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How to Get Rid of a Mattress and Box Spring in Austin, TX

Quick answer

Austin curbside customers (houses up to fourplexes): book a free on-demand bulk pickup at austintexas.gov/ondemand, in the Austin Recycles app, or by calling 3-1-1. You get 3 bulk pickups per calendar year.
Put the mattress at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment day, unbagged, in your non-metal pile, 5 feet from carts, mailboxes, cars, and meters.
The city Recycle and Reuse Center does NOT accept mattresses. Apartments (5+ units), or if you're out of pickups: landfill (fee), retailer haul-away, or a paid hauler.

Last checked: 2026-10-24 against the official sources below.

Your options

Option	Where / who	Details	Address	Hours	Fee	Residency	Source
Free city pickup	ARR on-demand bulk collection	City's 'What Do I Do With' tool lists bulk collection as the best option for 'Mattresses and box springs.' Up to 3 bulk collections per address per calendar year. Appointment required: items are not picked up without one.	Curbside at your home	Set out by 5:30 a.m. on your appointment date	Free with your ARR curbside service (cost of extra pickups beyond 3: check with 311)	ARR residential curbside customers only: single-family homes and up to fourplexes in Austin	source
Drop-off site	Recycle and Reuse Center	Not an option for mattresses. The center's page lists mattresses and furniture as items it does not accept.	2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744	Appointment only	n/a	Austin/Travis County residents	source
Drop-off site	Local landfills	The city's What Do I Do With tool lists 'Drop-off - Landfills' as another option: 'You may be able to dispose of this item at local landfills for a fee.' Which landfill, its hours, and its fee: check with 311 or Travis County's drop-off locator. Note: the Travis County 1431 Citizens Collection Center does NOT take mattresses.	Varies	Check with 311	Fee (amount varies; check with 311)	Check with the site	source
Store take-back	Retailer haul-away when you buy a new mattress	We found no Texas or Austin mattress take-back law. Some retailers will haul away your old mattress when they deliver a new one, but the terms and fees depend on the retailer. Ask before you buy.	-	-	Varies by retailer	-	check with 311
Donate / resell	Austin Reuse Directory	The city-run directory lists places to donate, sell, or rent used items. Charities generally take only clean mattresses in very good condition, so call first.	Varies	Varies	Free	None	source
Paid haul-away	Private junk removal or a licensed hauler Get a quote from LoadUp	Paid services pick up from inside your home, which helps apartment residents (5+ units aren't on ARR curbside). The city publishes a list of haulers it licenses.	-	-	Paid; quotes vary	None	source

Disclosure: The paid haul-away link may become an affiliate link. If it does, CurbRules may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you. Free city options are always listed first.

How to prep it

Book your appointment first. The city won't collect items without one.
Set out by 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date.
Don't bag or box it. The city says bagged items are treated as extra trash and may cost extra trash fees.
Put it in the non-metal pile, away from metal items/rigid plastics and tires.
Keep it 5 feet from carts, mailbox, fences or walls, water meter, utility boxes, fire hydrants, and parked cars, and out from under low branches or power lines.
Not collected from alleys, in front of vacant lots, or in front of businesses.

Illegal dumping fines

Illegal dumping in Texas is a crime under Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 365.012. The penalty class depends on the amount: 5 lb or less (or 5 gallons or less) is a Class C misdemeanor (fine up to $500). More than 5 lb but under 500 lb (or more than 5 gallons but under 100 cubic feet) is a Class B misdemeanor (fine up to $2,000 and/or up to 180 days in jail). 500 lb to under 1,000 lb (or 100 to under 200 cubic feet) is a Class A misdemeanor (fine up to $4,000 and/or up to 1 year in jail). 1,000 lb or more (or 200 cubic feet or more) is a state jail felony. A repeat conviction moves up one class. A single mattress is likely over 5 lb, so that is at least a Class B offense. The City of Austin says offenders may also have to clean up the site, and property owners can be held responsible for cleanup.

Report illegal dumping to Austin 3-1-1 (call, app, or online) or the Regional Environmental Taskforce hotline at 1-877-NO-DUMPS (1-877-663-8677).

Sources: City of Austin Development Services: Illegal Dumping · TCEQ summary of Texas Health and Safety Code Ch. 365 penalties (PDF) · Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 365.012 · Texas Penal Code Ch. 12 (misdemeanor fine limits)

Official sources

Last checked 2026-10-24. Anything not confirmed by an official source is marked “check with 311.” Spot an error? Rules change, so always confirm with 3-1-1.

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