Massachusetts has no statewide plastic bag ban or preemption, allowing over 160 cities and towns to enact their own single-use plastic bag prohibitions under home-rule authority.
Unlike many states, Massachusetts has not preempted local plastic bag regulation, and the legislature has not enacted a statewide ban. As a result, more than 160 municipalities including Boston, Cambridge, Brookline, and Somerville have adopted local ordinances banning thin-film plastic checkout bags or imposing fees on paper alternatives. These local rules vary in coverage, exemptions, and penalty structures. Statewide bills have been introduced repeatedly under MGL Chapter 21H but have not passed. Retailers operating across multiple municipalities must track local requirements carefully.
Local ordinances typically impose fines from $50 to $300 per violation, with escalating penalties for repeat offenders set by individual city or town bylaws.
Bristol County, MA
Amplified music in Bristol County cities requires entertainment licenses from the local licensing board. Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton each regulate o...
Bristol County, MA
New Bedford and Fall River ban on-street overnight parking during declared winter snow emergencies. Taunton has no blanket overnight ban but enforces posted ...
Bristol County, MA
EV charger installations in Bristol County require electrical permit under 527 CMR 12. Massachusetts Stretch Code and Specialized Code (780 CMR Appendix 115....
Bristol County, MA
Fence materials in Bristol County cities follow local zoning bylaws. Wood, vinyl, and wrought iron are standard. Historic districts in New Bedford and Taunto...
Bristol County, MA
MassWildlife (MGL ch. 131 §5A as amended) prohibits intentional feeding of black bears statewide. Bristol County cities restrict feeding of deer, turkeys, an...
Bristol County, MA
Bristol County is not in a high wildfire-hazard zone like western states, but DCR Bureau of Forest Fire Control enforces MGL ch. 48 §13 open-burning rules. F...
See how Acushnet Center's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
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