York County, SC Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- LCD/yard waste fee
- $36 per ton, $5 minimum per load
- Resident free allowance
- Up to 2,000 lbs per month, primary residence
- Permit needed
- No DHEC permit required for cellulosic waste
- Commercial exemption
- Not available to commercial vehicles or trailers
Summary
York County treats yard trash, land-clearing debris and untreated lumber as 'cellulosic materials,' which residents can drop at the landfill or a convenience center without the special disposal permit required for other nonhousehold waste. The county charges $36 per ton (minimum $5 per load) for cellulosic/yard waste, though qualifying residents get up to 2,000 pounds free each month.
CELLULOSIC MATERIALS. Any solid waste composed of unsoiled plant tissue, such as, yard trash, land clearing debris, untreated and unpainted lumber, and the like, that has not come into contact with hazardous constituents, special waste, petroleum products or PCBs. ... Any person, firm or corporation desiring to deposit or dispose of any waste materials other than normal household solid waste, inert waste or cellulosic waste at any county municipal solid waste landfill... shall comply with the following requirements and procedures... (2) For permitted LCD, such as yard waste, waste wood, clearing debris and other cellulosic materials, $36 per ton, with a minimum charge of $5 per load; ... (E) Fee Exemptions. (1) Individual residents delivering solid waste from their primary residence shall be exempt from solid waste tipping fees as long as they meet the following conditions. (a) The combined weight of items to be disposed will not exceed one ton (2,000 pounds). ... (c) Each individual primary residential address may dump a maximum of one ton (2,000 pounds) of material each month.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-49: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 3925, passed 6-16-25).
Full Breakdown
26 only requires a written, DHEC-approved disposal permit for 'waste materials other than normal household solid waste, inert waste or cellulosic waste,' meaning ordinary yard trash and land-clearing debris can go straight to a landfill or convenience center without that permitting process. 33(B)(2) sets the tipping fee 'for permitted LCD, such as yard waste, waste wood, clearing debris and other cellulosic materials' at $36 per ton, with a $5 minimum charge per load. 33(E)(1): an individual delivering waste 'from their primary residence' is exempt from tipping fees as long as 'the combined weight of items to be disposed will not exceed one ton (2,000 pounds)' and the exemption is capped at once a month per address; commercial vehicles, flatbeds, tandem trucks and trailers do not qualify, and residents must prove York County residency with a driver's license, voter registration card, utility bill or vehicle registration bearing a current county address.
Violations & Fines
Falsely describing yard waste as something else to dodge the LCD fee or the DHEC permit process violates § 50.32's ban on misrepresenting materials tendered for disposal, and dumping brush or clearing debris outside an authorized site is a Chapter 50 violation. Both carry the § 50.99 penalty: a misdemeanor or felony under S.C. Code § 16-11-700, with fines or imprisonment set by that statute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fee to dump yard waste in York County?
Do I need a permit to dispose of tree limbs and brush?
How much yard waste can I dump for free each month?
Can I put grass clippings and yard waste in my regular garbage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in York County
Compare York County to another location·View the South Carolina trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.