District of Columbia Bag Ban, Fee & EPR Rules
Verified: July 29, 2026
Bag Ban Status
Statewide bag fee in effect; the District has not enacted a carryout-bag ban. DC Code §8-102.03 (Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act of 2009) requires establishments selling food or alcohol — grocery, convenience, and liquor stores, restaurants, drug stores, and any other retail selling food — to charge $0.05 per disposable paper or plastic carryout bag. Establishments with restaurant seating (including food courts and fast food) are exempt from the fee on paper bags only; the fee on disposable plastic bags still applies to them.
Plastic Bag Restrictions
Plastic carryout bags: not banned. A $0.05 fee applies to each disposable plastic carryout bag at establishments selling food or alcohol (DC Code §8-102.03) — the fee covers plastic and paper alike.
Paper Bag Requirements
$0.05 fee per disposable paper carryout bag at establishments selling food or alcohol (DC Code §8-102.03); the same fee applies to disposable plastic bags. Restaurant-seating establishments are exempt from the paper-bag fee only.
Recycled Content (PCR)
No statewide recycled-content mandate for carryout bags.
Fees & Taxation
$0.05 per disposable paper or plastic carryout bag at establishments selling food or alcohol (DC Code §8-102.03). Establishments with restaurant seating (including food courts and fast food) are exempt from the paper-bag fee only; the plastic-bag fee still applies. Retailer keeps $0.01 ($0.02 if offering a bag credit); the remainder funds the Anacostia River Clean Up Fund.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
No EPR for packaging.
Local Ordinances
None significant.
Key Dates
Bag fee effective 2010-01-01 (Anacostia River Clean Up and Protection Act of 2009).