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CostDumpster Rental

How much does it cost to rent a dumpster in Virginia?

Haulers set their own dumpster prices. A quote is built from the container size, rental days, weight allowance and the per-ton disposal fee, which differs by locality. When we checked in October 2026, it was $53 a ton for construction waste at the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority and $98 a ton for solid waste at Fairfax County's facilities. Permits and surcharges add to it.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Describe the debris

    Write down what is going in, roughly how much, and any heavy material such as concrete, tile, soil or roofing, so every hauler prices the same job.

  2. Step 2: Choose a size

    Pick a container size for the volume and the weight, and ask whether heavy debris should go in a separate smaller box.

  3. Step 3: Ask what the price includes

    Ask how many tons and how many rental days are included, and what each extra ton and each extra day costs.

  4. Step 4: Ask about surcharges

    Ask for a list of items that carry a fee, such as appliances with refrigerant, tires, mattresses or propane tanks, and what happens if a prohibited item is found.

  5. Step 5: Ask about delivery and trips

    Ask whether delivery, pickup, a swap for an empty box, or a trip where the truck cannot reach the container cost extra.

  6. Step 6: Settle the permit question

    If the box will sit on the street, ask who pulls the right-of-way permit and whether its fee is in the quote.

  7. Step 7: Get the total in writing

    Get a written quote that lists the size, days, weight allowance, overage rates, surcharges and taxes before the container arrives.

  8. Step 8: Keep the weight ticket

    Ask for the landfill or transfer station scale ticket with the final bill, so you can check any overweight charge.

Dumpster prices are set by each hauler, not to a standard rate. A quote is built from a handful of parts: the container size, the rental days included, the weight allowance, the per-ton fee at the landfill or transfer station the hauler uses, and any permit or surcharges. Those parts change from one town to the next, so the useful thing is to know what each one is and compare written quotes line by line.

What goes into the price

The container size. Bigger boxes cost more to rent, but one larger box can cost less than two hauls of a smaller one. See what size dumpster you need for how to choose.

The rental period and weight allowance. Most quotes include a set number of days and a set weight. WM's Richmond rental page, for example, lists a 7-day rental with each of its 20-, 30- and 40-yard containers and shows 10 tons for each size.[3] Other haulers include fewer days or a lower weight. Ask what each extra day and each extra ton costs.

The disposal fee. The hauler pays the landfill or transfer station by the ton, and that fee varies widely across Virginia. When we checked on October 26, 2026, the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority's 2026-2027 rates, effective July 1, 2026, were $53.00 per ton for construction waste and $76.00 per ton for household municipal solid waste.[1] Fairfax County's tipping fee for solid waste at its I-95 and I-66 facilities is $98 per ton for Fiscal Year 2027, July 2026 to June 2027,[2] with a minimum charge for construction debris of $49 for a small load, $63 for a medium load and $109 for a large load.[2]

Per ton, Fairfax County's rate is nearly double Montgomery's construction rate.[1][2] The rental, the truck, the driver and the hauler's margin come on top. That gap is one reason a price you see quoted for Northern Virginia will not match one in the New River Valley.

Distance. Delivery and pickup take a truck and a driver. A house far from the hauler's yard or from the landfill usually costs more.

Surcharges for certain items. Landfills charge extra for some things, and haulers pass that on. The Montgomery authority adds a $19.00 freon surcharge for white goods and appliances, charges 20 cents a pound for tires with a $4.00 minimum, and adds $10.00 per load for loads that arrive untarped or unsecured.[1] Fairfax County warns that failing to comply with the County Code or facility rules may bring a penalty fee of $185 per ton.[2] A hauler that finds a prohibited item in the box may charge for it or leave it behind. See what you can't put in a dumpster in Virginia.

A white roll-off truck with its hoist raised, tilting a black open-top roll-off container off the back onto a gravel lot
Photo: Boomer77, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A street permit. A container on your own driveway usually needs no permit. One on a public street usually does, and the fee varies by locality. In Alexandria, when we checked on October 26, 2026, a permit for work in the public right-of-way, including a dumpster, was $125.00, issued for one day to 30 days, with another $125.00 to renew it.[4] There, reserved parking for the container was $40.00 per meter per day for a metered space and $30.00 per space per day for a non-metered one.[4] Alexandria also requires the hauler to put a current city solid waste sticker on any dumpster placed on the right-of-way.[4] For other localities, see whether you need a permit to put a dumpster on the street.

How to compare quotes

Ask every hauler for the same things in writing: the container size and dimensions, the days included, the tons included, the price of each extra day and each extra ton, the list of surcharged and prohibited items, any delivery, swap or trip fees, permit costs, and taxes. A low advertised price with a small weight allowance can end up costing more than a higher price with a generous one. If you are not sure how heavy your debris is, ask the hauler to estimate it, or choose a smaller box for the heavy material.

Advertised prices and the law

A price you see online should be the price you can book on the stated terms. Virginia's Consumer Protection Act lists among its prohibited practices "Advertising goods or services with intent not to sell them as advertised, or with intent not to sell at the price or upon the terms advertised."[5] If you believe a business did that, the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia handles a variety of consumer complaints against businesses operating in Virginia.[6] If a bill already surprised you, see why a dumpster rental can come with extra fees.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The debris includes material you suspect contains asbestos, or old paint, chemicals or fuel. Those need separate handling, not a quote for a bigger box.
  • The job is a demolition or a roof tear-off. The contractor usually arranges and prices the container as part of the work.
  • The only place for the container is a busy street that would need a lane closed or traffic control.
  • You would rather pay one price for sorting, loading and hauling. A junk removal crew may cost less than a rental plus your own labour for a small or mixed load.

Getting quotes on Loclis

Read more junk removal and moving answers, see dumpster rental businesses, or look up junk removal businesses around Blacksburg. Loclis's own fees are on the pricing page. To get quotes you can compare line by line, describe the job on Loclis.

Common questions

Is there a standard dumpster rental price in Virginia?
No. Haulers price by size, rental days, weight allowance and the disposal fee where they dump, which differs by locality. Compare written quotes for the same size, days and allowance.
Why do landfill fees matter if I am renting from a company?
The hauler pays the landfill or transfer station by the ton and builds that into the price, especially the overweight charge. In October 2026 construction waste cost $53.00 a ton at the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority, while Fairfax County charged $98 a ton for solid waste at its facilities.
Is a bigger dumpster always more expensive?
Usually it costs more to rent, but one larger box can cost less than two hauls of a smaller one. The exception is heavy debris: concrete or dirt in a big box can run far over the weight allowance.
Do I pay for the street permit?
Usually, either directly or through the hauler. In Alexandria, when we checked on October 26, 2026, a right-of-way permit for a dumpster was $125.00, plus a daily fee for any reserved parking spaces.
Is it cheaper to haul debris to the landfill myself?
For a small amount it can be, if you have a truck or trailer and your landfill takes the material. Tarp and secure the load: the Montgomery authority adds $10.00 to untarped or unsecured loads.
What does Loclis charge?
Businesses on Loclis quote the job themselves. Loclis's own fees are listed on the pricing page.

Sources

  1. [1] Solid Waste: 2026-2027 Rates, Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority. Checked October 26, 2026.
  2. [2] Commercial Disposal Fees, Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services. Checked October 26, 2026.
  3. [3] Temporary Dumpster Rental in Richmond, VA, WM (Waste Management). Checked October 26, 2026.
  4. [4] Permit Guidelines, Transportation & Environmental Services, City of Alexandria, Virginia. Checked October 26, 2026.
  5. [5] Va. Code § 59.1-200, Prohibited practices (Virginia Consumer Protection Act), Code of Virginia, Virginia General Assembly. Checked October 26, 2026.
  6. [6] File a Complaint, Consumer Protection Section, Office of the Attorney General of Virginia. Checked October 26, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.