Free Mattress Disposal in San Jose, CA
Which routes in San Jose are genuinely free, what each one caps you at, and the condition that gets a load left at the curb. Checked against the city and dated.
What is genuinely free in San Jose, and what each free route requires
Free and unconditional are not the same thing. Every route below either costs nothing or costs something, and every one of them has a line it will not cross — a cap, a condition, or a load it will not take. The last two columns are where the free routes end.
| Route | What it costs | How much it takes | The condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booked city collection | Free for residents. | Unlimited — there is no cap on free junk pickups in a year. | Large items including mattresses, sofas, refrigerators and tires. |
| California | Free for residents at participating sites. | — | The program does not include free household pickup. Scheduled container pickups exist only for businesses handling at least 100 mattresses a month. |
| Hire a hauler | You pay — quotes come from local companies bidding against each other. | No item cap and no wrapping, residency or vehicle rule. | They carry it out; nothing has to reach the curb under its own steam. |
The California mattress recycling program
California runs a statewide mattress recycling program funded by a fee collected when a new mattress is sold. Because that fee is already paid, dropping an old mattress off costs residents nothing.
Drop off your old mattress at no additional cost at participating collection sites.
The program does not include free household pickup. Scheduled container pickups exist only for businesses handling at least 100 mattresses a month.
- What it costs
- Free for residents at participating sites.
- How much at a time
- Participating sites typically cap drop-offs at 3 units per vehicle per day.
Booking a city pickup
Large items including mattresses, sofas, refrigerators and tires.
- How many items
- Unlimited — there is no cap on free junk pickups in a year.
- How to book
- Book at 311.sanjoseca.gov, on the San José 311 app, by dialling 311, or on (408) 535-3500.
- What it costs
- Free for residents.
- Good to know
- Everything must come from your own home, and the pickup has to be booked first. Items put out without an appointment count as illegal dumping.
Or have someone take it
City routes are cheap but slow, and they all assume you can get the item to the curb yourself. If it is upstairs, if it is heavy, or if you need it gone this week, a local pro is the faster answer.
Post the job free, and local pros in San Jose bid on it. You pick the offer you like and pay your pro directly — JunkerClub takes no cut of the price.
See what mattress removal costs in San Jose →
What people actually pay — measured, not estimated
A flat-rate national hauler charges $99–$119 to take one queen mattress — read off their own published breakdown, in Mission Viejo, CA (Orange County), Philadelphia, PA. It is not our price: JunkerClub does not set prices.
And a flat rate is only one company's number. When we put one real job out to bid, 12 local pros priced the same pile from the same photos: $225 to $1,250, median $525. Nobody else publishes this, because nobody else runs the auction.
What actually costs nothing in San Jose — common questions
Is mattress recycling free in California?
Free for residents at participating sites. The program does not include free household pickup. Scheduled container pickups exist only for businesses handling at least 100 mattresses a month.
What does a bulk collection cost in San Jose?
Free for residents.
How do I book a bulk pickup in San Jose?
Book at 311.sanjoseca.gov, on the San José 311 app, by dialling 311, or on (408) 535-3500. Unlimited — there is no cap on free junk pickups in a year.
What needs an appointment in San Jose instead of going out with the trash?
Large items including mattresses, sofas, refrigerators and tires.
Where and when do I put the items out in San Jose?
Everything must come from your own home, and the pickup has to be booked first. Items put out without an appointment count as illegal dumping.
Where this comes from
Checked against official sources on 2026-08-19. City rules change — if something here does not match, the city page wins.
More on getting rid of stuff in San Jose
Your junk's last stop.
Free quotes from local pros — no site visit.
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