Chula Vista Dump (Otay Landfill) 2026: Hours, Free Passes & Guide

The Chula Vista dump is the Otay Landfill at 1700 Maxwell Road, run by Republic Services. The City lists its hours as Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If you live in Chula Vista and have trash service, you get two free landfill passes and two free yard waste passes a year, each good for up to 1 ton. Republic does not post gate prices online, so call (619) 421-3773 if you are paying. For furniture, appliances or a full garage, Chula Vista junk removal starts at $69 and the crew does the lifting.

Otay Landfill Hours (2026)

Per the City of Chula Vista, Otay Landfill is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The City does not list Sunday hours, so plan on it being closed.

A few online directories show slightly different hours, and some are years old. Republic does not publish a holiday schedule or last entry time for the landfill, so call (619) 421-3773 before a Saturday afternoon run or any holiday week.

Chula Vista Free Landfill Passes: How They Work

This is the best deal in South County, and plenty of Chula Vista residents never use it. Here is how the program works, straight from Republic's 2026 pass FAQ.

• Who qualifies: Chula Vista residential customers, plus commercial customers with cart service. Businesses on a dumpster do not qualify.
• How many: 2 landfill passes and 2 yard waste passes per calendar year.
• How much: each pass covers one visit of up to 1 ton (2,000 pounds). Anything over a ton is charged at the landfill's current rate.
• How long: passes expire 90 days after they are issued, and unused passes do not roll over to next year.
• Deposit: a refundable $60 deposit applies if you bring a truck with a trailer, a trailer bigger than 5 by 8, a commercial vehicle, a U-Haul or a 10 wheeler.

To get passes, call Republic at 619-482-4024 to have them mailed, or pick them up at the Republic office on Energy Way (Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to noon). If you are picking them up for someone else, bring the account holder's ID or a signed authorization letter.

How Much Does It Cost to Dump at Otay Landfill?

Republic does not publish Otay's public gate fees online, and we would rather say so than repeat a number from a review site. Call the landfill at (619) 421-3773 with what you are bringing. If you live in Chula Vista, a free pass covers the first ton of each visit, which handles most garage loads.

Some things are free to drop off without a pass: mattresses, metal, cardboard, paper, bottles and cans go into recycling at no charge, per Republic's FAQ.

If you do not live in Chula Vista, do not own a truck, or the load is heavy, compare it against a flat rate pickup. Ours runs $69 to $100 for a single item, $249 for a quarter load, $349 for a half load and $495 for a full truck, with loading and disposal included. The junk removal cost guide shows what fits in each size.

What Otay Landfill Takes and What It Refuses

Residents with a landfill pass unload at the convenience center near the main entrance, into roll off boxes sorted by material, so you stay out of the commercial traffic at the landfill face.

Accepted with a landfill pass

• Household trash and furniture
• Concrete, dirt, rocks and construction material
• Carpet and big toys
• Mulch

Yard waste pass

Clean green waste and untreated wood only.

Refused

Hazardous materials, tires and electronics are not accepted on pass visits. Hazardous waste goes to the South Bay Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 1800 Maxwell Road, next door, open Wednesday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., free and no appointment needed for Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City and unincorporated County residents with a California ID or utility bill. See the City hazardous waste page and call (619) 691-5122 to confirm before you go.

Hard Hats, Tarps and Other Rules

Republic's FAQ tells pass users to bring closed toe shoes and a hard hat, and the City notes that hard hats are sold at the booth. Every load has to be secured with a rope, tarp or other means, which California law requires on the road anyway.

Cash, checks and credit cards are all referenced in Republic's pass terms. The deposit refund on a card takes 2 to 7 days.

Getting to the Chula Vista Dump

The landfill is on the east side of Chula Vista off Main Street. From I-805, take the Main Street exit, head west about a mile, turn left on Maxwell Road and follow it up the hill to the scale house. Otay Sustainability Park, where Republic holds its free compost giveaways, shares the 1700 Maxwell Road address.

Coming from Eastlake, Otay Ranch or Rancho del Rey, it is usually a quick drive south on 805. From National City or Imperial Beach, check traffic on 805 at Main Street on weekday afternoons.

National City and Imperial Beach Residents

The free pass program is a Chula Vista benefit tied to Republic trash service. National City and Imperial Beach are EDCO cities, and we could not find a landfill pass program for either one. Their paid public drop off is EDCO Recovery and Transfer at 3660 Dalbergia Street in San Diego. Imperial Beach also runs a free bulky item pickup program, with details on the City of Imperial Beach trash and recycling page.

If you are in National City or Imperial Beach and the load is big enough to need a rented truck, a flat rate pickup is usually the simpler call. We cover both cities on the same routes as Chula Vista.

When Hiring a Hauler Beats the Otay Landfill

With a free pass and your own truck, the landfill is hard to beat for a light load. It stops being a bargain when you have to rent a truck, the pieces are heavy or the load is still inside the house.

• Couches and bedroom sets that need two people. See furniture disposal and couch removal.
• Refrigerators, washers and dryers. See appliance removal.
• Move outs and estate cleanouts with a whole house of stuff. See estate cleanouts.
• Anything that has to go today. We run same day junk removal across South County, including Spring Valley and Lemon Grove.

Comparing other sites? The San Diego dump fees guide covers Miramar's 2026 rates, and the Santee dump guide covers Sycamore Landfill on the east side.

Frequently Asked Questions