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Florida Statewide Rule

Florida Preempts Local Plastic Bag Bans and Fees

Few RestrictionsApplies statewide across Florida (2026)

Key Facts

Preemption Statute
FS 403.7033 preempts local plastic bag regulation
Preemption Duration
Preemption persists until the Legislature acts on DEP recommendations
Ban Prohibition
Cities cannot ban or tax plastic carryout bags
Case Example
Coral Gables ordinance struck down on appeal in 2019
Waste Rules
Statewide solid waste rules in Chapter 403 still govern disposal
Last verified: September 5, 2026Source: Florida Senate

Summary

Florida Statute 403.7033 preempts the regulation of disposable plastic bags by local governments, prohibiting cities and counties from enacting bans or fees on retailers pending a legislative review that has not occurred.

403.7033 Departmental analysis of particular recyclable materials.-The Legislature finds that prudent regulation of recyclable materials is crucial to the ongoing welfare of Florida's ecology and economy. As such, the Department of Environmental Protection shall review and update its 2010 report on retail bags analyzing the need for new or different regulation of auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags used by consumers to carry products from retail establishments. The updated report must include input from state and local government agencies, stakeholders, private businesses, and citizens and must evaluate the efficacy and necessity of both statewide and local regulation of these materials. To ensure consistent and effective implementation, the department shall submit the updated report with conclusions and recommendations to the Legislature no later than December 31, 2021. Until such time that the Legislature adopts the recommendations of the department, a local government, local governmental agency, or state governmental agency may not enact any rule, regulation, or ordinance regarding use, disposition, sale, prohibition, restriction, or tax of such auxiliary containers, wrappings, or disposable plastic bags.

Full Breakdown

Section 403.7033, Florida Statutes, directs the Department of Environmental Protection to study disposable plastic bags and submit recommendations to the Legislature. Until the Legislature adopts the recommendations, no local government may enact any rule, regulation, or ordinance regarding the use, disposition, sale, prohibition, restriction, or tax of such bags. The Legislature has never acted on the recommendations, so plastic bag bans, paper-bag fees, and similar local measures remain preempted. In 2019 the Third District Court of Appeal upheld this preemption framework against Coral Gables' single-use plastics ordinance, and the city repealed its bag ban. Statewide solid waste rules under Chapter 403 still apply.

Violations & Penalties

Local plastic bag ordinances are void and unenforceable; affected retailers and the state may seek declaratory and injunctive relief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Florida city ban plastic shopping bags?
No. FS 403.7033 preempts local rules on disposable plastic bags until the Legislature adopts authorizing recommendations.
Has any Florida city tried to ban plastic bags anyway?
Yes. Coral Gables regulated single-use plastics, but in 2019 the Third District Court of Appeal upheld the state preemption statutes and the ordinance fell; the city later repealed its bag rules.
Are there any exceptions for coastal communities?
No statutory exception exists. The preemption applies uniformly across Florida regardless of geography or environmental sensitivity.

Sources

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