Yard Waste Removal Cost in Washington, D.C.
Most people pay $150–$400. Updated for 2026.
Local view of our Yard Waste Removal cost guide — national ranges, what moves them, and every city we cover.
Branches, hedge trimmings, leaves and pulled shrubs pile up faster than any green bin in Washington, D.C. can take, and one weekend of garden work can leave more than a month of collections would clear.
Green waste is bulky rather than heavy, so it is priced by the space it fills — and loose brush fills a truck surprisingly fast.
Yard Waste Removal in Washington: what actually moves the price
With 22% of its homes attached rather than detached, Washington prices yard waste removal around the front stairs and the doorway rather than the driveway. If there is a back alley or a basement hatch, say so — it can change the bid.
With renters in 59% of Washington homes, a lot of yard waste removal here happens on a deadline. If yours does not, saying you are flexible on the day is worth more than any haggling.
Washington runs at about 11,489 people per square mile. Dense service areas mean more pros within range of your address, and more bids is the mechanism that brings a yard waste removal price down.
Residents (2024)
Square miles of land
People per square mile
Local figures: U.S. Census Bureau — Washington city. Checked 2026-08-21.
Yard Waste Removal in Washington: where the city stops and a hauler starts
The free route in Washington has hard edges, and they are the reason people end up paying: No more than seven items per appointment. More than seven means additional appointment dates.
Past those limits the city is not an option at all — not slower, not pricier, simply unavailable. That is the line a hauler exists for, and it is worth knowing exactly where it sits before you start carrying anything.
Collection in Washington is run by DC Department of Public Works (DPW). Below is what they will take, straight from their own rules — and where each route runs out.
Booked bulky pickup
Large, bulky items from households that receive DPW collection — single-family homes and residential buildings of three or fewer living units. No more than seven items per appointment. More than seven means additional appointment dates. Book through DC 311 — call 311 or use 311.dc.gov. Items go out no earlier than 6:30 p.m. the day before and no later than 6 a.m. on the appointment day. Renovation material is refused outright: bricks, concrete, ceiling tiles, construction and demolition debris and dirt. Buildings of four or more units, condominiums and co-ops must use a private licensed hauler.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-09-03. Source
Taking it yourself
The public drop-off is Fort Totten Transfer Station, 4900 John McCormack Rd NE. No resident drop-off charge is published: the ID check at the gate is what qualifies you. The published fees, charged by material type and tonnage, are for licensed commercial haulers, who have to open an account with DPW on (202) 715-7570 first. Tuesday to Friday, 10 am to 2 pm. Saturday, 7 am to 2 pm. Fort Totten is the only one open to residents — the Benning Road transfer station is closed until further notice. A DC driver's license. Without one, bring a photo ID from another state plus a utility bill from the last 30 days or a copy of your lease or deed, and the names on the two have to match. The load itself has to have come from inside the District, and staff can ask you to prove that as well. Passenger cars, passenger vans, SUVs, pick-up trucks, vans under 15 feet and rental vehicles within those categories are let in. Turned away at the gate: anything on commercial tags, plus sideboards, ladders, stake-bodies, cargo vans, rental trucks longer than 15 feet and tag-along trailers. No cap is published on a resident load. Tires are the exception: four at most, and only on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday between 10 am and 2 pm. A mattress that is not wrapped in plastic. Household hazardous waste, electronics and televisions are not taken here either — those go to DPW's special waste collection events.
Checked against the operator’s own page on 2026-09-09. Source
Cut it down before the truck arrives
This is the one job where a little preparation genuinely lowers the bill. Branches cut to four feet and stacked the same way take up a fraction of the space of a loose pile, and volume is what you are paying for. An hour with loppers can move you down a whole bracket.
Green waste is composted, not landfilled
Most areas have green waste facilities that mulch and compost rather than bury, and their tip fees are lower than landfill. That is why yard waste is usually cheaper per truckload than household junk — as long as the load stays clean. Mixing in plastic pots or bagged rubbish pushes the whole load back to landfill rates.
Typical yard waste removal cost
$150 – $400
A national range, not a quote. Your actual prices come from local pros bidding on your job.
How JunkerClub works in Washington
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Local pros in Washington bid on your job from your photos — no site visit.
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Yard Waste Removal pricing breakdown
| Service | Typical market price | JunkerClub estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Small pile or a few bags | $130 – $200 | $105 – $165 |
| Quarter to half truck load | $220 – $360 | $180 – $295 |
| Full truck load | $400 – $600 | $320 – $490 |
Estimates only. The final price depends on how much there is, how easy it is to reach, and what the pro quotes.
How we build these ranges — and why a real quote can land outside them →
Yard Waste Removal in Washington — common questions
How much does yard waste removal cost in Washington?
Most people pay $150–$400. That is a national range for yard waste removal, not a quote — your real price comes from local pros bidding on your photos, and it moves with volume, stairs and how far the item has to travel to the truck.
Will they take tree stumps?
Cut sections and root balls small enough to lift, generally yes. A stump still in the ground is stump grinding — a different trade with different equipment. Mention it up front so nobody arrives expecting to load something that is still attached to your garden.
Does it need to be bagged?
No, and loose is usually better because bags have to be emptied at a green waste facility. What helps is stacking branches in the same direction and keeping the pile clear of fencing and pots so the crew can work straight through it.
Can soil, rock and sod go in the same load?
They can, but they are charged differently because they are heavy and cannot be composted. A load of clean green waste is one price; the same truck with a ton of soil in it is another. Say what is in the pile and the quotes come back accurate.
How quickly can it be picked up?
It depends on how many pros cover your area. On our first jobs the first quote arrived within one to three days, and we email you the moment one comes in. Once you pick a pro you choose the date and time window; same-day or next-day pickup is possible when a crew has room on the truck.
What does JunkerClub charge me?
Nothing. Posting a job and collecting quotes is free, and you pay your pro directly when the work is done. The pro pays the platform a small fee only when they win the job — it never gets added to your price.
Do I have to carry it outside myself in Washington?
No — the crew does the lifting and loading, and that labour is most of what you are paying for. In Washington about 22% of homes are attached rather than detached, so a straight internal staircase and a narrow front door tend to set the limits instead of a driveway. The median home here was built around 1957; single-width staircases are common in that stock and lifts are rare. Say which floor it is on and whether there is a lift when you post the job; that is the part that moves the quote. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
What makes a junk removal quote in Washington different from the national average?
Access and housing type, mostly. In Washington, 11% of homes are detached and the city runs at about 11,489 residents per square mile — most homes here are attached rather than detached, so the front staircase and the doorway set the limits rather than a driveway. Renters occupy 59% of occupied homes here, which also shapes when the work happens. The prices on this site are national ranges; the number you actually pay comes from local pros bidding on your photos. Housing figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Yard Waste Removal prices nearby:
- Arlington, TX · 4.9 mi
- Arlington, VA · 4.9 mi
- Hyattsville, MD · 5.1 mi
- Takoma Park, MD · 5.3 mi
- Silver Spring, MD · 6.8 mi
Where the city stops in Washington:
Your junk's last stop.
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