Junk removal quotes in Washington swing by hundreds of dollars for identical loads, and the biggest reason has nothing to do with the hauler. It's the tipping fee at the transfer station where your load ends up. King County charges $243.38 per ton for garbage. Spokane charges $135.63 — King County costs about 79% more for the exact same pile.
Below are the verified 2026 disposal rates for Washington's major counties, what full-service haulers charge on top of them, per-item pricing, and the math on hauling it yourself. Every rate is sourced from the county or city that sets it, and the source list is at the bottom of the page.
The short answer
Junk removal in Washington runs $99–$175 for a single item, $300–$500 for a half truckload, and $550–$1,050 for a full truckload in 2026. Estate and whole-home cleanouts run $1,200–$3,000+.
Where you live moves those numbers 15–25% in either direction, and the reason is disposal cost. King County charges $243.38 per ton; Spokane charges $135.63 per ton — King County costs about 79% more for the exact same load. The lowest published rate on this list belongs to Kitsap County at $128.94 per ton.
Washington disposal rates by county (2026)
These are the published self-haul garbage rates at each county's main transfer facilities. Every junk removal quote in Washington is built on top of the number in your row.
King County
Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Auburn
$243.38
per ton
Highest in the state
- Minimum fee
- $40.25
- Covers
- up to 320 lbs
Highest published self-haul rate in the state. Mattresses $33.39 each.
Pierce County: City of Tacoma residents
Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center
~$145.00
per ton
- Minimum fee
- $20.00
- Covers
- first 400 lbs
$7.25 per 100 lbs, roughly $145/ton equivalent. Non-city residents pay a $40 minimum and $8.50 per 100 lbs. Proof of residency required for the city rate.
Pierce County: everyone else (LRI stations)
Hidden Valley, Purdy, Prairie Ridge, Key Center, Anderson Island
$202.35
per ton
- Minimum fee
- $40.50
- Covers
- up to 400 lbs
Tax included. Pierce County publishes the same rates pre-tax as a $39.06 minimum and $195.32/ton — same rates, different presentation.
Snohomish County
Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Arlington
$160.00
per ton
- Minimum fee
- $30.00
- Covers
- up to 360 lbs
Raised from $105/ton effective January 1, 2026 — the first increase since 2009. Add the 3.6% state refuse tax.
Kitsap County
Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard, Poulsbo
$128.94
per ton
Lowest on this list
- Minimum fee
- $42.00 (tax included)
- Covers
- up to 650 lbs
Lowest published per-ton rate on this list. Olympic View Transfer Station. Appliances $29 each; free E-Cycle drop-off, 10 items per day.
Thurston County
Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater
$136.00
per ton
- Minimum fee
- $21.00
- Covers
- under 300 lbs
Waste & Recovery Center. Organics tip at $75/ton. Garbage rises to $154/ton in 2027.
Spokane County
Spokane, Spokane Valley
$135.63
per ton
- Minimum fee
- $17.00
- Covers
- up to 260 lbs
Regional transfer stations; up 4% for 2026. New $30 fee per refrigerant appliance. City Waste-to-Energy gate rate is higher at $152.60/ton.
What full-service junk removal costs
Typical 2026 market ranges charged by independent haulers. Tacoma Junk Pros is a free referral service, not a hauling company — these are the rates local haulers quote, not our prices, and the hauler you're matched with sets your final number.
Single item
$99 – $175
One couch, mattress, or appliance
1/4 truck
$175 – $300
Studio cleanout or patio furniture
1/2 truck
$300 – $500
Garage, basement, or two rooms
3/4 truck
$425 – $700
Large garage or full basement
Full truck
$550 – $1,050
Whole-house declutter or move-out
Estate / full-home cleanout
$1,200 – $3,000+
Estate, hoarding, or full property
Per-item junk removal costs
Couch or loveseat
$100 – $200
Sectionals $150 – $300.
$75 – $175
King County charges $33.39 per mattress at the scale.
$100 – $200
Includes certified refrigerant recovery.
Washer or dryer
$90 – $175
Often scrapped rather than landfilled.
$75 – $150
Disposal itself is free through E-Cycle; you're paying for pickup.
Hot tub
$350 – $750
Priced by cutting, carry distance, and volume.
Upright piano
$250 – $600
Two to four people plus stairs pricing.
Yard waste (per truckload)
$150 – $400
Organics tip at $75/ton in Thurston — far below garbage.
County-by-county detail
King County (Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, Auburn)
$243.38 per ton with a $40.25 minimum covering up to 320 pounds — the most expensive metro disposal in Washington. Mattresses cost $33.39 each at Algona, Cedar Falls, Houghton, and Renton. King County also runs a CleanUp LIFT discount that takes $20 off each waste type per visit for ProviderOne, EBT, and ORCA LIFT holders, though it excludes businesses and Seattle and Milton residents. Expect junk removal quotes here to run 20–25% above the statewide range.
Pierce County (Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood, Gig Harbor)
Pierce County runs two separate systems. City of Tacoma residents use the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center, where a $20 minimum covers the first 400 pounds and additional weight is $7.25 per 100 pounds — roughly $145 per ton. Proof of city residency is required; non-city residents pay a $40 minimum and $8.50 per 100 pounds at the same facility. Everyone else uses LRI's stations at Hidden Valley, Purdy, Prairie Ridge, Key Center, and Anderson Island, where garbage is $202.35 per ton with a $40.50 minimum up to 400 pounds, tax included. Pierce County publishes those same LRI rates pre-tax as $39.06 and $195.32 per ton — the same rates, presented differently. That Tacoma resident minimum is one of the best deals in the Puget Sound region for very small loads. For local hauler pricing see our Tacoma junk removal cost guide, and for the full facility breakdown — hours, accepted materials, and per-item fees — read the Tacoma dump fees guide.
Thurston County (Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater)
$136 per ton in 2026 with a $21 minimum under 300 pounds at the Waste & Recovery Center — among the cheapest in Western Washington. Organics tip at just $75 per ton, so separating yard debris from household garbage saves real money here. Plan ahead: the county's adopted schedule raises garbage to $154 per ton and organics to $90 per ton in 2027.
Snohomish County (Everett, Lynnwood, Marysville, Arlington)
$160 per ton plus the 3.6% state refuse collection tax, with a $30 minimum covering up to 360 pounds at the county's transfer stations. Snohomish County raised its self-haul rate from $105 to $160 per ton effective January 1, 2026 — its first increase since 2009. The standard household dump run went from $20 to $30, drop box sites from $20 to $30 per cubic yard, and hard-to-handle waste from $200 to $250 per ton. Any quote or guide based on pre-2026 Snohomish rates is significantly out of date. Note that hauler quotes in south Snohomish County often track Seattle-area pricing anyway, because labor and drive times mirror the King County market.
Kitsap County (Bremerton, Silverdale, Port Orchard, Poulsbo)
$128.94 per ton plus tax at the Olympic View Transfer Station, with a $42 minimum that covers up to 650 pounds — the lowest published per-ton rate on this list, and the most generous minimum-weight allowance of any county here, which makes small self-haul loads comparatively cheap. Appliances are $29 each and must be emptied, and Olympic View is a registered E-Cycle site accepting up to 10 electronic items per person per day at no charge. Ferry crossings are the wild card in Kitsap quotes: a hauler crossing from Seattle adds fare and wait time to the job.
Spokane County (Spokane, Spokane Valley)
$135.63 per ton at the regional transfer stations with a $17 minimum covering up to 260 pounds — 44% below King County's $243.38 for the same ton, or put another way, King County costs 79% more, plus a $3 per-vehicle environmental programs fee. Rates rose 4% for 2026, organics 10%, and the county added a new $30 special-handling fee per refrigerant appliance(refrigerators, freezers, A/C units, water coolers) on top of the weight charge. Delivering directly to the City of Spokane's Waste-to-Energy facility costs more at $152.60 per ton. Combined with lower labor and land costs, junk removal quotes in Spokane typically run 10–20% below the statewide range.
Electronics, statewide
Washington's E-Cycle program collects TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, tablets, and e-readers free from households, small businesses, schools, and charities at participating sites in every county. That means the disposal itself costs nothing — when a hauler charges $75–$150 for a TV, you're paying for the lift and the drive. If you can get it to a collection site yourself, it's free. See TV and electronics recycling in Tacoma for how the local drop-offs work.
Mattresses, statewide
Mattresses are bulky, hard to compact, and priced per item almost everywhere — $33.39 each at several King County stations, with similar per-piece handling fees at other facilities. Full-service pickup usually runs $75–$175 per mattress, which includes the fee, the carry-out, and the drive. Details on the local process are in our mattress removal guide.
Appliances and refrigerants, statewide
Refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers contain refrigerant that federal rules require a certified technician to recover before the shell can be scrapped. Facilities and haulers add a Freon recovery fee for that step, commonly $20–$50 per unit on top of weight. Appliances with no refrigerant — washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers — are mostly steel, and scrap metal recyclers often take them at no charge. Our appliance removal page covers how haulers handle each type.
Why Washington prices vary so much
- 1
Tipping fees set the floor
Disposal is the one cost a hauler cannot negotiate away. A one-ton load costs $243.38 to dump in King County and $135.63 in Spokane before anyone is paid, a truck is fueled, or a mile is driven. That $107.75 gap shows up in your quote.
- 2
Distance to the nearest transfer station
Rural Washington has fewer facilities and longer hauls. A Graham or Orting pickup can mean a 40-minute drive each way to the scale, and drive time is billed labor whether the truck is full or not.
- 3
Weight versus volume pricing
Most haulers price by the space your load takes in the truck. For heavy debris — concrete, dirt, tile, roofing — many switch to weight-based pricing because the tonnage fee at the gate would otherwise wipe out the job.
- 4
Per-item surcharges
Mattresses, refrigerants, tires, and CRT televisions each carry their own handling fee. Two mattresses and a fridge can add $80–$130 to an otherwise ordinary half-load.
- 5
Labor markets and access
Crew wages in the Puget Sound corridor run well above Eastern Washington, and access matters everywhere: a third-floor walk-up with a narrow stairwell takes two to three times as long as a curbside pile of the same volume.
DIY vs. hiring: three worked scenarios
One couch, Tacoma
- • Pickup truck rental for 3 hours: $60 plus fuel
- • Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center minimum: $20 (resident, first 400 lbs)
- • Two people, 2 hours each: your Saturday morning
- Do it yourself
- About $85 out of pocket, plus 2–3 hours and a helper
- Hire a hauler
- $100 – $200 for full-service pickup
Close call. If you already own a truck and have help, DIY wins by roughly $50. If you don't, hiring out costs about the same and takes 15 minutes of your day.
Half-garage cleanout, Seattle
- • U-Haul pickup, 2 trips, 6 hours total: $110 plus fuel
- • King County disposal, ~1,400 lbs at $243.38/ton: about $170
- • One mattress surcharge: $33.39
- • Two people, 6 hours each: 12 labor hours
- Do it yourself
- About $320 out of pocket, plus a full day of two people's time
- Hire a hauler
- $375 – $625 for a half truckload in King County
Hiring out wins for most people. You save roughly 12 hours of labor and two trips to Renton or Bellevue for $100–$300 more.
Full-home cleanout, Spokane
- • Box truck rental, 2 days: $180 plus fuel and mileage
- • Spokane disposal, ~4 tons at $135.63/ton: about $545
- • Appliance refrigerant fees and mattress handling: $100–$150
- • Three people, two days: 48 labor hours
- Do it yourself
- About $850 out of pocket, plus two full days for a three-person crew
- Hire a hauler
- $1,000 – $2,500+ for a Spokane-area full-home cleanout
Genuinely depends. Spokane's low tipping fee makes DIY viable if you have the truck, the crew, and the weekend. Most people clearing an estate on a deadline don't.
Eight ways to pay less
- Pull everything to the driveway or curb. Curbside loading is faster and most haulers price it lower than an in-home carry-out.
- Separate metal. Scrap yards across Washington take appliances, pipe, and fencing free, and some pay by the pound.
- Use E-Cycle for electronics. TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, and tablets are collected free from households statewide.
- Keep yard waste out of the garbage pile. Organics tip at roughly half the garbage rate — $75 versus $136 per ton in Thurston County.
- Donate what still works. Habitat ReStore, Goodwill, and local shelters take furniture and appliances in usable condition, shrinking the paid load.
- Ask whether the quote is volume-based or weight-based before you book, especially for concrete, dirt, tile, or roofing.
- Bundle jobs. One full truckload almost always costs less than two half-loads on separate days.
- Book midweek. Monday through Thursday scheduling is looser and often cheaper than Saturday.
Washington junk removal cost FAQ
How much does junk removal cost in Washington State in 2026?+
Most Washington junk removal jobs land between $99 and $1,050. A single item typically runs $99–$175, a half truckload $300–$500, and a full truckload $550–$1,050. Prices skew about 15–25% higher in King and Snohomish counties and lower in Spokane and Thurston, largely because of tipping fees.
Which Washington county has the highest disposal fees?+
King County, at $243.38 per ton with a $40.25 minimum fee covering up to 320 pounds. That is the highest published self-haul garbage rate among Washington's major metro counties — well above Pierce County's LRI stations at $202.35, Snohomish at $160 after its January 2026 increase, Thurston at $136, Spokane at $135.63, and Kitsap at $128.94, the lowest on the list. King County's rate flows directly into every quote you get in the Seattle area.
Why is junk removal cheaper in Spokane than Seattle?+
Spokane's disposal rate of $135.63 per ton is roughly 44% below King County's $243.38 per ton — meaning King County costs about 79% more for the same load. Spokane burns most of its municipal waste at a local Waste to Energy facility, while King County waste is trucked to a landfill and carries higher transport and program costs. Lower land, labor, and fuel costs in Eastern Washington widen the gap further.
What does it cost to dump a load yourself in Washington?+
Expect a minimum fee even for a tiny load: $40.25 in King County (up to 320 lbs), $20 for City of Tacoma residents at the Tacoma Recovery & Transfer Center (first 400 lbs) or $40.50 at Pierce County's LRI stations (up to 400 lbs), and $21 in Thurston County (under 300 lbs). Past the minimum you pay by the ton, plus truck rental, fuel, and your own labor.
How much does mattress disposal cost in Washington?+
Mattresses carry a per-item fee almost everywhere. King County charges $33.39 per mattress at several transfer stations. Full-service haulers usually fold mattress handling into a $75–$175 per-item price that includes pickup and hauling.
Is TV and electronics recycling free in Washington?+
Yes for most household electronics. Washington's E-Cycle program accepts TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, tablets, and e-readers at no charge from households, small businesses, schools, and charities at participating collection sites statewide.
Do appliances cost extra to dispose of?+
Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners contain refrigerant that must be recovered by a certified technician, so counties and haulers add a Freon removal fee — commonly $20–$50 on top of the disposal weight. Appliances without refrigerant are usually just weighed, and scrap metal recyclers often take them free.
Is it cheaper to rent a dumpster or hire a junk removal service in Washington?+
A dumpster is usually cheaper only for multi-day projects where you generate a lot of volume and are willing to load it yourself. For a one-visit cleanout, full-service removal is typically the better value once you add truck rental, fuel, tipping fees, permits, and the hours of labor a dumpster still requires.
Sources
Every disposal rate on this page comes from the county or city that sets it. Rates change — check the source before planning a trip.
- 1King County Solid Waste Division — Disposal fees
$243.38/ton garbage, $40.25 minimum up to 320 lbs, $33.39 per mattress
- 2Snohomish County Solid Waste — 2026 disposal fee change announcement
$160/ton garbage plus 3.6% state refuse tax, $30 minimum up to 360 lbs, effective Jan 1 2026
- 3Kitsap County Public Works — Olympic View Transfer Station rates
$128.94/ton, $42 minimum up to 650 lbs, $29 per appliance, free E-Cycle drop-off
- 4Spokane County Regional Solid Waste System — 2026 rates
$135.63/ton MSW, $17 minimum up to 260 lbs, new $30 refrigerant appliance fee for 2026
- 5Spokane Municipal Code 13.02.0560 — Waste-to-Energy tonnage fee
$152.60/ton at the City of Spokane Waste-to-Energy Facility for 2026
- 6Thurston County Public Works — 2026–2027 solid waste rates
$136/ton garbage and $75/ton organics in 2026, $21 minimum under 300 lbs
- 7City of Tacoma — Recovery & Transfer Center rates
$20 city-resident minimum covering the first 400 lbs, then $7.25 per 100 lbs (~$145/ton); $40 minimum and $8.50 per 100 lbs for non-residents
- 8LRI Services — Pierce County transfer station rates
$202.35/ton tax included, $40.50 minimum up to 400 lbs, $68 per Freon appliance — the rate for everyone outside the City of Tacoma
- 9Washington State Department of Ecology — E-Cycle Washington
Free household drop-off for TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, and tablets
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