11 Places to Make a Quick $12 By Recycling Your Old Car Battery

Have you been busy lately, doing some extra cleaning around your home? This is the perfect time of year to whip your house back into shape and do a bit of downsizing.

As you declutter your home, there are several ways to get rid of some of your unused goods. While most of it can get donated, sold, or simply tossed in the trash, there are a few items that will be a little more difficult to get rid of.

For example, when you are finally cleaning and organizing your garage, you may remember that you never did anything with that old lawn mower battery from last summer.

It isn’t safe for the environment to send it with your garbage, to the landfill, so what can you do with it? You could sell it, maybe, but who buys used batteries? Do they get recycled?

Well, I have the answers to these questions, as well as some places to help you offload your old batteries just ahead!

Car battery recycling for cash

So can you really sell your old batteries for cash? Absolutely!

While you won’t be making a fortune off of them, there is potential to earn just a little bit of cash for having your battery recycled.

So, just how much can I get for a used battery? That depends on where you sell your batteries, and how many you are selling.

A lot of places, like auto parts stores, will offer you a flat rate, perhaps as much as $5-$12. Other places, like scrap yards, may actually pay you by the pound. So pending on what the current going rate is for lead, you may be making as much as about $7 per battery.

Where to sell old car battery

People who search for used batteries are oftentimes people who are just in need of a spare battery, or are looking for a particular kind of battery. Sometimes they simply don’t want to spend a fortune on a brand new battery, because let’s be honest, new car batteries are not exactly cheap.

So when you are ready to sell your old batteries, there are actually a number of different places to give it a go. Take a look at these options.

#1. Craigslist

Ah, good old Craigslist! Yep, you can likely sell your batteries there, too. Though unless someone is looking for a cheap or spare battery, at the exact time so you are ready to list yours, it may not necessarily sell quickly.

You can sell any kind of battery on Craigslist. Perhaps a marine battery you have had lying around for a spare, and no longer need. Or maybe you had an old beater car that is no longer save to drive, but were able to salvage good parts, like the tires, or a newer battery. No matter what kind of battery it is there’s a fair chance that someone out there may be looking for just what you are offering!

#2. iScrap app

Just when you thought your trusty phone couldn’t get any more wonderful, now it can even help you get paid to get rid of your old batteries.

There are smartphone apps for just about anything that you can think of these days. In fact, someone was in the same predicament you are in right now, and came up with the brilliant idea to have an app to show you where you can drop off your dead batteries.

The iScrap app is a great way to help you locate local scrap yards. You will find that the app is exceptionally easy to navigate, and sometimes you may even be able to find out how much you can get for your battery, before you even take it! But that’s not all. My favorite part is the fact that the some places in the app will let you schedule a pickup. No need to worry about transporting a dirty, old battery in your nice, clean car.

#3. eBay

As you likely already know, you can sell just about anything on eBay, new or used. That includes auto parts and accessories. Yes, even batteries!

Do a quick search on eBay for used batteries. You will be quite surprised at how many people actually sell their batteries on the site.

So instead of giving your battery away to someone else to dispose of, you can try selling it for cheap on eBay. There are tons of people who are looking for specific batteries for their atvs, boats and motorcycles.

One thing to note about selling your batteries on eBay is that you will likely want to list your auction (or buy it now) as pick up only! If you end up having to ship it somewhere, you will most likely eat up any profits in shipping charges.

#4. Newspaper classified ad

Believe it or not, there are still plenty of folks who subscribe to the local newspaper, and check the classifieds on a daily basis.

While this may not be the most profitable, as you will likely have to pay for your ad, if you have an abundance of batteries lying around it may be worth listing them all together in a single posting.

You could even post them in your neighborhood newsletter, if you happen to live in a subdivision that sends out a monthly “What’s happening?” sort of flyer.

#5. Garage sale

Do you plan on having a garage sale in the near future? Well, haven’t you heard that your trash may be someone else’s treasure? Even your old battery.

The best part about this method of selling your battery is that you won’t have to bother with going out of your way for an Alexander Hamilton (ten dollar bill).

If you are not quite sure how much to ask for your battery, just slap any price on it. Then if you see anyone taking a gander at it, simply strike up a conversation with them. You can always tell the person that the price is not firm, and to feel free to make an offer. Even $5-$10 in your pocket is better than no money at all, and the battery just collecting dust

#6. Facebook marketplace

If you asked all of your coworkers to take a poll on whether or not they have a Facebook account, you could probably count the number of folks who responded “no” on one hand.

Whether you are a fan of Facebook or not, the social media platform is a wonderful way to connect with others.

If you want to post your spare battery for sale on Facebook you have a few options.

First, you could post it on the general marketplace. Doing this will allow everyone within a reasonable distance the ability to see your post, and contact you, should they wish to purchase it.

Second, you could join various local garage sale groups. Most cities have multiple garage sale groups where you can buy and sell a variety of new and used items. Join the ones you feel comfortable with, and list your battery for sale. Some of these sites even have particular ISO posts pinned at the top of the page. The posts are where people ask for specific items they are in search of.

Lastly, just make a post on your personal page. Let your friends know that it is available, if anyone is interested. Make sure to change your privacy setting on your post to general, so that it can be shared, and others will be able to see it as well.

Recycle used car batteries for money

If you don’t want to worry about shipping a battery, or having some random person to come to your home to purchase your battery, there are some other ways to recycle your battery.

The following are businesses who are capable of recycling your old batteries, and will often pay you in cash for them.

#7. Scrap and metal yards

Scrap yards are an excellent place to recycle your old batteries. First of all, there is a good chance that there are multiple scrap and metal yards within a decent distance from where you reside, or travel. Ask local friends if they have a favorite yard to drop off their scrap and/or metals. You could also just do a quick search online for “scrap yards near me,” or “metal yards near me.”

It wouldn’t hurt to call more than one of them, to see who will pay the most for your battery.

And if it happens to be a little more of a drive than what it’s really worth, now might be a good time to gather all of the scrap laying around your garage. You could even hold off until you are ready to replace your appliances, and then drop the batteries off with your appliances. These kinds of yards generally seem to give you a better price if you are dropping off in bulk.

#8. Auto repair businesses

Another idea for recycling your used batteries is to call around to local auto repair shops.

Obviously, the guys (and gals) that work at these shops are quite knowledgeable when it comes to everything mechanical in card. This includes batteries.

It is likely that the technicians may actually be able to recycle them for you in a couple of different ways.

First of all, they may have the knowledge to recondition the batteries themselves. If they can do so, oftentimes this allows them to put them in the cars of people who may not be able to afford a brand new battery.

On the other hand, they may simply just collect them, and decide to recycle them in bulk, once they have a large quantity. The more they turn in at once, the more money they will get for the lot.

#9. United Battery

If you happen to live near Portland, Oregon, or Longview, Washington, you may want to stop on over at United Battery.

They just so happen to pay cash, to recycle your used batteries. They accept batteries of all sorts, from automotive batteries (cars, trucks, semis, golf carts, marine and more!), to industrial batteries (forklifts, and telecom batteries).

Have a lead acid battery? They pay premium prices, for those in particular!

#10. Auto parts stores

Do you have a local auto part store that you frequent, like Auto Zone, O’Reilly Auto Parts or Advanced Auto Parts? If so, take your old battery in with you, next time you go. Or even give them a call, beforehand, to see if they pay for batteries.

Most local auto parts stores will gladly take your old batteries off your hand, and properly recycle them. While they may not necessarily pay in cash, many of the chains will at least offer you a store credit for turning in a used battery.

Are you replacing an old battery with a new one? Make sure to bring the old, dead battery in with you. This exchange will save you from having to pay a core charge on the new one! But if you forget to take it with you, when you purchase the new one, don’t worry. You can take it back at a later date! Just be sure to check with the store to see what their policy is on a time frame.

#11. Pull-A-Part

If your extra battery is currently sitting in a rusty old clunker in your driveway, consider checking out the Pull-A-Part website. Not only can they help you dispose of your battery, but they can also help you clear that spot in your driveway.

Pull-A-Part currently has 25 locations in 12 different states throughout the US.

When calling or stopping by your nearest Pull-A-Part location, they will be able to give you a quote for your car (battery and all other parts!). If you are satisfied with the quote, just say the word and they will tow it away for free! You will be paid instantly, in cash. It doesn’t get much easier than this!

Read More: Stop Spinning Your Wheels: 3 Easy Ways to Recycle Old Tires for Cash

Final thoughts on recycling your old batteries

It is silly to turn down the easy cash you can get from recycling your old batteries. But if you aren’t all that worried about a few extra bucks, at least take our Earth into consideration, when disposing of your batteries.

Never, ever just throw them out. Give them to someone who is willing to turn them in for cash, or call your local landfill or recycling center to see where you can drop it off, safely. Chances are that they will accept it for free, and have the means to properly dispose of, or recycle the battery.