California Paper Bag Law: What Changed in 2026 and What Comes in 2028

Walk into any grocery store in California this year and you will see the change at the register. The thick plastic bags that were sold as reusable are gone. Paper is what is left, and not just any paper.

The law behind that change is SB 1053, signed in September 2024 and in effect since January 1, 2026. Safra Distribution delivers paper bags to stores and food businesses across the Bay Area from our warehouse in Fremont, and this is the question we get asked most right now: which bags are actually legal, and what happens next. Here is the plain answer, with sources.

What SB 1053 actually did

For a decade California ran on SB 270, the 2014 bag ban that outlawed thin single use plastic but allowed thicker plastic film bags to be sold as reusable. Almost nobody reused them. SB 1053, Chapter 453 of the Statutes of 2024, closed that loophole. Since January 1, 2026, covered stores may only provide recycled paper carryout bags at the point of sale. The plastic film category is finished. The bill history is at calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202320240sb1053.

Covered stores means grocery stores, retail stores with pharmacies, convenience stores, food marts, and liquor stores. Bags used before checkout, like produce bags or bags protecting an item from damage or contamination, stay exempt.

Every compliant bag must also be labeled with the manufacturer name, the country where it was made, and its postconsumer recycled content percentage. If a supplier cannot tell you those three things about a bag, that is a red flag.

The 10 cent charge is not optional

Stores must charge at least 10 cents per paper carryout bag, and the charge follows the bag wherever it is handed over. Regular checkout, self checkout, curbside pickup, and home delivery all count. The store keeps the money. CalRecycle publishes the current requirements at calrecycle.ca.gov/plastics/bagrequirements.

One operational note from our side of the loading dock: the charge shows up on receipts, so customers notice bags now. Stores that switched to sturdier handled paper bags tell us fewer bags go out per order, which partly offsets the higher cost per unit.

January 1, 2028: the 50 percent recycled content deadline

Today a compliant recycled paper bag must meet a 40 percent postconsumer recycled content minimum. On January 1, 2028 that minimum rises to 50 percent, with no exceptions.

That sounds far away. It is not. Bag programs run on annual purchasing cycles, and custom printed bags carry plate fees and lead times measured in months. A store printing custom bags in 2027 should already be printing on 50 percent PCR stock. Our advice is simple: do not commit a large custom run to 40 percent PCR paper in late 2027.

San Francisco plays by its own rules

San Francisco kept its own checkout bag ordinance, which predates the state law and is stricter. The minimum charge in SF is 25 cents, not 10, and it applies to takeout and delivery bags as well. SF also still allows certified compostable checkout bags, but only with BPI or TUV Austria certification, green coloring throughout, and a mouth at least 15 inches wide. Details are at sfenvironment.org/checkout-bag-ordinance.

If you operate on both sides of the county line, you are effectively running two different bag programs. We stock for both.

Does this apply to restaurants?

Here is the nuance that surprises people. SB 1053 covers stores, not restaurants. A restaurant handing a paper bag across the counter with a takeout order is not subject to the state 10 cent charge.

But local rules can and do reach restaurants. San Francisco charges its 25 cents on takeout and delivery bags. Other Bay Area cities and counties have their own food ware ordinances. Many restaurant operators are moving to labeled recycled paper bags anyway, partly because it is one less thing to replace when a local ordinance changes, and partly because customers read the bag.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still give out plastic bags at checkout?

Not at a covered store in California. Since January 1, 2026 only recycled paper carryout bags may be provided, with a minimum 10 cent charge per bag.

Do I have to charge for paper bags on delivery orders?

Yes, for covered stores. The charge applies at checkout, self checkout, in store pickup, curbside, and home delivery.

What has to be printed on the bag?

Manufacturer name, country of manufacture, and postconsumer recycled content percentage. Custom artwork shares the bag with those marks without any problem.

When does the 50 percent recycled content rule start?

January 1, 2028 for postconsumer content, up from 40 percent today.

Getting compliant without overpaying

We are a family owned packaging distributor in Fremont and we deliver compliant paper bags, plain or custom printed, across the Bay Area. If you want a second set of eyes on whether your current bags meet the 2026 rules, or you want to plan a 50 percent PCR run before the 2028 deadline, browse our products at safradistribution.com/collections or reach us through safradistribution.com/become-a-customer and we will bring samples.