How much does yard debris removal cost in Virginia?

There is no single Virginia price for yard debris removal, because a hauler prices a cleanup by how much there is, how hard it is to reach and what it costs to dump. The best figures you can check are the fees local disposal sites and cities publish, which show what the dump or the city charges before any labour is added.

What disposal itself costs

Fairfax County publishes residential disposal fees for July 2026 through June 2027.^[1] When we checked on October 27, 2026, brush delivered unbagged was $59 per ton with a $39 minimum charge and a scale required, a mini pickup load was $20 and a full-size pickup without a rack was $28.^[1] The flat pickup rates apply only if brush is not heaped above the cab or past the closed tailgate.^[1] Bagged leaves and grass, with no plastic bags, were $20 for 1 to 5 bags and $26 for 6 to 10 bags, and unbagged yard waste was $96 per ton with a $39 minimum.^[1]

Prices differ by place. On the same date the Montgomery Regional Solid Waste Authority listed clean brush and wood, no nails accepted, at $67.00 per ton with a $3.35 minimum up to 100 pounds.^[4] Treat these as examples of the cost of the dump alone. A hauler adds the labour of loading and the drive.

What a city pickup costs

Some cities collect bulk and brush themselves. Richmond's program provides bi-weekly collection year around,^[3] and when we checked on October 27, 2026, a 24-hour bulk and brush collection request was available for $100 per request, paid by check or money order only.^[3] If you take it yourself, the city lists the East Richmond Road Convenience Center and the Hopkins Road Transfer Station as do-it-yourself drop-off sites.^[3]

What drives a hauler's quote

A private hauler's price is mostly these things:

Volume and weight. The quote follows how many truckloads or how many bags of debris you have. Larger loads at the disposal site are charged by weight: both Fairfax County and the Montgomery authority list a per-ton rate.^[1][4]

Type of debris. Leaves and grass, branches and wood are handled separately at the dump, and some material is not yard waste at all. Fairfax County excludes material from tree removal, land clearing and home renovation, including tree stumps, lumber, treated wood, sawdust, dirt, mulch and sod.^[2] A pile that mixes in these costs more to haul.

Access and carrying distance. Debris at a curb costs less than debris behind a fence, down a slope or at the back of a long lot. Ask whether the crew rakes and bags as part of the price or only hauls what you have already piled.

Cutting and bundling. Brush may need to be cut down to size. Fairfax defines brush as branches and twigs smaller than 4 feet long,^[2] and Richmond says its crews have no chain saws and take storm tree debris only in pieces no larger than 48 inches (4 feet).^[3] A crew that cuts and bundles charges for it.

Dump fees and minimums. Ask whether the quote includes disposal or adds it at cost, and whether there is a minimum charge for a small job.

Timing. Speed is part of the price: Richmond offers a 24-hour pickup for $100 per request alongside its bi-weekly schedule.^[3]

Getting a quote you can compare

Fairfax County tells residents with large amounts of yard waste and brush to contact their private hauler or a bulk or junk removal company for collection services.^[2] Ask for a written quote that lists the debris, the work (raking, bagging, cutting, loading), the disposal fee, any minimum and the payment terms. Ask who dumps the load and where. For general junk, see what junk removal costs in Virginia, and for a pile that is too big for the truck, what a dumpster rental costs. If the yard is mostly leaves, read what leaf removal costs.

Stop and call a pro if

• Trees or large limbs are down on a house, fence or power line. That is tree-service and utility work, not a yard cleanup.
• The pile hides something other than yard debris, such as paint, chemicals, fuel or old lumber with nails. Do not bag it with the brush; ask the disposal site where it goes.
• The debris is a storm-damaged tree you cannot move in pieces a person can lift. Hire a tree service to cut and remove it.
• The job keeps growing. If a quote doubles on the day, ask for the change in writing before work continues.

Getting help in Virginia

Loclis lists local businesses that haul brush and clear yards. Browse junk and moving services, read more junk and moving answers, or see whether you can burn brush and yard waste and whether your county will pick it up. To get prices for your own yard, describe the job once and local haulers quote it.