Tollgate Yard Waste Hours & Harford County Leaf Drop-Off Guide (Fall 2026)

The Tollgate yard waste drop-off in Bel Air is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., through the end of November. Starting Dec. 1, it's open Saturdays only, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., through March.

It's at 703 N. Tollgate Road. It's free for Harford County residents. Bring your Maryland driver's license. No contractors, no dual-axle trailers and no trailers longer than 12 feet.

Need a weekday? The Harford Mulch & Compost Facility at 3139 Scarboro Road in Street is open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Updated: Oct. 26, 2026

Tollgate and Scarboro Road hours

Site	Address	Hours
Tollgate Residential Yard Trim Drop-Off	703 N. Tollgate Road, Bel Air	April to November: Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. December to March: Saturday only, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Harford Mulch & Compost Facility	3139 Scarboro Road, Street	Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., all year. Mulch and compost sales end at 2:45 p.m.

Here's the big date. Tuesday, Dec. 1 is when Tollgate drops to Saturdays only. The last Thursday and Friday before then fall on Thanksgiving week. So plan a weekday trip by Friday, Nov. 20, or check the county calendar first.

Live near Street? Scarboro Road is your easy stop. See my Street, MD neighborhood page.

Who can use Tollgate?

Tollgate is for Harford County homeowners and renters hauling their own yard waste.

• Bring proof you live here. The county asks for a valid Maryland driver's license.
• No contractors. Landscapers and tree crews go to Scarboro Road instead.
• No big trailers. No dual-axle trailers and nothing longer than 12 feet.
• It's free. Residents pay nothing to drop off yard waste.

What can I bring to Tollgate?

Bring the stuff that grows in your yard.

Yes:

• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Flower and vegetable garden plants
• Brush and tree limbs up to 6 feet long and 6 inches wide
• Christmas trees

No:

• Plastic bags (empty them out first)
• Stumps, root balls and logs wider than 6 inches
• Dirt and rocks
• Bamboo
• Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac
• Diseased or bug-infested plants and noxious weeds
• Lumber, fencing, landscape ties and building materials
• Trash

Your yard waste gets turned into mulch and compost. That's why the rules are strict. Anything that isn't a plant messes up the pile.

Can I put leaves in plastic bags?

You can haul them in plastic bags. You just can't leave the bags.

Empty the leaves onto the pile and take your bags home. The county doesn't accept yard waste in plastic bags because the plastic is hard and costly to pull out.

These are all fine:

• Loose leaves in your truck bed or trailer
• Paper yard bags
• Cardboard boxes
• Trash cans, totes or bins you dump and take home
• Bundled brush

Have curbside pickup? Your hauler or town may have its own bag rules. Ask them.

Can I get free mulch in Harford County?

Yes, when they have it. Harford residents can load up to three 30-gallon containers of mulch or compost for free at the Scarboro Road facility. Bring your own shovel or pitchfork.

Need more? It's $10 a cubic yard. Compost is limited to 5 cubic yards per sale.

Drop off leaves. Drive home with mulch. Not a bad trade.

Does Harford County pick up leaves?

No. The county doesn't run trash or yard waste pickup. Private haulers do that.

The county's trash page lists these licensed home haulers:

• Bartenfelder Sanitation Services, 410-457-5550
• Casella (formerly GFL), 410-457-0404
• Harford County Trash Services, 443-841-6253

Live outside Aberdeen, Bel Air and Havre de Grace? Call your hauler and ask what they do with leaves. Those three towns run their own pickup.

Does Bel Air pick up leaves?

Yes, if you live inside town limits. Bel Air trucks vacuum loose leaves from the curb from the first full week of October through Dec. 31, weather permitting. Each section gets one pass a week.

• Rake leaves to the back of the curb, not into the gutter.
• Keep sticks and brush out of the pile. The vacuum can't take them.
• Bagging instead? Use paper bags or a can. No plastic bags.

Check the town's leaf page for your section's day. Questions? Call the town at 410-638-4545. More on the town on my Bel Air neighborhood page.

Does Aberdeen pick up leaves?

Yes. Aberdeen picks up yard waste once a month from April to December. The last two dates this year are Saturday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 12.

Use a brown yard waste can. A black or green can works too if it's clearly marked "Yard Waste." Questions? Call Aberdeen Public Works at 410-272-1414.

Does Havre de Grace pick up leaves?

Yes. Havre de Grace picks up yard waste on Mondays, all year. No plastic bags.

How do I get to Tollgate?

Head up Tollgate Road from Bel Air. Pass under the Route 1 Bypass and go past the Harford County Equestrian Center.

The entrance is on the right. It's the same entrance as the Ma & Pa Trail parking. Drive up the hill past the chain link gate.

Is Tollgate ever closed?

Yes, sometimes. It closed Thursday, July 23 this year for the Harford County Farm Fair next door. Holidays can close it too.

Heading out Thanksgiving weekend? Check the county calendar first. If Tollgate is closed, Scarboro Road is your backup.

After the holidays: your Christmas tree

Tollgate takes Christmas trees. Pull off the lights, tinsel and stand first. Still shopping for one? Here are my picks for Christmas tree farms in Harford County. For parades, Santa and lights, see my 2026 Harford County holiday guide.

Can I just leave the leaves?

Often, yes. It's the cheapest choice, and your yard likes it.

• Mow them. A mulching mower chops leaves into small bits that feed the lawn.
• Use them as mulch. Spread leaves on garden beds.
• Leave some for the bugs. A few leaves in a corner give fireflies, bees and other good bugs a winter home.
• Compost them. Fall leaves are great in a compost bin.

Fall yard checklist for Harford homeowners

1. Pick your plan: hauler, drop-off, town pickup or keep them.
2. Want a Thursday or Friday Tollgate run? Go by Friday, Nov. 20. After Dec. 1, it's Saturdays only.
3. Skip plastic bags, or empty them at the site.
4. Keep leaves out of the street and storm drains.
5. Fertilize early. Maryland law bans homeowners from putting nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizer on lawns from mid-November until March 1.
6. Grab free mulch on your next trip to Scarboro Road.

That's it. Got a question about your home or your neighborhood? Shoot me a message. Happy to help.

FAQ

What are the Tollgate yard waste hours?

Tollgate is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., from April through November. From December through March, it's open Saturdays only, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's at 703 N. Tollgate Road in Bel Air.

Is Tollgate open in December?

Yes, on Saturdays only, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Need a weekday? The Harford Mulch & Compost Facility at 3139 Scarboro Road in Street is open Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Can I bring leaves in plastic bags?

You can bring them in plastic bags, but you have to empty the bags and take them home. Loose leaves, paper bags, cardboard boxes and bins you dump out are all fine.

Can contractors use Tollgate?

No. Tollgate is for residents only. Contractors must use the Harford Mulch & Compost Facility on Scarboro Road and bring a work order showing the yard waste came from Harford County.

What do I need to bring to drop off yard waste?

A valid Maryland driver's license. Dropping off yard waste is free for Harford County residents.

Can I get free mulch in Harford County?

Yes, when it's in stock. Residents can load up to three 30-gallon containers of mulch or compost free at the Scarboro Road facility. Bring your own shovel.

Who do I call with questions?

Call Harford County's solid waste office at 410-638-3018.

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About the author: Josh Tessier is a Harford County REALTOR® with the Lee Tessier Team at eXp Realty, based in Bel Air. He has 16+ years in real estate and has sold 600+ homes personally (5,900+ for the Lee Tessier Team). He lives in Harford County and is raising his family here.

Watch more on my YouTube channel: Josh Talks Harford. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

Hours and rules can change. Check the county's page before you go.

Sources

All checked Oct. 26, 2026.

1. Harford County, "Yard Trim Drop-Off Sites."
2. Harford County, "Tollgate Road Yard Trim Drop-Off Site" (staff directory).
3. Harford County, Solid Waste, Recycling & Mulch/Compost FAQs.
4. Harford County, "Tollgate Yard Trim Drop-Off Closed" (July 23, 2026 calendar notice).
5. Harford County, "HWDC Disposal Fees and Information."
6. Harford County, "Mulch and Compost Facility."
7. Harford County, "Residential Recycling and Trash Collection."
8. Local Trash Day, "Bel Air North Trash Pickup Schedule & Garbage Days 2026."
9. Harford County Living, "Harford County Extending Operations to Three Days a Week at Tollgate Residential Yard Trim Drop-off Site" (Aug. 10, 2016).
10. Bel Air Brief, "Harford County Farm Fair Returns For 39th Year" (July 16, 2026).
11. Town of Bel Air, "Loose Leaves Collection."
12. Town of Bel Air, "Bagged Leaves & Grass Collection."
13. Town of Bel Air, Board of Commissioners minutes, Dec. 15, 2025.
14. City of Aberdeen, "Trash and Single-Stream Recycling Guide 2026."
15. City of Aberdeen, DPW "Trash & Recycling Information."
16. City of Havre de Grace, "2026 Residential Curbside Collection Guide" (PDF).
17. Bartenfelder Sanitation, "Havre de Grace."
18. Harford County Public Works, "Only Rain Down the Drain."
19. University of Maryland Extension, "November Gardening Tips and Tasks."
20. Penn State Extension, "Leaves Are Treasure, Not Trash."
21. Harford County, "Fall" (native gardening tips).
22. Maryland Department of Agriculture, "Blackout Dates for Lawn Fertilizer Applications Begin November 16" (Nov. 4, 2025).