Fort Collins haul-out guide
Junk hauling in Fort Collins, one sorted load at a time
Most hauling jobs are a mix: furniture, bagged clutter, a broken grill, a box of cords. The work is sorting it before the truck arrives, because in Fort Collins several of those things cannot ride to the same place.
Build the list a hauler can price
Write down the big pieces first, then count the bags and boxes, then flag the awkward items: anything with a cord, a motor, a compressor or a tank. A hauler prices a load by the space it fills and the effort to carry it, and a clear list lets two quotes be compared fairly.
Split what the trash cannot take
The City’s code compliance page, retrieved September 27, 2026, lists electronic equipment, cardboard, household hazardous waste and several construction materials as things that must be recycled in Fort Collins. The City’s A to Z guide adds that throwing tires in the trash is illegal anywhere in Colorado. A careful hauler asks about these up front; give them their own corner so they can go to the right door.
Ask for the City license
Fort Collins requires every hauler working inside city limits to hold a City license, and its hauler license page names junk removal among the covered services. The City sends a current list of licensed haulers to anyone who writes to recycling@fortcollins.gov. One email is a fair first test of who you are hiring.
Or haul it yourself
The county’s 2026 fee schedule charges a flat $37 for a pickup truck or cargo van and $20 for a car or SUV at the Trilby transfer station. An uncovered load pays double, and a trailer is priced at $13.25 per cubic yard with a two-yard minimum.
Before you decide
Questions worth asking
Does a junk hauler need a license in Fort Collins?
Yes. The City requires every hauler collecting trash, recycling or compost inside city limits to file an annual license application, and it names junk removal among the covered services.
Can a whole mixed load go to the transfer station?
Most household junk can, but electronics, tires and hazardous products follow separate rules. Pulling them out first avoids a refused item or a second trip.