How to get rid of a hot tub in Massachusetts
Checked November 2026 · by JUNKRUN, Melrose MA
Short answer. None of the town pages we read lists a hot tub as accepted at curbside or at a drop-off. It is a job for a crew with saws, or a sale or giveaway if it still works. The steps you have to do first are electrical and water: have a licensed electrician disconnect it, then drain it. JunkRun cuts up and hauls a hot tub for $629, $159 minimum.
The Massachusetts rule
There is no hot-tub-specific state rule. What applies is the general waste regime. The shell is plastic, the cabinet is wood and foam, and the frame and pumps contain metal and wiring. 310 CMR 19.017(3) bans metal and wood from disposal at transfer facilities and landfills respectively (both effective July 1, 2006), so the frame and cabinet cannot simply be landfilled as trash. JunkRun's own hot tub page says the cut-up pieces go to a facility licensed to accept construction debris.
Two safety rules matter more than the waste law:
- Electric. The disconnect must be done by a licensed electrician; the state's Board of State Examiners of Electricians licenses electricians and prosecutes unlicensed work. The CPSC calls ground-fault circuit interrupters the best safety device to prevent electrocution around pools and hot tubs.
- Water. A tub's water contains sanitizer. JunkRun's checklist says to run the hose into a lawn away from storm drains; ask your DPW if unsure.
Free or cheap options
- Sell or give it away. A working tub may sell on marketplace sites as "you haul". The buyer has to move it, and the electrical disconnect is the seller's job. This is the only cheap option.
- Donate. Habitat for Humanity's ReStore lists fitness equipment, furnaces and swingsets under "donate elsewhere" and does not list hot tubs. Do not count on a charity.
- Bulky pickup is not an option. Medford's WM bulky program excludes sinks, toilets, bathtubs, lumber and fencing; Boston says construction material, plumbing fixtures and large exercise equipment are donate-or-hire-a-private-hauler items; Winchester's Transfer Station fee list has no hot tub entry.
- Dumpster rental. A roll-off needs a permit in many towns and you do the cutting; see the existing dumpster permit guide.
What towns say (checked November 2026)
- WinchesterHot tub statusTransfer Station fee list has no hot tub; building and demolition debris is $260 per ton, 42-inch maximum lengthSource
- MedfordHot tub statusWM bulky pickup excludes sinks, toilets, bathtubs, lumber and fencing; no hot tub entrySource
- BostonHot tub statusConstruction material, plumbing fixtures and large exercise equipment: donate or hire a private haulerSource
- SaugusHot tub statusCHaRM Center does not accept construction debris, lumber or furnitureSource
- ReadingHot tub statusConstruction debris not accepted curbsideSource
- StonehamHot tub statusWood and construction/demolition material: arrange with the town hauler, Casella, 1-800-950-9293Source
- PeabodyHot tub statusConstruction material not accepted at the Farm Ave recycling centerSource
No hot tub fee is posted by any of these towns; the usual answer is a private hauler.
DIY or hauled?
DIY is possible but hard: you cut a shell with a reciprocating saw into pieces small enough to carry, then you still need a place that accepts construction debris, and a dump run for a pickup truck. Winchester's list sets building and demolition debris, defined as construction, renovation or demolition material or wood of any kind, at $260 per ton with a 42-inch maximum length, for residents with a permit. Call before you plan to use it for a hot tub shell.
Hauled is the normal answer: a crew cuts the shell on site, which avoids tearing out fencing or deck rails, carries it out in sections and takes it to a facility that accepts construction debris. You do the electrician and the draining ahead of time. A deck-mounted tub adds weight to the deck, so keep the steps clear.
What JunkRun charges
- Hot tubJunkRun price$629NoteCut-up and haul
The hot tub is a flat $629 (cut up and hauled); the $159 minimum pickup applies to smaller jobs. Add other items, such as a few boxes at $11 each, and they ride in the same trip. Posted flat prices.
Related
- Winchester hot tub removal, Stoneham hot tub removal, Medford hot tub removal
- Dumpster permit by town
- Back to the hub
Quick answers
How much does it cost to remove a hot tub?
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JunkRun charges a flat $629 to cut up and haul a hot tub, per its posted price list. You arrange the electrician and the draining first.
Do I need an electrician before a hot tub is removed?
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Yes. JunkRun does no electrical work: a licensed electrician disconnects the circuit and caps the line before the crew arrives.
Can I put a hot tub out for bulky pickup?
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Not in the towns we read. Medford's WM bulky program excludes sinks, toilets, bathtubs, lumber and fencing, and Boston sends construction material and plumbing fixtures to private haulers.
Can I take a hot tub to the transfer station?
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Winchester's Transfer Station fee list has no hot tub entry. Call before you try; building and demolition debris is $260 per ton there for permitted residents.