposal systems in the U.S. for those who plan ahead: the S.W.E.E.P. program gives every residential household up to 10 cubic yards of free bulk pickup once per year on a scheduled date. Combined with twice-weekly trash collection, free self-haul access to McKay Bay Transfer Station, and donation programs, Tampa residents have several legitimate options. This page walks through every one.
The Tampa rule for tires: Up to 4 tires per S.W.E.E.P. collection, rims removed. Tires on rims are refused.
Program basics: 10 cubic yards per S.W.E.E.P. collection; extra yards are billed. Up to 4 tires. McKay Bay: 2 appliances per visit. One pile at the curb on the right of way in front of your home no later than 8 p.m. on your Sunday S.W.E.E.P. date. Crews do not come back to cleared streets. Flat glass taped or wrapped; yard waste cut to 4 feet.
What the city will not take: Electronics (Hillsborough County collection sites, free), household hazardous waste, pressurized cylinders, metal drums, tires on rims, and boats.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Tampa Solid Waste: S.W.E.E.P. program, City of Tampa Solid Waste: Special Services (bulky pickup rules), City of Tampa: McKay Bay Scale House free disposal. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Tampa. The City of Tampa does not operate its own HHW facility. Instead, Tampa has contracted with Hillsborough County to allow City residents to use county HHW facilities at no charge. Bring a state-issued photo ID showing a Hillsborough County residential address. Tampa no longer hosts an annual standalone HHW event. 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.
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-week service or have items the city won’t take, LoadUp offers professional removal in Tampa 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 Tampa with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Tampa proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Tampa 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 Tampa: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Tampa pick up tires for free?
Yes, up to 4 without rims, on your S.W.E.E.P. date.
How much does paid tire removal cost in Tampa?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single tires pickup in Tampa starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-week service or have items the city won’t take, LoadUp offers professional removal in Tampa 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 Tampa page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Tampa guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
