Plastic Bag Rules: Austin vs Pflugerville
How do plastic bag rules rules compare between Austin, TX and Pflugerville, TX?
Austin and Pflugerville have similar restriction levels.
Austin, TX
Travis County
Austin's 2013 single-use carryout bag ban was struck down by the Texas Supreme Court on June 22, 2018 in Laster v. Austin, which held the state Solid Waste Disposal Act preempts municipal bag bans. Austin retailers are now free to provide plastic bags. The City retains educational programs but cannot enforce the ban.
View full Austin rules →Pflugerville, TX
Travis County
Travis County cannot ban plastic carryout bags after the 2018 Texas Supreme Court decision in Laredo Merchants v. City of Laredo, which struck local bag bans as preempted by the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act.
View full Pflugerville rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Austin | Pflugerville |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Preemption case | - | Laredo Merchants 2018 |
| Statute | - | TX HSC 361.0961 |
| Local ban | - | Not enforceable |
| Voluntary programs | - | Allowed |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Austin FAQ
Does Austin have a plastic bag ban in 2026?
No. Austin's 2013 ban was struck down by the Texas Supreme Court in June 2018 (Laster v. Austin / Laredo v. Laredo Merchants), which held state law preempts city bag ordinances. Plastic bags are legal again.
Will Texas allow Austin to ban bags?
Only if the state legislature amends Tex. Health & Safety Code §361.0961 to permit local regulation. As of 2026 no such bill has passed. Until then, Texas preemption controls.
Do Austin stores still charge for bags?
Some retailers (notably H-E-B in some locations) voluntarily charge a small fee or offer credits for reusable bags, but no charge is required by city or state law.
Pflugerville FAQ
Can Travis County ban plastic bags?
No. The 2018 Texas Supreme Court ruling in Laredo Merchants v. Laredo struck local checkout bag bans as preempted by HSC Section 361.0961, eliminating local enforcement authority across Texas.
Did Austin lose its bag ban?
Yes. After Laredo Merchants, Austin stopped enforcing its single-use bag ordinance. Voluntary retailer reusable-bag promotion continues, but mandatory bans and fees are no longer permitted.
Compare other topics
See how Austin and Pflugerville compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool