Local service guide
Yard cleanup in Madison, WI: Hiring and Disposal
Arrange yard cleanup in Madison by deciding whether your crew will prepare leaves for city collection or haul material away, then request a written quote for that scope. Check your address-specific fall set-out date before booking. Require hauling for brush a contractor creates through tree work: Madison assigns that responsibility to the contractor and prohibits contractors from using city drop-off sites for their projects. [1] [3] [4]
Choose the disposal plan before comparing quotes
Ask for a cleanup-and-staging quote if you want the crew to gather existing leaves and garden debris for scheduled city collection. Ask for a cleanup-and-hauling quote if you want the material removed when the crew finishes. Describe the material in photos: leaves, pulled plants, existing fallen branches and any proposed tree or shrub cutting.
Madison's yard waste crews collect leaves, weeds, pumpkins and other raked or pulled plant debris. The city classifies sticks, branches and tree limbs as brush. Crews will not collect mixed brush and yard waste piles, so specify separate staging areas in the job description. [1]
Keep tree work distinct from gathering existing debris. Madison requires a contractor hired to care for trees to haul away the brush that contractor creates. Do not accept a tree-work quote that leaves those new trimmings at the curb for city pickup. [3]
Schedule fall cleanup around your address
For fall 2026, each neighborhood has three assigned leaf and yard waste set-out dates. The city expects collection during the work week after the assigned date. Look up your address and give the cleanup crew the set-out date, rather than treating it as the day a truck will arrive. [1]
The September 24 update extends brush collection into fall 2026 as a trial. Small woody trimmings can accompany leaf collection in separate piles on the same neighborhood schedule. Leaf crews cannot handle tree limbs, large piles, firewood or thicker logs; a truck-mounted crane will collect larger material later. Arrange private hauling if you need a firm removal deadline. [2]
Plan a fallback for leaves that fall after your last scheduled opportunity. The city has not promised an extra December collection round because weather and snowplowing needs affect availability. Consider mulching or composting suitable material on your property, or ask for a separate hauling price. [1]
Prepare piles the city can collect
Have the crew place leaves and yard waste on the terrace or at the street edge, outside the street, with at least five feet of clearance from obstructions. If the crew bags leaves, request compostable paper lawn bags and leave them open for inspection. City crews may split plastic bags to empty them and leave the bags behind. [1]
For eligible brush, follow the city's size limits: pieces must measure between 18 inches and eight feet long and less than eight inches in diameter. Stack cut ends in the same direction. Keep brush off sidewalks and streets, at least five feet from obstructions, and outside bags or containers. [3]
Walk the yard with the crew before work starts. Mark plants you want preserved, identify the agreed pile locations and show the access route. At completion, check beds, paths and the staging area against the written scope before approving additional work.
Compare the complete job price
Request a total for the same work from each provider: the areas to clean, tasks to perform, pile preparation, loading, hauling and disposal. Ask whether the provider charges a fixed job price or bills by crew time. For time-based work, agree on a spending limit and require approval before the crew exceeds it.
Dane County's 2026 schedule lists yard waste flat fees of $10 for 0–500 pounds, $20 for 501–1,000 pounds, $30 for 1,001–1,500 pounds and $40 for 1,501–2,000 pounds. The county lists the same fees for clean brush, logs and branches. These facility charges do not establish a homeowner's cleanup price; ask the provider to explain labor, transport and any disposal markup. [5]
Ask the hauler to identify the destination and confirm acceptance of your material before loading. If you intend to haul it yourself, check city eligibility, load limits and current hours first. City sites require residents or taxpayers to show proof, unload their own vehicles and stay within the permitted daily load. [4]
Dane County yard waste disposal fees by load weight
Local details that affect your job
Contractor disposal access changes the hiring scope
Madison prohibits contractors from using resident drop-off sites for their projects. The city also stopped accepting contractor brush at its brush processing center on July 14, 2025. Ask your provider for a destination that accepts contractor loads instead of assuming your residency gives the crew access. [3] [4]
Self-hauling has a daily volume limit
City drop-off sites allow one trip per day, limited to a standard pickup truck bed or a five-by-eight-foot trailer load. Attendants cannot help unload. For a large cleanup, compare paid hauling with spreading your own trips over multiple days, and make sure you can lift the material. [4]
Fall brush service is a 2026 trial
Use the September 2026 fall extension when arranging this season's work. The city's general brush page still describes the usual spring-to-early-fall schedule, but the newer announcement adds fall opportunities matching leaf set-out dates. The city has not guaranteed that this trial will continue in future years. [2] [3]
Choose a cleanup and disposal arrangement
| Your situation | Arrangement to consider | Confirm before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves and garden debris with an upcoming set-out date | Hire for cleanup and city-compliant staging | Your address-specific date and a pile outside the street |
| Existing small brush plus leaves this fall | Prepare separate piles for the 2026 fall trial | Brush size limits and separate terrace space |
| Contractor will perform tree work | Include removal of the brush the contractor creates | Hauling price and an eligible processing destination |
| You can transport and unload a limited load | Consider resident self-hauling | Proof of eligibility, one trip per day and site hours |
| You need removal by a firm deadline | Request provider hauling | Written removal date and destination; large city brush loads can face delays |
Your hiring checklist
- Photograph the yard, debris piles and access route before requesting quotes.
- List the beds, lawn areas and paths you want cleaned, plus plants to preserve.
- Choose city staging, self-hauling or provider hauling before comparing totals.
- Check the official address lookup and share the assigned set-out date with the crew.
- Require a named disposal destination and hauling price for proposed tree work.
- Agree on a total price or spending limit, and require approval for additions.
- Inspect the finished work and agreed pile locations with the crew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a cleanup crew leave leaves for city pickup?
Specify leaf gathering and staging around your address's assigned set-out date. Follow the city's placement rules and keep brush separate. If the job includes contractor tree work, require the contractor to haul away the brush it creates. [1] [3]
Can leaves go in the trash or recycling cart?
No. Madison directs residents to keep leaves and yard waste out of both carts. Use scheduled collection, eligible drop-off, composting, mulching or a private lawn care service. [1]
Will the city take branches with my fall leaves?
For fall 2026, crews will collect small brush piles placed apart from leaves on the neighborhood's assigned schedule. Larger limbs and logs require later collection by another crew. Follow the brush size and placement rules. [2] [3]
Are county disposal fees the cost of hiring a cleanup crew?
No. The county publishes facility charges by material and weight. Ask your provider for a complete quote covering the work you requested, loading, transport and disposal, with any additional charges explained. [5]
Sources and scope
This guide combines the sources below with practical planning guidance. Figures apply to the stated geography and period; request a written quote for your property.