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A public resource guide

Free yard waste removal in Nashville, TN

Every free and paid way to get rid of yard waste in Nashville, verified October 2026.

Apartment courtyard with shared outdoor space Checked against Nashville Waste Services

0

regular curbside bulky pickups; Metro sends bulky items to the Convenience Centers

1 free

bulk item per Convenience Center visit, plus 3 bags of trash

615-880-3897

Davidson County Sheriff's Office limited curbside bulk removal

Every route for yard waste in Nashville, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Nashville guide covers every other item.

Free yard waste removal in Nashville

Here is how each route works in Nashville, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.

Nashville bulky item disposal: yard waste

Free, with a step first

Yard waste is banned from trash carts. Metro offers a subscription yard waste cart and the Convenience Centers accept brush and leaves.

Who qualifies: Metro Waste Services does not run curbside bulky pickup. Residents of Davidson County use the Convenience Centers, and the Davidson County Sheriff's Office offers a limited curbside bulk item removal by inmate crews at 615-880-3897 when available.

How to schedule: Take items to a Convenience Center: one bulk item plus 3 bags of trash per visit is free (mattresses, tires with rims, and construction debris excluded from the free item). Or call the Sheriff's Office at 615-880-3897 to ask about a curbside removal; items must be at the main street, not on apartment property, and never from an eviction.

Limits: One free bulk item per Convenience Center visit; fees for additional items. Four tires without rims per month free at East and Ezell. Electronics under 100 pounds free at East, Ezell, and Omohundro.

Set-out: Do not set bulky items at the curb for the regular trash route; items outside carts are not collected and can be reported as illegal dumping. Only put items out for a confirmed Sheriff's Office removal.

Read the full Nashville city services guide ›

Nashville Convenience Centers: yard waste

Free for residents

Brush and leaves accepted.

Where: East, Ezell Pike, Omohundro, and Anderson Lane; hours at nashville.gov

How it works: Davidson County residents in non-commercial vehicles. One bulk item plus 3 bags free per visit; scrap metal including refrigerators and washers free; electronics free at East, Ezell, and Omohundro; tires without rims free (4 a month) at East and Ezell, $5 each with rims. Mattresses and construction debris carry fees.

Convenience Center hours and fees ›

Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)

Free

Freemoval 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 Nashville: 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 Nashville: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.

For partners ›

How Nashville handles yard waste

Nashville’s waste collection changed materially on February 2, 2026, new routes and new holiday rules across Davidson County. Curbside bulk pickup is provided 4 times per year by request, with a 1 cubic yard limit. Combined with four free Convenience Centers (the right path for most bulk disposal), Nashville residents have several legitimate options. This page walks through every one.

The Nashville rule for yard waste: Yard waste is banned from trash carts. Metro offers a subscription yard waste cart and the Convenience Centers accept brush and leaves.

Program basics: One free bulk item per Convenience Center visit; fees for additional items. Four tires without rims per month free at East and Ezell. Electronics under 100 pounds free at East, Ezell, and Omohundro. Do not set bulky items at the curb for the regular trash route; items outside carts are not collected and can be reported as illegal dumping. Only put items out for a confirmed Sheriff's Office removal.

What the city will not take: Everything from regular curbside trash: bulky items, yard waste, cardboard, and electronics are banned from the cart by Metro code.

How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: Nashville Department of Waste Services: Convenience Center Services and fees, Nashville Waste Services: Bulky Item Collection (accepted items), hubNashville: curbside bulk item pickup (Davidson County Sheriff's Office program). 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.

Prep checklist before pickup day in Nashville

  • Rake leaves and clippings into paper lawn bags or the green cart.
  • Cut branches to your city’s length limit and tie bundles under 40 to 50 pounds.
  • Separate dirt, rocks, sod, and stumps; they go to a transfer station or a free listing, not the curb.
  • Bag diseased plants and invasive weeds as your program directs.
  • Set out on your yard waste day within the weekly bag and bundle limit.

Three mistakes that get yard waste left at the curb:

  • Don't bag leaves in plastic where the program requires paper or carts. It is the most common reason yard waste is skipped.
  • Don't put branches out unbundled or over the length limit. Cut to 4 feet, tie, and keep bundles liftable.
  • Don't mix dirt, rocks, or sod into yard waste. They damage grinders and get the whole pile rejected.

Paid options cover stumps, large tree removals, and heavy loads of sod and soil.

Stump grinding

$100 to $400 per stump

Grinding 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 need same-week service or live in the General Services District / multi-family complexes (excluded from city bulk service), LoadUp offers professional removal in Nashville 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 Nashville with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.

Yard waste rules in nearby cities

Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Nashville proper, start with the guide for your own city:

FREE during area rotation week. Wood limit: 8 ft long, 18 in diameter, 4 ft high. Separate from bulk pile.
Free curbside on regular collection day, cannot mix with trash or other items.
Up to ½ cubic yard (about 2 bags) collected weekly on regular trash day. Larger amounts via Outside-the-Cart. Free leaf drop-off at Collins Yard during peak…

Related guides: the complete Nashville 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 Nashville: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.

Common questions about yard waste removal in Nashville

Does Nashville pick up yard waste for free?

Convenience Center, or Metro’s yard waste cart subscription.

How much does paid yard waste removal cost in Nashville?

Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single yard waste pickup in Nashville 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 live in the General Services District / multi-family complexes (excluded from city bulk service), LoadUp offers professional removal in Nashville 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 Nashville page maintained?

Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Nashville guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.

Fund a free pickup in Nashville

Help cover someone else’s haul.

Most LoadUp customers fund Freemoval pickups by rounding up at checkout. If you’re not booking a paid pickup yourself but want to help, you can contribute directly, pooled with other donations to fund subsidized pickups in Nashville at standard market rates, the same rates LoadUp charges any paying customer.

Choose a custom amount→

Freemoval is a social impact program of LoadUp Technologies, LLC. Contributions are not tax-deductible. 100% of contributions fund pickups at standard market rates, the same rates LoadUp charges any paying customer. No separate fundraising overhead is deducted from donations.