Raleigh has no plastic bag ban or fee. North Carolina previously banned plastic bags only on the Outer Banks, then repealed even that restriction in 2017, leaving statewide single-use plastic bag use largely unregulated.
North Carolina enacted a coastal plastic bag ban in 2009 covering Currituck, Dare, and Hyde counties, but the General Assembly repealed it in 2017, removing the only regional plastic bag restriction in the state. NC has no statewide preemption explicitly forbidding municipal bans, but no Raleigh ordinance restricts single-use plastic bags. Retailers may voluntarily charge for bags or offer reusable alternatives. Climate Action Plan goals reference waste reduction but do not implement regulatory bag bans. Recycling of plastic bags through grocery store drop-off remains the primary local diversion pathway.
There is no enforcement because no ordinance exists. Voluntary retailer fees are governed by individual business policy rather than city or state regulation under current North Carolina law.
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh has no ban or restriction on expanded polystyrene foam food containers. North Carolina has no statewide foam ban, and city rules treat foam disposal ...
Raleigh, NC
Raleigh operates a single-stream recycling program. Residents place all accepted recyclables in the blue recycling cart for bi-weekly collection. Accepted it...
See how Raleigh'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.