California’s plastic bag ban took full effect on January 1, 2026. Covered stores can no longer give out or sell plastic carryout bags at checkout, regardless of thickness or “reusable” labeling. The only carryout bag a covered store may offer is a recycled paper bag, and it must charge at least 10 cents for it. Senate Bill 1053, signed in 2024, closed the earlier loophole that had let stores sell thicker plastic bags as an alternative.
Which Stores Have to Follow the Rules
The ban applies to the same large food-selling retailers that were covered under the original 2014 law:
- Full-line, self-service grocery stores with at least $2 million in annual gross sales.
- Retail stores with a pharmacy and at least 10,000 square feet of space.
- Convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores.
Smaller retailers, restaurants, and other businesses outside those categories aren’t covered by the state statute. Some cities and counties extend bag rules to additional businesses, so a local shop may still have its own restrictions.
SB 1053 also broadened where the ban applies at each covered store. It now reaches beyond the traditional checkout counter to self-checkout kiosks, in-store pickup, curbside delivery, and home delivery.
What You’ll Get at Checkout Now
Paper. That’s it. A covered store that offers a carryout bag at the point of sale can only offer a recycled paper bag, and it must charge at least 10 cents per bag. The charge isn’t a tax. The store keeps it to offset the cost of providing compliant bags and educating customers.
Each paper bag has to meet specific standards. It must be accepted for curbside recycling in a majority of California households with curbside programs, and it must be printed with the manufacturer’s name, the country of manufacture, and the percentage of postconsumer recycled content. Starting January 1, 2028, recycled paper bags will need to contain at least 50 percent postconsumer recycled material.
Who Doesn’t Pay the 10 Cents
Customers paying with a WIC card, WIC voucher, or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card get paper bags free. The store has to provide the bag at no cost to those customers even though everyone else pays the minimum charge.
Bags That Are Still Allowed
Not every bag in a store counts as a “carryout bag.” Several categories are excluded from both the ban and the 10-cent charge because they protect or contain items rather than carrying a whole purchase out of the store.
- Pre-checkout bags: the thin bags you pull from a roll in the produce aisle to hold loose produce, meat, fish, nuts, grains, candy, or bakery items.
- Protective bags: bags without handles used inside a paper or compostable bag to keep one purchased item from damaging or contaminating another.
- Pharmacy bags provided specifically to hold prescription medications.
- Garment bags without handles designed to cover clothing on a hanger, like those used by dry cleaners.
When Local Rules Are Stricter
The state law is a floor. Cities and counties with bag ordinances predating September 1, 2014, can keep enforcing them. Local governments can also set a higher bag charge than 10 cents and extend bag restrictions to businesses the state doesn’t cover, such as smaller retailers or restaurants. What they can’t do is weaken the state ban or allow plastic carryout bags where state law prohibits them. Fees and covered businesses can vary from one city to the next, so it’s worth checking local rules if you shop across jurisdictions.
Bringing Your Own Bag
You can still bring your own. Canvas totes, cotton bags, insulated grocery bags, and any other reusable bag you already own are fine, and using one lets you skip the 10-cent charge. CalRecycle recommends washable bags sturdy enough for heavier items like canned goods and bottles.