Bag Fee
Under a bill passed by the Colorado State Legislature in 2021, the State began placing a 10-cent fee on all single-use disposable bags supplied by retailers to customers (plastic and paper bags) on January 1, 2023. The bill bans single-use plastic bags and polystyrene to-go food containers starting January 1, 2024. There are exceptions, please see the information below.
Fee on Disposable Plastic and Paper Bags (Effective Jan. 1, 2023)
- Major* grocery stores and supermarkets
- Major convenience stores
- Major liquor stores
- Pharmacies and drug stores
- Major retailers
- Other major stores or retail food establishments providing single use plastic carryout bags
- Major Temporary Vendors
*those with more than three locations or with locations outside Colorado
- Smaller* stores
- Restaurants
- Farmers and roadside markets
- Bags for loose, bulk items including hardware, bolts, screws, nuts, fruits, vegetables, grains, candy, laundry, or garments, prescription medication, frozen food, meat, seafood, plants, flowers, and other items that could otherwise contaminate other items
- Bags for unwrapping food and bakery goods such as those used by restaurants for take-home or to-go food
- Bags for small pets like fish, crustaceans, mollusks and insects
*those with three or fewer locations operating solely in Colorado
