Tire Disposal in Southern California: How to Get Rid of Old Tires (2026)

Old tires are one of the trickiest items to get rid of in Southern California. You cannot toss them in your curbside trash, you cannot leave them at the dump as-is, and illegal dumping can lead to steep fines. Whether you have a couple of worn tires in the garage or a stack left behind by a tenant, this 2026 guide explains the rules, the costs, and the easiest way to haul them away across Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Orange County.

Why You Can’t Just Throw Tires in the Trash in California

California bans whole tires from landfills. It is illegal to put them in your regular trash bin or dump them on the side of the road, and the state takes enforcement seriously. CalRecycle, the agency that runs the state’s Waste Tire Program, regulates how tires are collected, hauled, and recycled to prevent illegal dumping and the toxic fires that piles of waste tires can cause.

The reason is both environmental and practical. Tires don’t break down in a landfill, they trap methane and float to the surface, and abandoned tire piles collect standing water that breeds mosquitoes. Recycling keeps millions of tires out of dumps every year and turns them into useful products instead.

How Much Does Tire Disposal Cost?

When you buy a new tire in California, you already pay a state Tire Fee of $1.75 per tire. That fee funds CalRecycle’s cleanup programs and is the reason most tire shops will take your old tires when they install new ones, often at little or no extra charge.

For tires you need to get rid of separately, costs vary:

• Tire shops: Many charge a small per-tire recycling fee (often $3 to $8 each) if you didn’t buy the tire there.
• County drop-off centers: Programs like OC Waste & Recycling and free community collection events accept a limited number of tires from residents at no charge.
• Junk removal: Best for large quantities, rim-on tires, or when you want the whole job handled in one pickup.

Watch Out for Quantity Limits

Free and low-cost drop-off options usually cap how many tires you can bring at once (commonly four to nine per visit) and may not accept tires still on the rim, oversized truck tires, or commercial volumes. If you’re clearing out a fleet, a shop, or a property cleanout, those limits make a single junk removal pickup the simpler route.

Your Tire Disposal Options in Southern California

1. Leave Them With the Tire Shop

The easiest option when you’re replacing tires anyway. Ask the shop to dispose of the old set, the state fee usually covers it, and you drive off with nothing to deal with.

2. County and City Drop-Off Programs

Los Angeles County, San Bernardino and Riverside counties in the Inland Empire, and Orange County all run waste tire and household hazardous waste drop-off sites, plus free collection events throughout the year. These are great for a handful of tires if you have a truck and time to drive there.

3. Professional Junk Removal

When you have a big pile, tires mixed in with other junk, or no way to haul them yourself, a junk removal crew does the heavy lifting. They load the tires, sort them for proper recycling, and make sure they reach a permitted facility, so you stay on the right side of California’s disposal rules without lifting a finger.

What Happens to Recycled Tires?

Old tires don’t just disappear, they get a second life. Recycled California tires are turned into crumb rubber for playground surfaces and athletic fields, rubberized asphalt for quieter roads, mulch and landscaping products, and tire-derived fuel. Choosing proper disposal means your tires feed that supply chain instead of sitting in an illegal pile.

Common Situations Where We Haul Tires

• Garage and shed cleanouts with old tires stacked in the corner
• Rental property and eviction cleanouts where tenants left tires behind
• Auto shops, body shops, and fleet yards clearing accumulated stock
• Estate cleanouts and property turnovers across LA and OC
• Mixed junk hauls where tires are just one of many items

Tips Before Your Tire Pickup

• Stack tires in one accessible spot so loading is quick.
• Let us know if they’re on rims, which affects recycling.
• Count them roughly so we can give you an accurate quote.
• Keep them out of standing water to avoid mosquito buildup before pickup.

Get Rid of Old Tires the Easy Way

You don’t have to load up your truck, hunt for a drop-off site, or worry about disposal rules. 911 Junk CA handles tire removal and recycling throughout Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Orange County, whether it’s two tires or two hundred. We do the lifting, the hauling, and the responsible recycling.

Ready to clear out those old tires? Contact 911 Junk CA today for a fast, free quote.