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Battery Recycling · Raleigh, NC

Car Battery Recycling in Raleigh

Before you go

This is the one item on the site that usually pays you rather than costing you.

  1. Know which of the two payments you're owed

    A core charge is a deposit added when you buy a battery, commonly fifteen to twenty-five dollars, refunded when you hand the old one back. If you're not buying anything, that isn't what you get. Walking in with a battery alone earns store credit instead: AutoZone and O'Reilly both run about ten dollars per battery, with daily limits and exclusions. A scrap yard pays cash by weight. One phone call tells you which is worth more today.

  2. Carry it upright

    Even a sealed battery will weep sulfuric acid from the vents if it's tipped. Upright, in a plastic tub, in the footwell, not loose in the trunk on carpet.

  3. Lift from underneath with both hands

    A car battery is thirty to fifty pounds of dense mass in a slick plastic case with no real handhold. Most of the injuries here are dropped-on-foot, not chemical.

  4. Call first if the case is cracked or bulging

    That's a spill in progress, not a drop-off. The site will want to handle it differently, and you don't want it leaking in your car on the way over.

  5. Don't leave it on a concrete floor for weeks first

    It won't hurt the concrete, but a battery sitting forgotten in a garage is one that eventually leaks. Take it in the same week you pull it.

Compare options

Car Battery Recycling in Raleigh

2 free · 1 pay you · 2 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
South Wake Multi-Material Recycling Facility(919) 856-7400 Free
for Wake County residents. Latex paint under 10 gallons can also be dried and put in regular trash.		 Mon-Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM Walk-in South Wake location in Apex. Same accepted items as North Wake.
North Wake Household Hazardous Waste Facility(919) 856-7400 Free
for Wake County residents		 HHW collection event Sat 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (currently displaced due to fire damage) Appointment North Wake HHW currently undergoing rebuild after 2024 battery fire.
Wall Recycling(919) 873-1828 They pay you
Pays for lead-acid batteries by weight		 Mon-Fri 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM (varies by location) Walk-in Regional scrap metal and recycling company.
Paid or fee-based options
Batteries+Bulbs Free for most
Small fee for some chemistries		 Hours not published Walk-in Retail battery recycling at multiple Raleigh locations.
AutoZone / O'Reilly Auto Parts Fee for this
Free drop-off (AutoZone gives $10 gift card per battery)		 Hours not published Walk-in Most Raleigh AutoZone locations accept car batteries for recycling with $10 gift card…

How it works in Raleigh

Local rules

  • NC G.S. 130A-309.10 bans lithium-ion batteries from landfill disposal effective December 1, 2026.
  • NC G.S. 130A-309.70 prohibits disposal of lead-acid batteries in landfills, incinerators, or waste-to-energy facilities; retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept used ones for recycling.

Wake County household hazardous waste

Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities

Free HHW disposal for Wake County residents.

(919) 856-7400 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

15 more Raleigh rules, not specific to this item
  • NC G.S. 130A-309.10 bans computers, monitors, printers, and televisions from NC landfills, effective July 1, 2011 (Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Management Law, SB 887 / S.L. 2010-67).
  • City of Raleigh stormwater rules: oil-based paint, paint cleaner, and paint waste may not be disposed in the sanitary sewer or stormwater system (latex wash water is allowed in sanitary sewer only).
  • NC G.S. 130A-309.10 also bans motor oil, motor-vehicle oil filters, antifreeze, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles from landfill disposal in NC.
  • NC G.S. 130A-309.10(f), as amended by SL 2023-137: expands the NC landfill disposal ban to include photovoltaic modules (solar panels) effective December 1, 2026.
  • Wake County Solid Waste Ordinance (Chapter 65): establishes operating rules for all county solid waste facilities, sets fees for non-resident use, and prohibits commercial waste dumping at residential facilities.
  • Wake County's three HHW sites run completely different schedules: South Wake (Apex) is the only Mon-Sat site, North Wake (Raleigh) is Saturday only, and East Wake (Wendell) is weekends only. Showing up on the wrong day is a common mistake.
  • The North Wake HHW main storage building was destroyed in a January 22, 2025 fire; same-day Saturday collection runs at an adjacent building under a temporary state permit while a replacement is planned.
  • PaintCare does not operate in North Carolina — the program is only in 12 states plus DC, so NC residents have no producer-funded paint takeback network and must use HHW facilities or dry-and-trash latex paint.
  • Raleigh garbage customers get free curbside e-waste pickup (max 4 items/week) at 919-996-3245 — a widely overlooked option that beats hauling TVs to the county facility.
  • Motor oil, antifreeze, and used oil filters are not accepted at HHW sites — they go to the Multi-Material Recycling Facilities instead, a frequent point of confusion.
  • Wake County allows small amounts of fully dried latex paint (mixed with kitty litter or sand until solid) in regular household trash; only larger amounts or oil-based paint require HHW (10-gallon paint limit per visit).
  • Raleigh's bulky/special pickup fees rose April 1, 2026: $35/load for bulky and $70/load for special. E-waste pickup remains free.
  • Wake County requires all solid waste disposed at its Transfer Station to be covered (tarped) during transport, and loads must have a cover or else face a $50 per load penalty.
  • Residents who want to dispose of large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, AC units) must have the refrigerant removed and tagged by a certified technician before schedule pickup or drop-off.
  • The City of Raleigh's green yard waste cart program accepts leaves, grass clippings, and brush up to 6 inches in diameter — but not dirt, rocks, or treated lumber.

Other Raleigh programs

  • Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facilities (MMRFs)Electronics with cords (TVs, computers, monitors, phones, game consoles, microwaves, printers), large appliances, scrap metal, motor oil/antifreeze, cooking oil, cardboard. North Wake MMRF at 9029 Deponie Drive (next door to the HHW facility); South Wake MMRF at 6130 Old Smithfield Road, Apex; East Wake MMRF at 5051 Wendell Blvd.
  • Wake County Household Hazardous Waste FacilitiesThree HHW facilities accepting oil-based paint, pesticides, automotive fluids, acids/bases, fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and medications. South Wake (6130 Old Smithfield Rd, Apex, Mon-Sat 8AM-4PM); North Wake (9037 Deponie Dr, Raleigh, Sat only 8AM-4PM); East Wake (5051 Wendell Blvd, Wendell, Sat-Sun 8AM-4PM).
  • City of Raleigh curbside e-waste collectionFree scheduled curbside e-waste pickup for City of Raleigh garbage customers; max 4 electronic items per week; accepts TVs (working or broken), monitors, computers, small corded appliances.919-996-3245
  • City of Raleigh Yard Waste & Bulky Item CollectionCurbside yard waste collection (bags, cans) on designated service days. Bulky item pickup (furniture, appliances) available for a fee: $35/load for bulky items (furniture, mattresses), $70/load for special items (appliances with refrigerant). E-waste pickup remains free.919-996-3245
  • Call2Recycle drop-off networkFree rechargeable and lithium-ion battery drop-off at participating Home Depot, Lowe's, and Staples locations across the Raleigh area.
  • Batteries Plus — Raleigh locationsFree recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Raleigh-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling.
  • NC Department of Justice shred-event calendarStatewide listing of free community paper-shredding events; Raleigh-area events typically cluster in April-May and September-October at banks, credit unions, and police stations.
  • Wake County Convenience Centers (weekend HHW collection sites)Two weekend-only collection sites for residents unable to visit the main HHW facilities during the week. Accept HHW items including paint, pesticides, and automotive fluids. Saturday-Sunday 8AM-4PM at select locations.
Where this came from: 14 sources

Common questions

About Car Battery Recycling here

How much does Car Battery recycling cost in this area?

3 of 5 facilities (60%) offer free recycling for Car Battery. Facilities that may charge: Wall Recycling, Batteries+Bulbs. Wall Recycling: Pays for lead-acid batteries by weight. Batteries+Bulbs: Free (rechargeable and most types). Small fee for some chemistries..

Do I need an appointment for Car Battery drop-off?

1 facility requires an appointment: North Wake Household Hazardous Waste Facility. South Wake Multi-Material Recycling Facility, Wall Recycling, Batteries+Bulbs accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Car Battery?

Most facilities require you to drop off Car Battery. Check individual listings for special arrangements.

Are there quantity limits for Car Battery drop-off?

Some facilities have limits: South Wake Multi-Material Recycling Facility: 10 gallon latex paint limit.

How much is a car battery core charge?

The core charge on a new car battery ranges from $5 to $22 depending on the state and retailer. You get a full refund when you return your old battery at the time of purchase.

What happens to recycled car batteries?

Lead-acid batteries are the most recycled product in America at 99%. The lead is smelted into new battery components, the polypropylene plastic is reprocessed, and the sulfuric acid is neutralized into water or converted to sodium sulfate for fertilizer.

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