Washington RCW 70A.530 bans single-use plastic carryout bags statewide and requires retailers to charge a pass-through fee for compliant paper or reusable bags.
Washington's statewide plastic bag ban under RCW 70A.530 took effect October 1, 2021. The law prohibits retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags to customers. Retailers may provide reusable bags meeting thickness and recycled content standards (currently 2.25 mils, increasing to 4 mils in 2026) or recycled-content paper bags. Retailers must charge a minimum eight-cent pass-through fee per bag, retained by the business and listed on receipts. Exemptions apply to bags for produce, bulk items, prescriptions, newspapers, and certain food service uses. The Department of Ecology administers the program. Local ordinances stricter than state law are preempted, but some local pre-existing bans remain operative.
Retailers face civil penalties up to $250 for first violations and up to $500 for subsequent violations under RCW 70A.530.040. Department of Ecology issues warnings before fines.
Lakewood, WA
Lakewood prohibits noise that disturbs the peace under LMC Chapter 8.36 (Noise Control). Residential quiet hours are 10 PM–7 AM weekdays and 10 PM–9 AM weeke...
Lakewood, WA
Lakewood has no local aircraft noise ordinance. Aircraft operations at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) adjacent to Lakewood are governed by federal law and m...
Lakewood, WA
Lakewood prohibits frequent, repetitive, or continuous animal sounds that disturb the peace under LMC Chapter 8.36. Excessive barking is a noise control viol...
Lakewood, WA
Construction noise in Lakewood is restricted to weekday hours of 7 AM–10 PM and weekend/holiday hours of 9 AM–10 PM under the LMC Chapter 8.36 noise control ...
Lakewood, WA
Abandoned vehicles in Lakewood are subject to code enforcement as a nuisance. Lakewood Police Department handles abandoned vehicle reports for public streets...
Lakewood, WA
Lakewood street parking is governed by city traffic codes consistent with Washington State law. Standard rules apply regarding curb distance, fire hydrant cl...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in this county.
See how Lakewood'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.