Rules & Restrictions to the Drop-off Sites
Sites Are for Residents and Taxpayers
Proof of residency or taxpayer status is required. Most people show their driver's license. Anything official that ties you to a City of Madison property will work, like a utility bill, tax bill receipt, vehicle registration, or so on.
Contractors are not allowed to use the drop-off sites for their projects.
Safety Guidelines
- Sites are self-service, so be prepared to lift and carry your own items. Attendants at the drop-off sites can't help you unload your vehicle.
- You must stay in the specified drop-off site areas.
- The sites are very busy places. Be mindful of the heavy equipment and other drop-off site users.
- Do not enter the sites before or after the drop-off site hours.
Trip and Volume Limits
- You are allowed one trip a day. You will be denied use of the site if you try to make multiple visits in a single day.
- You are limited to the equivalent of what can fit into the back of a standard pick-up truck bed or 5' x 8' trailer for your one visit. Oversized loads will be denied use of the drop-off sites.
Customers with large volumes of trash may want to use the Dane County Landfill, or spacing out your trips to visit the site on multiple days.
For very large volumes of brush, use the Brush Processing Center.
Entry Limitations
Expect to wait in a line at the drop-off sites. During our busiest times, we average more than a car a minute. Pack your patience as well as the items you wish to drop off.
A limited number of vehicles are allowed into the unloading area at a given time.
When the lines to enter the sites are long, some vehicles may be turned away earlier than posted closing time because they will not be able to enter and unload before closing.