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A public resource guide
Free yard waste removal in Los Angeles, CA
Large loads can go to a monthly drop-off yard.
Checked against LA Sanitation
Home › By item › Yard waste › Los Angeles
A public resource guide
Large loads can go to a monthly drop-off yard.
Checked against LA Sanitation
Unlimited
free bulky item pickups for LASAN-served homes
1 day
minimum notice before your regular trash day
5
free monthly drop-off yards, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. one Saturday a month
Every route for yard waste in Los Angeles, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Los Angeles guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Los Angeles, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
LA Sanitation (LASAN) free bulky item pickup: yard waste
FreeRoutine yard trimmings go in the green bin every week. For a large pile, LASAN offers every household it serves one free excess yard trimmings (brush) collection per year, requested through MyLA311. Yard trimmings are also accepted at the monthly drop-off yards.
Who qualifies: Homes with 1 to 4 units that get trash service from LASAN. Buildings with 5 or more units are served by a recycLA hauler instead; ask your building manager to request bulky pickup through that hauler.
How to schedule: Request it through MyLA311 (website or app) or the 24-hour Customer Care Center at 1-800-773-2489, at least one business day before your regular trash day. Have an itemized list ready (one mattress, two chairs, a desk) so the right truck is sent.
Limits: Unlimited. LASAN describes it as an unlimited curbside service at no additional charge. Pickup happens on your regular trash day.
Set-out: Put the items at the curb by your normal collection time on the scheduled trash day, clear of bins and cars. Setting bulky items out without a request counts as illegal dumping in the City of LA.
LASAN monthly bulky item drop-off: yard waste
FreeYard trimmings are accepted at the monthly drop-off events.
Where: Five yards: Sun Valley (11050 Pendleton St), Northridge (8840 Vanalden Ave), San Pedro (1400 N. Gaffey St), West LA (2027 Stoner Ave), Central LA (2201 E. Washington Blvd)
How it works: One Saturday a month, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Furniture, carpet, yard trimmings, shelving, and wood are accepted. Appliances, electronics, and hazardous waste are not accepted at these events. 2026 dates are on the LASAN page.
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 Los Angeles: 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 yard waste, 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 Los Angeles: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
LA has one of the most generous bulky item pickup programs of any major U.S. city: 10 free scheduled collections per year, with up to 10 items per collection, on your regular trash day. Large electronics get a separate free pickup that doesn’t count against your annual limit. Critical to know: LASAN serves only properties within City of LA limits, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, West Hollywood, Inglewood, Torrance, and Long Beach are NOT served by LASAN. Most apartment buildings use recycLA franchise haulers, not LASAN. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Los Angeles rule for yard waste: Routine yard trimmings go in the green bin every week. For a large pile, LASAN offers every household it serves one free excess yard trimmings (brush) collection per year, requested through MyLA311. Yard trimmings are also accepted at the monthly drop-off yards.
Program basics: Unlimited. LASAN describes it as an unlimited curbside service at no additional charge. Pickup happens on your regular trash day. Put the items at the curb by your normal collection time on the scheduled trash day, clear of bins and cars. Setting bulky items out without a request counts as illegal dumping in the City of LA.
What the city will not take: Automotive parts and used oil (including tires), construction materials such as concrete, bricks, and dirt, commercial appliances, paint, solvents and chemicals, medicines and needles, fluorescent lights, and cardboard (that goes in the blue bin).
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: LA Sanitation: Schedule a Bulky Item Pickup (updated September 2026), LA Sanitation: Metal Appliance Pickup, LA Sanitation: S.A.F.E. Centers (household hazardous waste and e-waste), MyLA311 service requests. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why yard waste are different from ordinary bulk. Bundling rules are where most yard waste gets skipped. Branches typically must be under 4 feet long and 4 to 6 inches in diameter, tied in bundles under 40 to 50 pounds, and limited to a number of bundles per week. Leaves go in paper bags or carts, not plastic, in most programs because the material is composted. Plastic bags of leaves are the most common curbside rejection.
Three mistakes that get yard waste left at the curb:
Paid options cover stumps, large tree removals, and heavy loads of sod and soil.
Stump grinding
$100 to $400 per stumpGrinding a stump in place to below grade is cheaper and easier than removing it. The grindings can be left as mulch or bagged as yard waste where the program allows wood chips.
Mark utilities first. Call 811 before grinding near service lines.
LoadUp paid yard waste pickup
$80+For households who can’t wait weeks for an LASAN appointment, exceed 10 annual collections, live in 5+ unit buildings, or live outside City of LA limits where LASAN doesn’t serve, LoadUp offers professional removal across Greater LA with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your yard waste. 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 yard waste pickup in Los Angeles with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Los Angeles proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Los Angeles junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national yard waste disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Los Angeles: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does Los Angeles pick up yard waste for free?
Yes. Weekly in the green bin, plus one free excess brush collection a year through MyLA311. Large loads can go to a monthly drop-off yard.
How much does paid yard waste removal cost in Los Angeles?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single yard waste pickup in Los Angeles starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who can’t wait weeks for an LASAN appointment, exceed 10 annual collections, live in 5+ unit buildings, or live outside City of LA limits where LASAN doesn’t serve, LoadUp offers professional removal across Greater LA with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
How do I put yard waste out for pickup?
Leaves and clippings in paper lawn bags or the green cart, not plastic. Branches cut to the length limit (usually 4 feet), under the diameter limit (usually 4 to 6 inches), tied in bundles under 40 to 50 pounds. Check your city’s weekly bundle limit and season in the directory below.
Why can’t I use plastic bags?
Because yard waste is composted or ground into mulch, and plastic contaminates the product. Most programs require paper bags or carts; a few accept plastic bags that crews empty and leave behind.
Which states ban yard waste from landfills?
More than 20 states ban some or all yard waste from landfills, including Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, and Delaware among others. That is why curbside programs are so common.
What do I do with a tree stump?
Grind it in place ($100 to $400), dig it out and take it to a transfer station as inert material, or list it free for someone who wants firewood or a planter. Most curbside programs exclude stumps and root balls.
Is this Los Angeles page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Los Angeles guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.