How to Get Rid of a Refrigerator, Freezer, or AC Unit in Orlando & Orange County, FL
✓ Last verified against official sources · see sources
Quick answer
- City of Orlando vs. Unincorporated Orange County have OPPOSITE curbside rules: inside City of Orlando limits, standard household refrigerators are picked up free on your yard waste day (as one of your two hand-loadable large items). In unincorporated Orange County, refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners contain Freon and are NOT collected curbside.
- Mandatory Florida Door-Removal Law (§ 823.07, F.S.): both City of Orlando rules and Florida law make it illegal to set out or discard any refrigerator, freezer, washer, or dryer (1.5+ cubic feet) without removing the doors first so children cannot get trapped inside.
- Orange County Landfill Drop-Off ($10.00 minimum): unincorporated Orange County residents can haul a refrigerator, freezer, or AC unit to the Orange County Landfill (
5901 Young Pine Rd, Mon–Sat, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.) for a $10.00 minimum charge. - Still works and clean? Donate a working refrigerator to The Mustard Seed of Central Florida (
12 Mustard Seed Ln, free drop-off Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m., or $25 ground-floor pickup) or West Orange Habitat for Humanity ReStore (13369 W. Colonial Dr, Winter Garden, free large-item pickup).
Step 1: Check Whether You Live in the City of Orlando or Unincorporated Orange County
Refrigerators, freezers, and window/portable air conditioners are the single biggest trap in Orlando trash rules: the City of Orlando takes refrigerators at the curb for free, while unincorporated Orange County strictly refuses them at the curb.
Because hundreds of thousands of homes with an "Orlando, FL" mailing address actually sit in unincorporated Orange County, check the city's Do I Live in City Limits? map before you wheel a heavy fridge to the street.
| Rule | City of Orlando (Inside City Limits) | Unincorporated Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Curbside refrigerator / freezer pickup? | YES — Free on yard waste day (counts toward your 2-item weekly limit) | NO — Prohibited curbside (Freon-containing devices are excluded) |
| Must doors be removed before set-out? | YES — Mandatory (City rule & FL Statute § 823.07) | N/A for curbside (Required by FL law whenever discarding a fridge) |
| Set-out window | Prior to 6:00 a.m. on yard waste day | Do not set at curb |
| County drop-off facility | Orange County Landfill (5901 Young Pine Rd) |
Orange County Landfill (5901 Young Pine Rd) |
| Landfill drop-off cost | $10.00 minimum charge (Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) | $10.00 minimum charge (Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) |
| Solid Waste phone | 407.246.2314 ([email protected]) |
407-836-6601 ([email protected]) |
Inside City of Orlando Limits: Free Curbside Pickup on Yard Waste Day
If your address is inside City of Orlando limits, the city's Get Large Items Picked Up program collects up to two large items for free on your weekly yard waste day—and explicitly includes standard household refrigerators, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers.
City of Orlando prep & set-out rules
- Remove all doors first (Required by law): The City of Orlando states: "Be sure to remove all doors from refrigerators and other appliances before placing them at the curb, so children don't get trapped inside." Under Florida Statute § 823.07, abandoning or discarding any refrigerator, freezer, deep-freeze locker, washer, or dryer with an interior capacity of 1.5 cubic feet or more without removing the door is unlawful. Unscrew the hinges with a socket wrench or screwdriver and set the detached doors neatly next to the unit.
- Empty all food, ice trays, and loose glass shelves so nothing shatters or spills in the right-of-way.
- Set out before 6:00 a.m. on your yard waste day: Look up your yard waste day at orlando.gov/schedule. Place the refrigerator at the edge of your property before the curb—clear of sidewalks, mailboxes, water meters, fire hydrants, trees, and low-hanging wires.
- Oversized commercial or built-in sub-zero refrigerators: The free two-item pickup is for standard household appliances that crews can load by hand. If a unit is too large or heavy to load by hand, it requires a claw truck (fee varies; call City of Orlando Solid Waste at 407.246.2314 to schedule).
Unincorporated Orange County: Why Curbside Trucks Won't Take Your Fridge
If you live in unincorporated Orange County (where you have county-issued green-lid garbage and blue-lid recycling roll carts), do not put a refrigerator, freezer, mini-fridge, or air conditioner at the curb.
Both Orange County's Residential Curbside Collection Program (Green Clean) and Household Hazardous Waste pages state:
"When replacing an air conditioner, freezer, or refrigerator, have the delivery company remove your old appliance. These contain freon and will not be picked up curbside. Orange County residents may bring freon-containing devices to the Orange County Landfill during operating hours for a minimum charge of $10.00."
(Note: Non-freon appliances—such as a standard stove, dishwasher, washer, or dryer—are collected curbside in unincorporated Orange County on your regular garbage day within the 3-cubic-yard weekly limit. Always remove washer/dryer doors per FL § 823.07.)
Option 1 (Best for Unincorporated County): Drop Off at the Orange County Landfill ($10 Minimum)
If you have a pickup truck, van, or small trailer, you can haul a refrigerator, chest freezer, mini-fridge, or window AC unit yourself to the Orange County Landfill on the east side of Orlando:
| Facility | Address | Public Hours | Freon Appliance Cost | Accepted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County Landfill | 5901 Young Pine Rd, Orlando, FL 32829 | Mon–Sat, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Closed Sun, Thanksgiving & Christmas) | $10.00 minimum charge (covers up to ~354 lbs at $56.40/ton Class I or ~468 lbs at $42.70/ton Class III) | YES |
| Porter Transfer Station | 1326 Good Homes Rd, Orlando, FL 32818 |
Mon–Sat, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | N/A | Call 407-836-6601 first (county Freon guidance specifies the Landfill only) |
| McLeod Road Transfer Station | 5000 L.B. McLeod Rd, Orlando, FL 32811 |
Mon–Sat, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. | N/A | Call 407-836-6601 first (county Freon guidance specifies the Landfill only) |
Rules at the Orange County Landfill gate
- Never cut or puncture the refrigerant coils: Under federal Clean Air Act rules (40 CFR Part 82), venting refrigerant into the air is illegal. Keep the compressor and copper tubing intact so technicians at the landfill can recover the refrigerant safely.
- Tarp or strap your load: Uncovered loads at Orange County facilities are charged a double fee.
- Weigh in and weigh out: You pay a deposit at the inbound scale house (cash, check, or major credit card), unload by hand in the small-vehicle drop-off bays (vehicle + trailer must be under 30 feet combined), and must weigh out on the outbound scale to get your change. Failing to weigh out forfeits your entire deposit.
Option 2: Retailer Haul-Away When Buying a New Refrigerator
Orange County Utilities' #1 recommendation when replacing a refrigerator, freezer, or AC unit is to add haul-away at checkout when your new appliance is delivered: - Major Orlando appliance retailers (Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, Costco, Sam's Club, and local appliance dealers) let you add old-appliance haul-away during delivery scheduling. - Benefit: The delivery crew unhooks the water line, wheels the old fridge out of your kitchen (even down stairs), and transports it straight to a certified refrigerant-recovery recycler—without you having to remove the doors or lift a 250-pound appliance. - (Note: Costco typically includes haul-away with appliance delivery, whereas Home Depot, Lowe's, and Best Buy charge an add-on haul-away fee—confirm the exact fee at checkout.)
Option 3: Donate a Clean, Working Refrigerator in Orlando
If your refrigerator or freezer is clean, rust-free, and still cools properly (for example, after a kitchen remodel or garage upgrade), two local nonprofits accept working refrigerators:
| Charity | Address & Drop-Off Hours | Pickup Service? | Rules & Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Mustard Seed of Central Florida | 12 Mustard Seed Ln, Orlando, FL 32810 Drop-off: Mon–Fri, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. |
Yes — $25 pickup fee (within a 25-mile radius & 30-minute drive of Maitland/Eatonville) | Must be in working condition, clean, and on the ground floor for pickup. Call (407) 875-2040 ([email protected]). |
| West Orange Habitat for Humanity ReStore | 13369 W. Colonial Dr, Winter Garden, FL 34787 (behind Taco Bell) Drop-off: Mon–Sat, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Store open 9 a.m.–6 p.m.) |
Yes — Free pickup for large items in West Orange service area | Must be clean and in working condition. Call (407) 905-0406 or email [email protected]. |
Heads up on Habitat Greater Orlando ReStores: The old Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County ReStore locations are permanently closed (official notice). Use West Orange Habitat ReStore in Winter Garden (
13369 W. Colonial Dr) instead.
Option 4: Hire a Local Hauler (In-Home Lifting or Same-Day Removal)
If your dead refrigerator is stuck inside your kitchen, upstairs, or in an unincorporated Orange County garage—and you don't have a truck or two strong people with an appliance dolly to haul it to Young Pine Road—a local Orlando junk-removal crew can wheel it out of your house and handle the landfill Freon drop-off for you.
What we couldn't verify
- Which tonnage class the Orange County Landfill scale house applies to a single refrigerator: the county's HHW page confirms a $10.00 minimum charge at the Orange County Landfill for Freon-containing devices, and a single household refrigerator (150–300 lbs) weighs well under the $10.00 minimum threshold under both Class I ($56.40/ton = ~354 lbs for $10) and Class III ($42.70/ton = ~468 lbs for $10). If you are hauling multiple appliances at once, ask the scale house (
407-836-6601) which per-ton rate applies above the $10 minimum. - Whether OUC or Duke Energy Florida currently runs a cash-rebate refrigerator recycling pickup in Orlando: while Duke Energy runs a $50 appliance recycling rebate in the Carolinas, we found no active OUC or Duke Energy Florida refrigerator pickup rebate on either utility's official Florida pages as of October 2026.
- Whether City of Orlando free curbside pickup includes chest freezers or window AC units: the city's page names "standard household refrigerators, dishwashers, or clothes washers and dryers" under free two-item pickup; call 407.246.2314 to confirm whether a standalone chest freezer or window air conditioner is accepted on yard waste day.
Frequently asked questions
Will Orange County pick up my old refrigerator or freezer at the curb?
No—if you live in unincorporated Orange County (green-lid and blue-lid roll carts), refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners contain Freon and are explicitly excluded from the county's curbside large-item program. Orange County Utilities recommends having the delivery company haul away your old fridge when you buy a new one, or bringing it to the Orange County Landfill (5901 Young Pine Rd) during operating hours (Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) for a $10.00 minimum charge.
Will the City of Orlando pick up a refrigerator at the curb for free?
Yes, if your home is inside Orlando city limits. The City of Orlando's 'Get Large Items Picked Up' page explicitly lists 'standard household refrigerators, dishwashers, or clothes washers and dryers' among the up to two large items collected free on your weekly yard waste day. You must remove all refrigerator and freezer doors before setting the unit out prior to 6 a.m.
Do I really have to take the doors off an old refrigerator before putting it at the curb?
Yes. Both City of Orlando solid-waste rules and Florida Statute § 823.07 require removing the doors from any discarded refrigerator, freezer, icebox, washer, or dryer with an interior capacity of 1.5 cubic feet or more. Leaving an airtight door attached at the curb is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida because children can climb inside and suffocate.
Can I take a refrigerator to Porter or McLeod Road Transfer Station?
Orange County Utilities' Household Hazardous Waste page directs residents with Freon-containing appliances specifically to the Orange County Landfill (5901 Young Pine Rd, Orlando, FL 32829) during operating hours (Mon–Sat, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.) for a minimum charge of $10.00. Neither Porter nor McLeod Road Transfer Station accepts Class III bulky items, so call 407-836-6601 before driving an appliance to a transfer station.
Where can I donate a working refrigerator in Orlando?
Two local charities accept clean, working refrigerators: The Mustard Seed of Central Florida (12 Mustard Seed Ln, Orlando, FL 32810; free drop-off Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m., or ground-floor pickup within 25 miles / 30 minutes for a $25 fuel fee—call 407-875-2040) and West Orange Habitat for Humanity ReStore (13369 W. Colonial Dr, Winter Garden, FL 34787; drop-off Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m. or free large-item pickup—call 407-905-0406). Note that the old Habitat Greater Orlando ReStore locations are permanently closed.
Sources
- Orange County Utilities: Household Hazardous Waste (Don't Release Freon Into The Atmosphere) (Unincorporated county prohibition on curbside pickup of refrigerators/freezers/AC units, recommendation to have delivery company remove old appliance, $10.00 minimum charge at the Orange County Landfill)
- Orange County Utilities: Residential Curbside Collection Program (Green Clean) (Freon-containing devices (freezers and refrigerators) excluded from unincorporated county large-item curbside pickup; Solid Waste Hotline 407-836-6601)
- City of Orlando: Get Large Items Picked Up (City of Orlando free pickup of standard household refrigerators on yard waste day (up to 2 hand-loadable items), mandatory door-removal rule, claw truck for oversized units (407.246.2314))
- City of Orlando: Do I Live in City Limits? (Address check to confirm City of Orlando vs. unincorporated Orange County jurisdiction)
- Orange County Utilities: Landfill and Transfer Stations (Hours & Oct 1, 2026 Rates) (Orange County Landfill address (5901 Young Pine Rd), Mon–Sat 8 a.m.–5 p.m. public hours, $10.00 minimum fee, Oct 1 2026 tonnage rates ($56.40/ton Class I, $42.70/ton Class III), 30-ft small-vehicle rule, double fee for uncovered loads)
- Florida Statutes § 823.07 (Iceboxes, refrigerators, deep-freeze lockers; abandonment, discard) (Florida statutory requirement to remove doors from any discarded or abandoned refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer, or airtight unit of 1.5 cubic feet or more)
- The Mustard Seed of Central Florida: Donate Furniture & Appliances (Acceptance of working refrigerators and appliances, drop-off hours (Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at 12 Mustard Seed Ln), $25 ground-floor pickup within 25 miles / 30 minutes (407-875-2040))
- West Orange Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Acceptance of clean working appliances, drop-off hours (Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at 13369 W. Colonial Dr, Winter Garden) and free large-item pickup (407-905-0406))
- Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County: ReStore Locations Closed (Confirmation that Greater Orlando & Osceola County ReStore locations closed (use West Orange Habitat ReStore instead))
All sources re-checked on Oct 25, 2026.