To dispose of a TV in Florida, you have four practical options: drop it at a county recycling center, hand it to a retailer that runs a take-back program, donate or sell it if it still works, or, in the counties that allow it, put it out with the household trash. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection strongly recommends recycling every television, and abandoning one on the roadside or in someone else’s dumpster is a crime that can be charged as anything from a $150 infraction to a felony.1Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Electronics Waste
Where To Drop Off a TV in Florida
Most Florida counties operate drop-off sites that accept televisions at no charge. Hillsborough County, for example, takes up to five intact household electronic items per household per month at its Community Collection Centers, and televisions are on the accepted list.2Hillsborough County. Discarding Paint and Electronics Fees, item limits, and the types of TVs accepted vary by county, so check your county’s solid waste management website before you load the car.
Many counties also hold periodic collection events for hazardous waste and electronics. Miami-Dade runs free Home Chemical Drop-Off Mobile Events open to all county residents that accept both household hazardous waste and electronics.3Miami-Dade County. Home Chemical Drop-Off Mobile Events Schedules appear on county websites and community calendars. Some cities go further; Fort Lauderdale offers curbside electronics pickup on regular recycling days.
Retailer Take-Back Programs
Several national electronics retailers accept old televisions. Best Buy runs a recycling program at participating stores and accepts up to three items per person per day regardless of where the product was originally purchased.4Best Buy. Electronics, Appliances and E-Waste Recycling at Best Buy Televisions may carry a recycling fee, so call the store or check online before making the trip. Other retailers run similar programs on their own terms.
Donating or Selling a Working TV
If the set still works, someone else can probably use it. Goodwill accepts televisions and other electronics at most locations.5Goodwill. Donate Goods The Salvation Army is more selective; many of its stores turn away CRT, console, and projection TVs because they have to pay disposal costs for items they can’t resell.6The Salvation Army. Explained: Why Our Stores Can’t Accept All Donations Call ahead.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist both let you list a TV for free and sell locally, which sidesteps the shipping problems you’d hit on eBay. If nobody wants to pay, listing it as “free, you pick up” usually moves it within a day or two.
Tax Deductions for Donated TVs
Donating a working TV to a qualified charity lets you deduct its fair market value on your federal return, but only if you itemize. The IRS defines fair market value as the price a willing buyer and seller would agree on, and for used electronics that number sits well below the original purchase price.7Internal Revenue Service. Publication 561 – Determining the Value of Donated Property Recent Facebook Marketplace or eBay listings for similar TVs give you a reasonable figure.
The item must be in good used condition or better to qualify. Get a receipt from the charity that lists its name and address, the date, and a description of the TV. Donations valued at $250 or more require a written acknowledgment from the charity before you file.8Internal Revenue Service. Publication 526 – Charitable Contributions If your total noncash donations for the year exceed $500, you’ll also need to complete Form 8283.9Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form 8283
Before You Hand It Off
Smart TVs store Wi-Fi passwords, streaming logins, and viewing history. Run a factory reset before the set leaves your house. It’s usually under Settings, then System or General, then Reset. If the TV asks for a PIN, the default is often 0000.
Disconnect all cables, remove the stand if it detaches, and wipe down the screen and casing so the drop-off site or charity can assess the unit quickly. Transport matters, especially for CRTs: they’re heavy, fragile, and the tube can implode if cracked. Wrap the set in blankets, lay it screen-up, and brace it so it can’t slide. Flat-screens are lighter, but the panels crack easily; the original box is ideal if you still have it. Get help lifting anything over 40 pounds.
What the Law Says About Trashing or Dumping a TV
Florida has no statewide law that specifically bans televisions from household trash.1Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Electronics Waste Some counties, including Pinellas, permit electronics without rechargeable batteries in the regular trash. The FDEP still recommends recycling in every case.
What Florida does have is a general litter law, and it applies the moment a TV lands somewhere it shouldn’t: the side of a road, a vacant lot, or a dumpster that isn’t yours. Penalties scale with weight and whether the dumping was commercial:
- 15 pounds or less, non-commercial: a noncriminal infraction with a $150 civil fine. The court can also order you to pick up litter.
- 15 to 500 pounds, non-commercial: a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $1,000, plus court-ordered community service. A motor vehicle violation adds three points to your license.10Online Sunshine. Florida Code 775.082 – Penalties and Sentencing
- Over 500 pounds, any commercial quantity, or hazardous waste: a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. The court can also order site cleanup, property repair, and restitution.11Florida Senate. Florida Code 775.083 – Fines12Florida Senate. Florida Code 403.413 – Florida Litter Law
The hazardous-waste trigger matters for old sets. CRT televisions contain enough lead to be classified as hazardous waste, so dumping a single CRT in an unauthorized location can technically be charged as a third-degree felony regardless of its weight.12Florida Senate. Florida Code 403.413 – Florida Litter Law Court-ordered environmental remediation often costs more than the fine.
Every Florida county has at least one facility that will take a television, and most take them for free. Between the drop-off centers, retailer programs, and resale options, there is no situation in which leaving a TV somewhere it doesn’t belong is the practical choice.