Animal manure composts contain a substantial amount of organic matter, subsequently containing a significant amount of humic substances. In this study, we investigated the yields of refuse compost-derived humic substances and their analytical and spectroscopic characteristics. The humic acid (HA) and fulvic acids (FAs) of humic substances were extracted from refuse compost and purified. The composition of humic substances were determined by elemental analysis and that of functional groups by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning (CPMAS 13C NMR). Elemental analysis indicates that C and N contents of HA surpass those of FAs. However, total functional group acidities of FAs were much greater than that of HA. Both FTIR and 13C NMR spectra indicate that carboxyl contents of FAs surpass that of HA. The characteristics of compost-derived humic substances affects their reactions with metals especially heavy metals, which in turn affects the mobility and biotoxicities of heavy metals in soil and the associated environments.