The short answer
Virginia Beach residents have two free options: request bulky-item pickup with the fridge's doors and shelves removed and its refrigerant status noted, or haul it to the city's Resource Recovery Center, which takes appliances free with proof of residency. If you'd rather not move a 250-pound box yourself, a flat pickup is $164 for a standard fridge, $183 for side-by-side or French-door, and $238 for a built-in. The crew carries it out from any floor.
Why fridges get special rules
Refrigerators contain refrigerant, and older ones may use CFC types that harm the ozone layer. Federal rules under 40 CFR 82.155 require that refrigerant be recovered properly before an appliance is scrapped. That's why cities and landfills treat fridges, freezers and air conditioners differently from a couch.
Doors are the other issue. An empty refrigerator with its door on is a real danger to children who climb inside. That's why Virginia Beach asks that doors come off before the fridge goes to the curb.
Weight matters too. A full-size fridge is heavy and top-heavy. Moving one down the porch steps of an older Norfolk house, or through a narrow Ghent hallway, is the most common way people get hurt doing their own junk removal.
Finally, there's the smell. A fridge that was unplugged with food inside, perhaps after a power outage in a storm, becomes unpleasant fast. Empty it and clean it before anyone handles it.
Route one: Virginia Beach bulky pickup
Request bulky-item pickup online, by phone or by email at least three days before your trash day. The city's rules for refrigerators and freezers are specific:
- Remove the doors and the shelves.
- Note the Freon (refrigerant) status when you request pickup.
- Set it out after 5 p.m. the night before and by 7 a.m., three feet from obstructions and not under power lines.
The city's page doesn't list a fee. The work is all on you: emptying it, defrosting it, taking off the doors, and getting it to the curb. For a ground-floor kitchen in a Kempsville ranch with a straight run to the garage, that's doable with a hand truck and a helper.
For a second-floor condo or an apartment in Town Center, it usually isn't. The city truck collects from the curb only.
Route two: drive it to the Resource Recovery Center
Virginia Beach residents can drop appliances free at the Landfill and Resource Recovery Center, 1989 Jake Sears Road. It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you'll need proof of residency.
You need a pickup truck or a trailer, ratchet straps and a hand truck. Transport the fridge upright if you can. If it has to lie down, lay it on its side, not its back, and keep it there as briefly as possible.
If you live in Norfolk, Chesapeake or Suffolk, you're not a Virginia Beach resident for the center's purposes. Check SPSA's transfer stations instead. Appliances there need certification stickers showing the refrigerant has been handled, except at the Regional Landfill in Suffolk, which charges per CFC appliance.
If you're outside Virginia Beach
Newport News collects white goods by appointment. The schedule is typically Wednesdays and limited to the first 28 callers, so call early in the week.
Chesapeake accepts many bulky items in its weekly 4 by 4 by 10 foot pile, but check the city's rules on appliances and refrigerant before you set a fridge out.
Norfolk takes bulk requests until 3 p.m. the day before. Ask about appliance handling when you request.
Currituck County, NC is different again. The Moyock and Knotts Island convenience centers take washers and stoves, but items containing Freon go to the County Transfer Station only.
For Portsmouth, Hampton and Poquoson, check your city's page. Don't assume one city's rule applies across the line.
Route three: flat-price pickup
| Item | Flat price |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator (Standard) | $164 |
| Refrigerator (Side-by-Side / French Door) | $183 |
| Refrigerator — Built-in / Sub-Zero | $238 |
| Mini Fridge | $115 |
| Freezer (Chest) | $146 |
| Freezer (Upright) | $149 |
| Wine Cooler (Large / Floor) | $156 |
A kitchen refresh in a Red Mill house, with a French-door fridge and a garage chest freezer: $183 + $146 = $329. A fridge and the old electric range beside it: $164 + $134 = $298.
No stairs fee, no same-day surcharge. Crews handle the doors and the carry-out. Book by 4 p.m. for same-day.
Before the fridge leaves
- Empty it completely, including the freezer and door bins.
- Unplug it a day ahead so the freezer can defrost. Lay towels down.
- Wipe it out. A clean fridge is easier for everyone.
- Disconnect the water line if it has an ice maker. Shut the valve first.
- Clear a path: move rugs, chairs and anything on the floor between the kitchen and the door.
- Tell your building if it's a condo, so the elevator is free. We email a certificate of insurance within one hour if the building needs one.
In hurricane season, plan ahead. After a long outage, a lot of fridges in Ocean View and Lynnhaven end up spoiled at the same time. Clean it out right away, even if pickup is a few days off.
Frequently asked questions
Will Virginia Beach pick up an old refrigerator?
Yes, through bulky pickup by request at least three days before your trash day. Remove the doors and shelves first. Note the Freon status when you request.
Can I drop a fridge at the Virginia Beach landfill?
Residents can drop appliances free at the Resource Recovery Center on Jake Sears Road. It's open Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring proof of residency.
How much does fridge removal cost in Virginia Beach?
A standard refrigerator is $164, side-by-side or French-door $183 and built-in $238. A mini fridge is $115. Carry-out from any floor is included.
Do I need to remove the doors?
For the city's bulky pickup, yes, doors and shelves must come off. For our pickup, the crew handles it. Either way, empty and defrost the fridge first.
Can you take a fridge out of a second-floor condo?
Yes. Crews carry it out from any floor with no stairs fee. If your building needs a certificate of insurance, we email it within one hour.