Plastic Bag Restrictions by State
Whether the state has enacted a statewide ban on single-use plastic carryout bags, whether the state has preempted local bag regulation, and whether a paper or reusable bag fee is allowed.
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| State Ban | Local Preemption | Fee Allowed |
|---|---|---|
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Local only | Local fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| Yes (2014) | No | $0.10 paper |
| Yes (2024) | No | $0.10 fee |
| Yes (2021) | No | $0.10 fee |
| Yes (2021) | No | No fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| County-by-county | Local control | $0.15 fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Local allowed | Local fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Local allowed | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| Yes (2021) | No | $0.05 fee |
| No | Local allowed | Local fee |
| No (local) | Local allowed | Local fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Local allowed | No |
| No | Local allowed | No |
| No | Local allowed | No |
| Yes (2022) | No | No fee |
| No | Local allowed | Local fee |
| Yes (2020) | No | $0.05 paper |
| Repealed 2017 | Preempted (OBX) | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| Yes (2020) | No | $0.05 fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| Yes (2024) | No | Reusable fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted '18 | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| Yes (2020) | No | $0.10 fee |
| No (local) | Local allowed | $0.05 tax |
| Yes (2021) | No | $0.08 fee |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | Preempted | No |
| No | N/A | $0.05 fee |
California's SB 270 (2014) was the first statewide plastic bag ban. At least 19 states have laws preempting local bag bans. Federal regulation is limited; the Save Our Seas Act (33 USC §4201) and Save Our Seas 2.0 Act address marine debris but do not regulate retail bags. The pandemic temporarily suspended several state bans (2020) on sanitary grounds, but most have since been reinstated.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.