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How to Read a Dumpster Scale Ticket: Gross, Tare & Net
A dumpster scale ticket shows three weights: gross (the truck with your load), tare (the empty truck) and net (gross minus tare). Net is your debris weight. Subtract your included tons from net, and anything left is billed at $75 per ton, by the pound.
What is on the ticket?
A landfill scale ticket shows the date and time, the facility, the truck or ticket number, the gross weight, the tare weight and the net weight, in pounds or tons. Your final invoice includes a digital copy so you can match the charge to it.
A worked example
Your 20-yard includes 3 tons. The ticket shows 3.6 tons net. You are 0.6 tons, or 1,200 lb, over. At $75 per ton that is $45.00, with no rounding up.
Why weight can surprise people
Weight surprises people because some debris is dense. Tile, plaster, shingles, wet carpet and soaked drywall look small but weigh a lot. A tarp before rain and a separate small box for concrete keep most loads inside the included tons.
When does the scale ticket arrive?
The scale ticket arrives with your final invoice, emailed 3 to 5 business days after pickup, once the landfill processes its disposal logs. It is a digital copy of the certified ticket, so you can check the net weight against the charge yourself.
Every charge explained: dumpster rental cost guide.
How much weight does my size include?
Included weight depends on the size: 2 tons for a 10-yard, 2.5 for a 15-yard, 3 for a 20-yard, 4 for a 30-yard, and 5 to 6 tons for the 40-yard. Weight over that is $75 per ton, pro-rated by the pound.
Compare sizes in the dumpster size guide and see the 20-yard dumpster specs.
Next step: How dumpster weight is billed.