Carryout Bag Fee in Unincorporated Larimer County Begins January

Retail stores in unincorporated Larimer County will be required to collect a disposable carryout bag fee beginning on January 1, 2023.

Retail stores will charge a 10-cent fee for each single-use plastic or recyclable paper
carryout bag provided to customers, which will be added to a customer’s total sale. A retail
store is defined as a grocery store, supermarket, convenience store, liquor store, dry cleaner, pharmacy, drug store, clothing store, or other types of retail establishments where carryout bags are provided to customers.

In 2021, the Colorado General Assembly enacted House Bill 21-1162, which requires stores in
unincorporated Larimer County to charge a 10-cent disposable bag fee at the time of sale. Larimer
County did not start this fee.

Retail stores in Larimer County must collect and remit the fee to Larimer County on a quarterly basis. The ten-cent fee is split into two parts, with 60% remitted to Larimer County and 40% remaining with the retail store.

Also, starting on January 1, 2024, as written in House Bill 21-1162, retail stores in Larimer County will only be able to furnish a recycled paper carryout bag to customers at the point of sale for 10 cents per bag.

There are a few exemptions to the new fees. To learn more about the carryout disposable bag fee,
remittance process, and exemptions, visit the Larimer County Carryout Bag Fee website at larimer.gov. Customers can avoid paying the bag fee by bringing their own reusable carryout bags.