Old tires have a way of piling up in a corner of the garage or along the back fence. They are bulky, they do not compact, and Utah, like most states, does not allow whole tires to be buried in regular landfill cells. That is why you cannot just toss them in with the trash, and why a stack of them can sit for years.
Here is how to get rid of old tires in Layton and across Utah the legal, responsible way, whether you have a single tire or a whole pile.
Quick Answer: Whole tires are not accepted in ordinary landfill disposal in Utah. The easiest route is to leave your old tires with the tire shop when you buy new ones, since dealers collect them for recycling for a small per-tire fee. You can also take tires to a facility or program that accepts them for recycling, or have a junk removal crew haul a large pile. Never dump tires in a canyon, a field, a waterway, or someone else’s dumpster, and never burn them.
Got a pile too big for the tire shop? GoHaulStrong can haul a stack of old tires along with the rest of your junk and route them to recycling, at a flat price agreed up front. See what we take or get a free quote. For one or two loose tires, leaving them at the tire shop is usually cheapest.
Your Options at a Glance
| Option | Typical Cost | Effort for You | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave them at the tire shop | Small per-tire recycling fee | None | ✓Anyone buying new tires |
| Tire retailer take-back | Small per-tire fee | Low | ✓A few loose tires |
| Recycling drop-off / collection event | Small fee or free at events | Medium | ✓Recyclable car and truck tires |
| Junk removal crew | Priced with the load | None | ✓Large piles or a property cleanout |
Why Tires Cannot Go in the Landfill
Whole tires are a problem in a landfill. They trap air and “float” back up through buried waste, they take up huge amounts of space, they can trap methane, and stockpiles are a fire and mosquito hazard. Because of this, Utah manages waste tires through a dedicated recycling system rather than ordinary landfill burial. Recycled tires are turned into crumb rubber, tire-derived fuel, playground and athletic surfacing, and other products.
Practically, that means every old tire has to go through a tire-recycling channel, and there is almost always a small fee to cover that processing. It is a modest cost, and far cheaper than the fine for dumping tires illegally.
Option 1: Leave Them at the Tire Shop (Easiest)
By far the simplest way to get rid of old tires is to not take them home in the first place. When you buy new tires, the shop collects the old ones and sends them to a recycler. You will typically see a small per-tire disposal or recycling fee on the invoice, which covers exactly this.
If you already have old tires at home, many tire shops will still take them back for that same small per-tire fee even if you are not buying new ones. Call ahead, confirm the price, and ask how many they will accept at once.
Option 2: Tire Retailers and Recyclers
Tire retailers, some auto shops, and tire recyclers accept passenger and light-truck tires for recycling, usually for a small fee per tire. Rates are commonly a few dollars per standard car tire, with higher fees for large truck, tractor, or oversized tires, and for tires still on the rim.
When you call, ask:
- The per-tire fee, and whether it differs for tires on rims
- How many tires they will take at once
- Whether they accept oversized, tractor, or commercial tires
- Their hours and whether an appointment is needed
Option 3: Collection Events and Local Programs
Utah communities and counties periodically hold cleanup or amnesty events where residents can drop off a limited number of tires, sometimes free or at a reduced fee. These are a good way to clear a handful of tires at low cost. Watch your city and county announcements, and note any per-household tire limit.
Option 4: Junk Removal for a Big Pile
If you have inherited a property with a stack of tires, cleared out a shop, or simply accumulated a pile too large to fit in the car, a junk removal crew can load and haul them for you and route them to a tire recycler. This is the least effort when the quantity is large or the tires are heavy truck or tractor tires.
Junk removal is the right call when:
- You have more tires than a shop will take at once
- The tires are large, heavy, or full of water and debris
- Tires are mixed in with other junk during a garage or property cleanout
- You have no way to transport a large load
GoHaulStrong can haul a pile of old tires along with the rest of a garage or property cleanout. Mention the tires and the rough count when you request your free quote, since tire recycling carries a per-tire cost we will factor in. For just one or two tires, though, your local tire shop is usually the cheapest option.
What Tire Disposal Typically Costs
| Situation | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Old tires left at point of purchase | Small per-tire fee on the invoice | Easiest and cheapest |
| Loose car tires at a shop | A few dollars per tire | More for tires on rims |
| Truck, tractor, or oversized tires | Higher per-tire fee | Call for a quote |
| Collection event | Free to reduced fee | Limited dates and quantities |
| Junk removal for a pile | Load pricing plus per-tire recycling | Best for large quantities |
What Not to Do With Old Tires
- Do not dump them. Abandoning tires in a canyon, field, ditch, roadside, or waterway is illegal dumping and carries fines. Tire piles are also a fire and mosquito-breeding hazard.
- Do not burn them. Tire fires are extremely toxic, hard to extinguish, and illegal.
- Do not bury them. Buried tires resurface over time and are prohibited in landfills.
- Do not put them in your curbside trash or recycling. They are not accepted and will be left behind.
Where to Take Old Tires in the Layton and Davis County Area
Here is how the options map locally.
Tire shops and auto retailers. Layton, Clearfield, Riverdale, and the surrounding Davis and Weber County area have plenty of tire shops and auto-service centers. Most will take old tires for the standard per-tire recycling fee, whether or not you are buying new ones. Call first to confirm the price and how many they will accept at once.
Point of purchase. The easiest path is to leave the old tires when you buy new ones. The disposal fee is already on the invoice, and you never take them home.
Collection events. Davis County and its cities periodically hold cleanup or amnesty events that accept a limited number of tires per household, sometimes free or reduced. Watch city and county announcements for dates and per-household limits.
Wasatch Integrated facility. Because whole tires are not landfilled in Utah, the district routes tires to recycling rather than ordinary disposal. Confirm whether and how it accepts tires and any per-tire fee before you go.
Junk removal. For a large pile, a cleared shop, or heavy truck and tractor tires, a crew loads and hauls them to a recycler.
Real-World Scenarios
- Four old tires in the garage after a swap. Easiest to leave them at the shop during the swap; if they came off elsewhere, most shops still take them for the per-tire fee.
- Inherited a property with a tire pile. Piles are a fire and mosquito hazard and often exceed what a shop will take at once. A junk removal crew clears the whole pile and routes it to recycling.
- Farm or shop cleanout with tractor tires. Oversized tires cost more per tire and are heavy and water-filled. Include them in a property cleanout and note the count and size for an accurate quote.
- Tires on rims. Expect an added charge because the rim has to be separated. Removing the tire from the rim yourself lowers the fee.
- A couple of tires and a full car trip planned. A collection event or a single shop drop-off is cheapest for small quantities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw tires in the trash in Utah?
No. Tires are not accepted in curbside trash or in ordinary landfill disposal in Utah. They must go through a tire-recycling channel, such as a tire shop, recycler, or collection event.
How much does it cost to dispose of a tire in Utah?
A standard passenger tire usually costs a few dollars to recycle, whether left at the point of purchase or dropped at a shop. Tires on rims, and large truck, tractor, or oversized tires, cost more. Call the shop or recycler for exact pricing.
Where can I take old tires near Layton?
Tire shops and auto retailers in the Layton and Davis County area accept old tires for recycling for a small fee, and periodic collection events accept limited quantities. For a large pile, a junk removal crew can haul them.
Will a tire shop take tires I did not buy from them?
Many will, for the standard per-tire recycling fee, even if you are not buying new tires. Call ahead to confirm the price and how many they will accept.
Can I recycle tires that are still on the rims?
Yes, but there is usually an extra charge because the rim has to be separated. Removing the tire from the rim yourself, if you can, lowers the fee.
Will a junk removal company take old tires?
Yes. Junk removal crews haul tires and route them to a recycler. Because tire recycling has a per-tire cost, tell the crew how many tires are in the load so it can be included in the quote.
The Bottom Line
Old tires cannot go in the trash or the landfill in Utah, but recycling them is easy and inexpensive. The simplest move is to leave your old tires with the shop when you buy new ones. For tires already at home, a tire retailer, recycler, or collection event will take them for a small fee, and a junk removal crew can clear a large pile.
If those tires are part of a bigger garage or property cleanout, GoHaulStrong can haul them with everything else in one visit. Get a free quote and let us know roughly how many tires are in the mix.
Keep Reading
Junk removal near you: GoHaulStrong offers Utah-wide junk removal for the loads a tire shop or transfer station will not take.
Read next: How to Dispose of a TV and Old Electronics in Utah
Sources Used for Verification
- Utah Department of Environmental Quality waste tire program information
- Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District disposal guidance
- Utah tire retailers and recyclers
- Local government cleanup and collection-event announcements
Fees, acceptance limits, and event dates change, so confirm current details with the shop, recycler, or program serving your area before you go.
