Dumpster Weight Limits: How Weight Is Billed
Every dumpster size has a weight limit, and your load is weighed on the landfill's certified scale. Weight over the tons included in your size costs $75 per ton, by the exact pound, and the scale ticket comes with your invoice.
How is dumpster weight measured?
Dumpster weight is measured on the landfill's certified truck scale. The truck is weighed full (gross weight), then empty (tare weight, the truck and empty box). Net weight is gross minus tare. That net weight is compared with the tons included in your dumpster size.
We email a digital copy of that certified scale ticket with your final invoice, so you see the exact printout the charge comes from.
- Gross (truck + full box)
- 38,620 lb
- Tare (truck + empty box)
- − 32,100 lb
- Net debris weight
- 6,520 lb
- Included in 20-yard
- − 6,000 lb
- Over by
- 520 lb = 0.26 ton
- 0.26 ton × $75
- $19.50
How much is the overweight fee?
The overweight fee is $75 per ton over your included weight, charged by the exact pound. A 20-yard includes 3 tons. If the scale ticket shows 3.4 tons net, you are 0.4 ton over and pay $30. There is no rounding up to the next half ton or full ton.
Which materials go over the weight limit fastest?
Concrete, dirt, brick, tile, plaster and shingles go over the weight limit fastest. Normal-weight concrete is about 150 lb per cubic foot, so a 10 × 12 ft patio 4 inches thick is about 3 tons. Lumber, furniture and carpet are light and fill the box long before they get heavy.
| Material (loose) | Pounds per cubic yard | Tons in 10 cubic yards |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed construction debris | 417 | 2.08 |
| Drywall | 467 | 2.33 |
| Asphalt shingles | 731 | 3.65 |
| Asphalt paving | 773 | 3.87 |
| Clean lumber | 169 | 0.84 |
| Mixed yard waste | 250 | 1.25 |
| Carpet | 147 | 0.73 |
Source: EPA Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors, April 2016. Loose-volume averages; your scale ticket is what counts.
How do I avoid an overweight dumpster charge?
Avoid an overweight charge by matching heavy debris to a small dumpster, filling concrete and dirt only halfway, and keeping rain out. Weigh out your heaviest material first: count shingle bundles or measure the slab. Then compare that weight with the tons included in your size.
- Run the roof calculator for shingles, or measure slabs for concrete.
- Pick the size whose included tons cover your heavy debris.
- Tarp the dumpster when rain is forecast. Wet drywall and carpet soak up water.
- Keep heavy debris low and spread across the floor of the box.
When will I get the final bill?
The final invoice arrives by email 3 to 5 business days after pickup, once the landfill processes our disposal logs. It lists any overage, extra days and $50 items, with the certified scale ticket attached. That invoice is the final bill for the rental.
Want the short list of what pushes a bill up? Read 7 reasons dumpster bills go over the quote. Questions about a charge? Call (254) 254-5880 with your invoice in hand. The scale ticket shows the date, time, gross, tare and net weight.
Dumpster weight questions
Do you round up to the next ton?
Can I see the scale ticket?
Does rain really add weight?
What happens if the dumpster is too heavy to haul?
Talk to the yard, not a call center
Know your tons before you load
Tell us the material. We'll match it to a size whose included weight covers it.