Plastic Bag Rules: Honolulu vs Kaneohe
How do plastic bag rules rules compare between Honolulu, HI and Kaneohe, HI?
Kaneohe has fewer restrictions than Honolulu.
Honolulu, HI
Honolulu County
Honolulu's 2015 bag ordinance, dramatically tightened in 2017, prohibits all plastic checkout bags at retailers islandwide on OΚ»ahu, including compostable plastics, making it one of the strongest US bag laws.
View full Honolulu rules βKaneohe, HI
Honolulu County
Hawaii has no statewide plastic bag preemption law, but all four counties have enacted bans on non-recyclable plastic checkout bags, making Hawaii the first U.S. state with a de facto statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
View full Kaneohe rules βKey Facts Comparison
| Fact | Honolulu | Kaneohe |
|---|---|---|
| Authority | ROH Chapter 9 Article 9 | - |
| Effective | Jan 1, 2020 (full ban) | - |
| Min bag fee | 15 cents | - |
| First-offense fine | $100 | - |
| Compostable plastic | Banned | - |
| - | - |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Honolulu FAQ
Can stores still give compostable plastic bags?
No. Bill 59 (2017) closed the compostable loophole effective January 2020. Only recyclable paper or reusable bags qualify.
Does the ban apply to restaurants?
Restaurant takeout bags are exempt, though many switched to paper voluntarily. Retail and grocery checkout bags are covered by the ban.
Kaneohe FAQ
Is there a Hawaii state plastic bag ban?
Not technically. Each county has its own ordinance, but together they ban plastic bags statewide.
Can retailers charge for paper bags?
Yes. Most county ordinances allow or require a minimum charge for paper or reusable bags.
Does the state preempt county rules?
No. Counties retain authority to regulate single-use plastics.
Compare other topics
See how Honolulu and Kaneohe 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