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.
Brookline, MA
Brookline's General By-Laws and nuisance control provisions prohibit animals from creating persistent noise disturbances. Animal Control handles complaints a...
Brookline, MA
Brookline's Article 8.15 restricts construction noise activities on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays to hours before 8:00 PM. Weekday construction hour limit...
Brookline, MA
Brookline regulates noise under General By-Laws Article 8.15 (Noise Control). The bylaw prohibits Noise Pollution, defined as sound exceeding the Background ...
Brookline, MA
Brookline prohibits parking for more than 2 hours on streets between 6 AM and 1 AM (Sunday/holiday exempt). Overnight parking of more than 1 hour is prohibit...
Brookline, MA
Brookline issues commercial parking permits for $600/year allowing parking on designated residential side streets within 1/4 mile of a commercial district. T...
Brookline, MA
Brookline residents may use private driveways for personal vehicles. The overnight street parking ban applies to those without off-street parking. Blocking a...
See how Brookline's plastic bag rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.