How to dispose of motor oil and filters
Start with your city: most cities take motor oil and filters through hazardous waste and drop-off sites. Choose your city below to jump to its rules, or read the options that apply anywhere.
Your city’s rules for motor oil and filters
| Hazardous? | Yes: treat it as household hazardous waste. Contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals; one oil change can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. (epa.gov) |
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Ways to get rid of motor oil and filters
Rules to know
State programs and laws
| State | Program or law | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Towns must provide used-oil collection | portal.ct.gov |
| Wisconsin | Motor oil banned from trash | dnr.wisconsin.gov |
| Arizona | Used oil may not be discharged into sewers or waters, dispersed as dust suppressant/herbicide, or disposed on land except in approved landfills (A.R.S. 49-803). | azleg.gov |
| California | Used Oil Recycling Program: take used oil to a certified collection center (may limit to 5 gallons/day), curbside oil collection where offered, or a service station that recycles. Motor oil and filters are banned from the trash. | calrecycle.ca.gov |
| Delaware | Used oil and oil filters accepted at several DSWA Drop-off Centers. | dnrec.delaware.gov |
| Florida | Used oil may not be disposed of in landfills (s. 403.708(12)(b), F.S.). | leg.state.fl.us |
| Illinois | Liquid used motor oil banned from landfills since July 1, 1996; take to service stations/recycling centers or HHW collections. | epa.illinois.gov |
| Minnesota | Motor oil, oil filters, brake/power-steering/transmission fluid and antifreeze may not be put in solid waste (except recycling or HHW facilities), on land, or in water/sewer systems. | revisor.mn.gov |
| Missouri | Waste oil (lubricating, transmission, hydraulic, fuel oil, etc.) is banned from landfills; well-drained oil filters may be landfilled. | dnr.mo.gov |
| Nebraska | Waste oil is banned from landfills. | dwee.nebraska.gov |
| North Carolina | Used oil, motor vehicle oil filters and antifreeze are banned from landfill disposal. | deq.nc.gov |
| South Carolina | Used oil must be segregated from other solid waste (fine up to $200); oil filters must be crushed or hot-drained before landfilling; DOT must ensure at least one used-oil collection center per county (SC Code 44-96-160). | scstatehouse.gov |
| South Dakota | Waste motor oil may not be landfilled. | danr.sd.gov |
Cautions
- Never trash used oil. “Used oil may never be disposed of in the trash.” (portal.ct.gov)
Related guides
All disposal guidesChecked October 30, 2026 against federal, state and program pages. Local rules come first: your city’s page shows its own pickup and drop-off rules.