Blog · Reviewed October 21, 2026
How to Read Your Dumpster Scale Ticket
A dumpster scale ticket shows the truck's full weight (gross), its empty weight (tare) and the difference (net). The net weight is your debris, and it is compared with the tons your dumpster includes.
- Our own trucks & drivers
- Scale ticket on every bill
- Boards under every drop
- Overage by the exact pound
What does a dumpster scale ticket show?
A dumpster scale ticket shows three weights. Gross is the truck with your full dumpster. Tare is the same truck empty, after it dumps. Net is gross minus tare, which is the weight of your debris. Your net weight is compared with the tons your dumpster includes to see if any overage applies.
The ticket is printed by the landfill's certified scale. With Stout Bros, a digital copy of that ticket is attached to every final invoice.
How do you read each line on the ticket?
Read the ticket top to bottom: the gross line, then the tare line, then the net line. Subtract tare from gross and you should get the net. Then compare the net with your included pounds: 4,000 lb on a 10-yard, 5,000 on a 15-yard, 6,000 on a 20-yard and 8,000 on a 30-yard.
| Line | Weight | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Gross | 31,200 lb | Truck plus full dumpster, weighed going in |
| Tare | 24,400 lb | Same truck and empty dumpster, weighed going out |
| Net | 6,800 lb | Your debris: 31,200 − 24,400 |
| Included | 6,000 lb | 3 tons on a 20-yard dumpster |
| Over | 800 lb | 0.4 tons × $75 = $30 |
Tare weight means the empty weight of the truck and container. It is weighed so only your debris gets billed.
What does the overage line on your invoice mean?
The overage line is the net weight above your included tons, charged at $75 per ton. We bill it by the exact pound, never rounded up. In the example, 800 lb over is 0.4 tons, so the overage is $30. If your net is under the included weight, there is no overage line.
Overage is the only charge that comes from the ticket. Extra days, item fees and trip fees are separate lines with their own fixed amounts.
When do you get your scale ticket?
Your scale ticket arrives with your final invoice, emailed 3 to 5 business days after pickup. The wait is for the landfill to process its disposal log. The digital ticket is attached to the invoice, so you can check every number yourself. No charges are added after that invoice.
Keep the ticket with your project records. It helps you size the dumpster for your next job.
How can you keep the net weight down?
Keep the net weight down by keeping heavy debris separate, covering the load from rain, and stopping others from adding to it. Concrete, dirt and brick belong in a 10-yard or 15-yard dumpster, loaded halfway. Wet drywall and carpet weigh more than dry, and that water shows up on the ticket.
The guide to how dumpster weight is billed has more worked examples. For every other charge, see the dumpster rental cost guide, and for packing tips read how to load a dumpster.
Questions about a ticket? Call us and we will walk you through it.
Scale ticket questions
What if the net weight on my ticket seems too high?
Call us with the invoice and ticket in hand and we will go through each line with you. Common reasons for a heavy load are wet debris, drywall, tile or shingles mixed in, or items someone else added. The ticket comes from the landfill's certified scale, not from us.
Why does the invoice take a few days after pickup?
The landfill has to log the load and issue the ticket before we can bill it. Your final invoice is emailed 3 to 5 business days after pickup, with a digital copy of the certified scale ticket attached. Nothing is added after that invoice.
Does the scale ticket show what was in my load?
The scale ticket records weights, not a list of what was inside. Extra-fee items like mattresses, tires or Freon appliances are billed as separate $50 lines on the invoice, apart from the weight. Each charge is listed on its own line so you can match it to the rental.
Is overage rounded up to the next ton?
Overage is never rounded up. We bill by the exact pound over your included weight at $75 per ton. That works out to 3.75 cents a pound, so 100 lb over costs $3.75. The net weight on your ticket sets the exact amount, and the overage appears on your final invoice.
Call now · deliveries 7 AM–5 PM
Ready for a dumpster?
Tell us the project and the address. We confirm the size, the 7 days and the included tons before the truck rolls. Book by 3 PM for next-day delivery.
(432) 271-7372