Yes. Maryland’s plastic bag ban took effect July 1, 2022, under the Plastic Bag Reduction Act, and retailers across the state can no longer hand out thin plastic carryout bags at checkout. If you don’t bring your own bag, you’ll pay at least 10 cents for a paper or reusable one. Several counties and cities have their own rules on top of the state law, so the exact fee and a few of the details depend on where you shop.
What’s Banned and What Isn’t
The state law targets plastic carryout bags thinner than 4 mils, which covers the standard flimsy bags grocery and retail stores used to give out at the register. Thicker plastic bags designed for repeated reuse are not banned. The ban applies whether you’re shopping in person, picking up a curbside order, or receiving a delivery.
Plastic bags still show up legitimately in a few places. The law exempts:
- Bags for produce, bulk items, nuts, grains, candy, and other loose goods
- Bags wrapping meat, fish, frozen foods, unwrapped prepared food, or bakery items
- Pharmacy bags holding your prescription
- Dry cleaning bags and bags for flowers or potted plants
What You’ll Pay
The statewide minimum is 10 cents for each paper or reusable bag a retailer provides. Under the default state rule, the retailer keeps that money to offset the cost of the alternative bags. Local jurisdictions that passed their own laws before the state did sometimes set a different amount: Baltimore City and Baltimore County use a 5-cent minimum.
Shoppers using SNAP, WIC, or other food assistance may be exempt from the fee in some jurisdictions. Montgomery County’s law, for example, waives the charge for the entire transaction if any part of it is paid with food assistance benefits. Rules differ by county, so check locally if you want to be sure.
The one reliable way to pay nothing: bring a bag from home.
Restaurants and Takeout
The ban applies to restaurants and food service businesses, not only traditional retail. But the rules recognize the realities of takeout. Bags holding unwrapped prepared food or bakery goods are exempt from the ban, as are bags needed to meet food safety standards. Fast food restaurants and other takeout operations are not required to charge the paper bag fee for bags that come with a food order, including doggy bags for leftovers.
Where Local Rules Differ
The state law sets a floor. Where a county or city has a stricter ordinance, the local rule controls.
Baltimore City
Baltimore City’s ban started October 1, 2021, about nine months before the state law. The minimum charge is 5 cents for paper, compostable, or thicker reusable plastic bags provided at the point of sale, pickup, or delivery.
Baltimore County
Baltimore County’s Bring Your Own Bag Act sets a minimum 5-cent fee for paper or reusable bags. Fast food and takeout operations are specifically exempt from the paper bag fee.
Anne Arundel County
Anne Arundel County’s plastic bag ban began January 1, 2024, with the fee requirement following on February 1, 2024. Retailers charge at least 10 cents per bag and keep the money.
Montgomery County
Montgomery County’s updated Bring Your Own Bag Tax Law takes effect January 1, 2026, replacing the earlier carryout bag tax. It bans plastic carryout bags and raises the paper bag fee from 5 cents to 10 cents. Retailers keep 5 cents and remit 5 cents to the county’s Water Quality Protection Charge fund. Shoppers paying with SNAP or WIC are exempt from the fee.
Reporting a Store That Isn’t Complying
Enforcement is handled at the county level. If a store in your area is still giving out banned plastic bags or skipping the required fee, your county’s environmental or code enforcement office is where to report it. In Baltimore County, that’s the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections. In Prince George’s County, it’s the Department of the Environment. Retailers can face civil penalties of up to $500 per violation, and a plastic bag handed out alongside a paper bag given without the fee counts as two separate violations.