Dump guide
Miramar Landfill (the San Diego dump) in 2026: hours, fees, what they take
When someone in San Diego says "the dump," they mean Miramar Landfill. It is the city-run landfill off Route 52 in Kearny Mesa, it takes almost 910,000 tons a year, and it has a flat rate for pickups that most people never look up before they rent the truck. Here is everything you need before you drive there, verified against the City of San Diego's July 2026 fee schedule on September 7, 2026.
Miramar Landfill quick facts
| Address | 5180 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111 (north side of Route 52 at Convoy) |
|---|---|
| Phone | (858) 694-7000 (Environmental Services). Weather closures: (858) 492-6100 recorded line |
| Operator | City of San Diego Environmental Services Department |
| What it is | An active landfill plus the Miramar Greenery (compost and mulch). Not a transfer station: your load goes in the ground here |
| Hours | Monday to Saturday, 7am to 4pm. No hand unloads after 4pm. Self-dumping trucks until 4:30pm. Closed Sunday |
| Holidays closed | New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas |
| Payment | No cash. Checks to City Treasurer, all major credit cards, Visa or Mastercard debit |
| Fees verified | September 7, 2026, against the FY2027 schedule effective July 1, 2026 |
Miramar Landfill fees (July 2026 to June 2027)
Miramar prices by vehicle tier, not by how full the bed is. A car, SUV, minivan, unmodified pickup, van, or a trailer up to 5 ft wide by 9 ft long by 4 ft tall is Tier 1 and pays a flat rate. A pickup towing a trailer, a bigger trailer, or a modified pickup is Tier 2. Everything bigger is weighed. "City waste" means the junk came from an address inside the City of San Diego limits; bring a driver's license or a utility bill to prove it. Waste from Poway, Santee, Chula Vista or any other city pays the non-city rate.
| Load | General refuse | C&D debris | Green waste | Clean wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 flat, city waste (car, SUV, pickup, small trailer) | $75 | $108 | $50 | $25 |
| Tier 1 flat, non-city waste | $86 | $122 | $50 | $25 |
| Tier 2 flat, city waste (pickup + trailer, big trailer) | $148 | $352 | $109 | $55 |
| Tier 2 flat, non-city waste | $156 | $374 | $109 | $55 |
| Weighed loads, city waste (per ton) | $102 | $241 | $72 | $36 |
| Weighed loads, non-city waste (per ton) | $108 | $257 | $72 | $36 |
Flat rates include the $15 per ton state recycling fee. Special handling loads (mixed loads that need sorting) run $108 flat for Tier 1 and $142 to $151 per ton weighed. A pickup and a trailer count as two loads and pay twice. Uncovered load: $50 on top. Returned check: $25.
Two things people miss. First, clean green waste and clean wood are free for City of San Diego residents who haul it themselves and show proof of residency. Second, a pickup is Tier 1 whether it holds one chair or a full bed, so the flat $75 is the same either way. Fill the truck.
What Miramar takes, and what it turns away
Accepted: household junk, furniture, carpet, general trash, construction and demolition debris, green waste, clean wood, food material (at the greenery), and special-waste manifested loads with prior approval, weekdays 9am to 2pm only.
Refused at the landfill face: TVs and monitors (CRTs), all electronics, appliances, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, paint, motor oil, propane, and anything else classed as universal or household hazardous waste. Those have to come out of the load before you reach the scale. If you dump them anyway, the city bills you for every cost of dealing with it.
The good news is the fixes are all at the same entrance:
- Miramar Recycling Center, 5165 Convoy St, Monday to Saturday 7am to 4:30pm, (858) 268-8971. CRV buyback, scrap metal, cardboard, e-waste and appliances (some items carry a recycling fee).
- Mattress and box spring drop-off, 5161 Convoy St next to the hazardous waste facility, Monday to Friday 7am to 3pm. Free, no limit. Wet, badly damaged or bedbug-infested mattresses are refused. Full details in our mattress guide.
- Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility, 5161 Convoy St, Wednesday and Saturday 9am to 3pm, by appointment through the city's Get It Done portal. Free for City of San Diego residents with ID. Up to 50 pounds per trip, containers 5 gallons or smaller. Paint, batteries, oil, propane, bulbs, sharps, medications. No electronics, no ammunition, no appliances.
Nearest dump to Mira Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Clairemont, UTC and Rancho Peñasquitos
If you search "Mira Mesa dump" or "Clairemont dump," the answer is Miramar. It is the only landfill on the north side of the city, and the drive is short from every neighborhood around it. Rough off-peak drive per Google Maps:
| From | Route | Drive | Your dump rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kearny Mesa | Convoy St north across 52 | About 5 minutes | City, $75 |
| Clairemont | 805 or Genesee to 52 east, Convoy exit | About 10 minutes | City, $75 |
| Mira Mesa | Black Mountain Rd or 15 south to 52 west | About 10 minutes | City, $75 |
| UTC and La Jolla | 52 east to Convoy | About 12 minutes | City, $75 |
| Rancho Peñasquitos | 15 south to 52 west | About 15 minutes | City, $75 |
| Poway | Poway Rd or Scripps Poway Pkwy to 15 south, 52 west | About 20 minutes | Non-city, $86 |
Saturday morning is the crush. Roughly 1,050 to 1,100 vehicles come through on a normal day, and the line at the scale can add 20 to 40 minutes on a Saturday. A weekday before 10am is the fastest run.
What a DIY dump run really costs
The fee is the small part. Here is an honest total for a garage cleanout that fills half of one of our trucks, which is two heaped pickup loads. Numbers are U-Haul's advertised pickup rate plus what a Miramar run actually costs in San Diego.
| Line item | DIY, half-truck load |
|---|---|
| U-Haul pickup, one day (advertised base rate) | $19.95 |
| Mileage, two round trips of about 20 miles at U-Haul's local per-mile rate (quoted at booking, typically under $1 per mile) | $30 to $40 |
| Fuel to return it full | $10 to $15 |
| Miramar Tier 1 flat rate, twice (city waste) | $150 |
| Tarp or straps so you are not charged the $50 uncovered fee | $0 to $20 |
| A friend, lunch, and your Saturday | Priced at zero here. It is not zero. |
| Total | $210 to $245, plus 4 to 5 hours |
If you already own a truck, cut the first three lines and it is $150 plus the hours. If the waste is from Poway or Santee, add $22 for the non-city rate.
Same load, hauled by us
Our half-truck rate is $269 flat. That includes two people loading from wherever it sits (garage, upstairs, backyard), the truck, the drive, the Miramar fee, sorting out the e-waste and appliances so nothing bounces at the gate, a sweep of the space, and usable items going to a donation center instead of the landfill. Quarter truck is $169, full truck is $479.
So for a half-truck garage, DIY saves you roughly $25 to $60 and costs you a Saturday and a friend. For a single item, do the dump run yourself if you own a truck: the $75 gate fee beats our $99 minimum. For a full garage, estate, or anything upstairs, the math flips hard, because a full truck of ours is four to five pickup trips.
Miramar vs the EDCO station on Dalbergia Street
South of downtown, the closer option is the EDCO Recycling & Transfer station at 3660 Dalbergia St in Barrio Logan. It is a transfer station, not a landfill: shorter line, smaller yard, and the trash gets trucked to a landfill later. For anyone in Clairemont, Mira Mesa, UTC or Kearny Mesa, Miramar is closer and the flat rate is published. For Point Loma, Coronado or National City, check Dalbergia first. Guides to every public dump in the county are on the way; the guides index has the ones published so far.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to dump at Miramar Landfill?
A car, SUV, pickup or small trailer pays a flat rate: $75 for general refuse from inside the City of San Diego, $86 if the waste came from outside the city. Green waste is $50 flat and clean wood is $25. Big trucks are weighed and pay per ton ($102 to $108 per ton for refuse). Rates are effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
What are Miramar Landfill's hours?
Monday through Saturday, 7am to 4pm. No hand unloading after 4pm; self-dumping trucks are accepted until 4:30pm. Closed Sundays and on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Does Miramar Landfill take cash?
No. Cash is no longer accepted. Pay by check to the City Treasurer, or by any major credit card, or a Visa or Mastercard debit card.
Is Miramar Landfill open on Sunday?
No. The landfill, the greenery and the recycling center are all closed on Sunday. The household hazardous waste facility is open Wednesday and Saturday only.
Can I bring a mattress to Miramar?
Yes, and it is free. The mattress collection site is at 5161 Convoy St next to the hazardous waste facility, Monday through Friday 7am to 3pm, no limit. Mattresses that are wet, badly damaged or bedbug-infested are refused.
What will Miramar Landfill not accept?
TVs, monitors, electronics, appliances, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, paint, oil and other household hazardous waste cannot go into the landfill. Drop those at the recycling center or the hazardous waste facility at the entrance first. Uncovered loads are charged $50 extra.
Do I need proof of residency at Miramar?
Only to get the City rate or the free green waste drop-off. A California driver's license, vehicle registration or utility bill with a City of San Diego address works. Waste from outside the city limits pays the non-city rate.
Is it cheaper to do a dump run or hire junk removal?
For a single item in a car you already own, the dump run wins. For a half-truck load that takes two pickup trips, the DIY total lands within a few dollars of a flat-rate haul, and you spend the Saturday. The math is in this guide.
Sources: City of San Diego, Miramar Landfill Refuse Disposal Fees effective July 1, 2026 (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/refuse-disposal-fees.pdf); Miramar Landfill & Greenery Processing Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026 (https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/2024-06/simplified-fee-schedule.pdf); Miramar Landfill & Greenery page (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar); Refuse Disposal Fees page (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar/fees); Miramar Greenery (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar/greenery); Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar/hhwtransfac); Recycling Mattresses and Box Springs (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/residential/mattresses); Miramar Recycling Center (https://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/centers/miramarrecycle); San Diego County landfill and transfer station map (https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/dpw/SOLID_WASTE_PLANNING_and_RECYCLING/UpdatedCDResources/LandfillTransferMap-Eng-Span.pdf); U-Haul pickup truck rental page (https://www.uhaul.com/Truck-Rentals/Pickup-Truck/). Drive times are Google Maps off-peak estimates. Haul Boys prices from our pricing page.