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Leaf collection in Northern Virginia

Wondering how to best dispose of your leaves after raking or leaf blowing your yard? Here’s how leaf collection works in different parts of Northern Virginia.

October 17, 2025 • 
Ava Wojnowski
A bag of leaves.

Lose the leaves — or let them lie? The case for both sides. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

As leaves begin to fall and collect in your neighborhood, you may wonder how you can best dispose of them. Here are some tips for different communities in NOVA.

Fairfax County

Broken up into sections and rounds, Fairfax County offers leaf collection for many residents. Search your street name here to see the current status for where you live. Be sure to read the directions on how to set out your leaves properly.

You can also see a breakdown of vacuum leaf collection using this map.

Arlington County

The leaf collection schedule in Arlington County is based on historical timing and trends.

You can see the 2025 leaf collection schedule here. There’s also an interactive progress map that you can use to follow along. Pro tip: Only report a missed route after it’s marked as completed.

Alexandria

From the end of October through January, Alexandria offers both leaf vacuuming and leaf bag collecting services.

Here is the webpage for the 2024 season — information for 2025 has not been posted yet.

Loudoun County

Leaf collection policies in Loudoun County vary from town to town. Here are local webpages for some cities in Loudoun County:

Have specific questions about leaf collection in our town? Let us know.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.

While the leaves are changing colors, they are also beginning to fall. | Photo by NOVAtoday

A case for leaving the leaves

If you’re not feeling like picking up your leaves, no worries, it might be better to leave them. The Virginia Department of Forestry posted an article that explained the importance of leaving leaves in your yard. Benefits include:

  • Leaves can help with compost
  • They allow for great soil quality
    • Reduces weeds
    • Keep moisture
    • Increase nutrition
  • Note: Shredded leaves don’t offer the same benefits and may destroy important critters like caterpillars. If you do move the leaves to a certain area, use a rake or leaf blower.

The Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, a local gardening group, encourages residents to leave some leaves on their lawns this fall. As they decompose, leaves return valuable nutrients to the soil, supporting healthy gardens and ecosystems. Check out the organization’s website here.