Virginia Beach imposes a five-cent disposable plastic bag tax at grocery, convenience, and drug stores under Virginia Code §58.1-1745, with revenue funding environmental cleanup and reusable bag distribution.
Virginia Code §58.1-1745, enacted in 2020, authorizes counties and cities to impose a five-cent tax on each disposable plastic bag distributed at grocery, convenience, and drugstore checkouts. Virginia Beach City Council adopted the tax under Virginia Beach Code Chapter 35, with collections beginning January 1, 2023. Retailers retain one cent per bag through 2025, then keep none after, while the city receives the remainder for environmental cleanup, litter mitigation, and providing reusable bags to SNAP and WIC recipients. Bags for ice, prescription medication, perishable food, and dry-cleaning are exempt under state law.
Retailers that fail to collect or remit the bag tax face Department of Taxation enforcement including penalties, interest, and possible loss of business license.
See how Virginia Beach'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.