How to Get Rid of a Piano in LA (2026)

Short answer

An old piano is one of the hardest things to get rid of: most charities won't take it, you can't leave it at the curb, and it weighs far too much to move without the right crew and equipment. If it's a tuned, newer, name-brand instrument in playable shape, try donating or selling first. If it's not (and that's most old uprights), removal is the realistic route. An upright piano is a flat $250, carried out for you, with the wood, metal, and iron recycled where possible.

Why a piano is in a category of its own

A piano isn't furniture. It's a precision instrument built around a cast-iron plate, hundreds of taut steel strings, and a heavy wooden frame. None of it folds, flattens, or moves easily.

300–500 lb

typical upright

650–1,200 lb

baby grand to concert grand

3–4

crew usually needed

That weight, in one rigid package, is why moving a piano is a different job from moving a couch, and why "just put it out on trash day" isn't an option.

First, be honest about donation

Everyone hopes to donate. The hard truth: most old pianos are declined. Schools, churches, and nonprofits only want instruments that are genuinely usable.

What charities actually accept

Donation works for a piano that's tuned, in playable condition, from a recognized brand, and typically under about 30 years old. A piano with a cracked soundboard, warped wood, sticking keys, or decades of neglect will be turned down, and even accepted pianos often need you to arrange the move.

If yours might qualify, call a few places before you plan anything else. If it clearly won't, skip ahead and save yourself weeks of dead-end calls.

Selling rarely nets much

You can list an old piano for sale online, but set expectations: used uprights commonly sell for very little, and listings can sit for one to three months. If a quick, clean exit matters more than a small maybe-payment, it's usually not worth the wait.

Why you can't just toss it

No curb, no dumpster

Landfills generally won't take a whole piano, and leaving one at the curb is illegal dumping in California. A piano has to be moved out properly and broken down. The cast iron, steel strings, and wood are recycled once it's disassembled.

Digital pianos and keyboards are different: those are electronics, and go through e-waste recycling rather than piano removal.

Why DIY is the wrong call for most people

It's tempting to grab a few friends and a dolly. Please don't, unless you know what you're doing: a 400-plus-pound instrument on a staircase is how people get seriously hurt and how floors, walls, and door frames get damaged. Piano moving takes dollies, straps, ramps, and usually three to four people who've done it before.

What professional removal handles

Protecting your floors, walls, and doorways on the way out.
The heavy carry, including down stairs or through tight LA hallways and gates.
Breaking the piano down when needed so it can leave the room.
Recycling the iron, steel, and wood rather than landfilling the whole thing.
One flat price you approve before booking, with no on-site haggling.

With flat pricing you see the number up front and the crew does everything. Getting rid of the piano along with other furniture? Pair it with our old-furniture guide, or see the piano removal page and the full price list.

Flat price, carried out for you

Upright Piano$250
Baby Grand / Grand Piano$549

All-in · $75 job minimum · recycled where possible

Get my price

Frequently asked questions

Only if it's genuinely usable: tuned, playable, a recognized brand, and generally under about 30 years old. Most older uprights are declined by schools and charities, and even accepted ones usually require you to arrange the move.

No. Leaving it at the curb is illegal dumping in California, and landfills generally won't take a whole piano. It has to be moved out and broken down so the metal and wood can be recycled.

With flat pricing, an upright piano is a flat $250 and a grand piano is $549, all-in, with a $75 job minimum, carried out for you with stairs included.

Yes. Our crews bring dollies, straps, and enough people for the weight, and they break the piano down when a staircase or tight doorway requires it.

It's disassembled and the recyclable parts (the cast-iron plate, steel strings, and wood) are recycled rather than sent whole to landfill.

Ready to reclaim the room?

If donation isn't realistic and you'd rather not risk your back or your floors, get an exact, all-in price in seconds, with same-day pickup often available when you book early.