How to get rid of old tires in Charleston, SC

Old tires can't go out with your trash or bulk pickup in most of the Charleston area. Take them to your county's drop-off sites instead: Charleston County centers take up to 4 per visit, once a week, with rims removed; Berkeley County centers take up to 5 passenger tires a day; and Dorchester County takes up to 4 per visit at Campbell Thicket, Miles Road, Sandy Pines and St. George. Bigger loads in Berkeley County go to the landfill, which charges by the ton.

Why tires don't go to the curb

Tires are one of the few things almost every town in the Charleston area refuses at the curb, even towns that pick up couches and refrigerators every week. The fix is simple: each county takes a few tires at a time at its drop-off sites, as long as you live in that county. The sites are for residents, so use the ones run by the county you live in.

Charleston County: 4 per visit

Tires go in Zone 4 at Charleston County's staffed convenience centers.

Limit: up to 4 tires per visit, and one visit per week.
Rims: remove them first.
Not accepted: commercial and tractor-trailer tires.
ID: a government photo ID with a Charleston County address. A utility or tax bill with a matching address is accepted alongside it.

The centers are free for individual residents. Box trucks, moving vans and double-axle trailers need an appointment at 843-720-7111. The Signal Point Road center on James Island is not full service, so use a full-service center like Bees Ferry Road. See Charleston County centers and hours.

Berkeley County: 5 a day, or is it 5 a month?

All 10 Berkeley County convenience centers take passenger tires. The county's current Recycling page says up to 5 per day. An older county brochure says 5 per month. Neither tells you which one wins, so call Berkeley County Water & Sanitation at (843) 572-4400 before you bring a second load in the same month.

Bring a valid photo ID, like a driver's license, passport or military ID, and stick to a pickup-sized vehicle or a trailer of 12 feet or less. In Hanahan, the City's page lists tires among the items the Luken Road center at 275 Luken Rd. takes.

The Berkeley County Landfill at 2277 Highway 52 in Moncks Corner takes bigger loads, and residents pay at the gate for tires. The Scale House page lists passenger and truck tires at $400 per ton, or $150 per ton with proof that you bought them in South Carolina. The county's FAQ lists an older rate of $150 per ton. Neither page is dated, so call (843) 572-4400 before you go. Payment is cash, Visa or MasterCard, or an in-state check with a copy of the signer's driver's license.

Pro tip if you're taking a big load of tires to the Berkeley County Landfill, bring the receipt showing you bought them in South Carolina. The Scale House rate with proof of in-state purchase is much lower.

See Berkeley County centers and landfill.

Dorchester County: new sites since August 2026

Dorchester County takes car, motorcycle and truck tires with the rims removed, up to 4 per visit. The sites changed this year:

On August 1, 2026, the Givhans site stopped taking tires.
Tires now go to Campbell Thicket (258 Campbell Thicket Rd, Ridgeville), which started taking tires in August 2026, Miles Road (130 Suburban Lane, Summerville), Sandy Pines (374 Sandy Pines Lane, Dorchester) and St. George (5365 Jim Bilton Blvd, St. George).

The County's separate Tires page still lists Givhans and leaves out Campbell Thicket, so go by the newer list. The sites are for Dorchester County residents only and allow nothing larger than a 3/4-ton pickup or a single-axle trailer. Most are closed Wednesday and Sunday, and Miles Road is open only Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Call the Solid Waste office at (843) 832-0070 with questions. See Dorchester County sites.

Which towns won't take tires at the curb

Where you live	Tires at the curb?
City of Charleston	No. Tires are on the City's list of items not accepted in residential trash.
Mount Pleasant	No.
James Island (James Island PSD)	No. Auto parts, including tires and rims, aren't collected.
Isle of Palms	No.
Summerville	No. The Town points residents to Dorchester or Berkeley County sites.
Goose Creek	No.
Hanahan	No. Use the Luken Road center.
North Charleston	The City's pages don't mention tires. Call Public Works at (843) 745-1026.
Moncks Corner	The Town's list of items not collected doesn't mention tires. Call Town Hall at 843-719-7900.
Folly Beach	The City's page doesn't say. Call City Hall at (843) 588-2447.
Sullivan's Island	The Town's page doesn't say. Call Town Hall at 843-883-3198.
Kiawah Island	The Town doesn't describe a tire option. Use a Charleston County center.

Summerville is mostly in Dorchester County, with parts in Berkeley and Charleston counties, so Summerville residents should use the sites for the county they live in.

Hire someone to haul them

If the tires are part of a bigger garage or yard cleanout, or you have more than your county's limit, a junk removal crew can quote the whole load. Ask up front whether tires are included in the quote. See what junk removal costs. If you're renting a truck for a big load, read taking a moving truck to the dump first.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put old tires out with my trash in Charleston?

Not in most places. The City of Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island PSD, Isle of Palms, Summerville, Goose Creek and Hanahan all list tires among the items they won't collect. Take them to your county's drop-off site.

How many tires can I take to a Charleston County convenience center?

Up to 4 tires per visit, and one visit per week. Take the rims off first. Commercial and tractor-trailer tires aren't accepted.

Where can I take tires in Summerville?

The Town won't take tires at the curb. If you live in the Dorchester County part of town, the Miles Road site at 130 Suburban Lane takes up to 4 tires per visit with rims removed. Residents of the Berkeley or Charleston County parts of town use their own county's sites.

Does Berkeley County charge for tire disposal?

The convenience centers take up to 5 passenger tires a day from residents, and the county's pages don't list a fee there. At the landfill, residents pay for tires at the gate. The Scale House page lists $400 per ton, or $150 per ton with proof of in-state purchase, and an older county FAQ lists $150 per ton.

Do I need to take the rims off my tires?

Yes, in Charleston and Dorchester counties. Both require rims removed. Berkeley County's pages don't say, so call (843) 572-4400 before you bring tires on rims.

Bottom line

For a few old tires, your county's drop-off site is the way to go: pull the rims, bring ID, and stay under the limit. Dorchester County residents should note the August 2026 site change, and Berkeley County residents should call before bringing more than a handful, since the county's own limits disagree.

How do we know this?

We check every rule, address and hour on this page against the official source, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.