What packaging EPR actually costs, state by state. This page compares fee status, start dates, eco-modulation models and small producer exemptions across all seven enacted states, with indicative per-pound rates for common materials. Every figure derives from the same fee table that powers the EPR Atlas calculators.
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Facts on this page were last verified against primary sources on August 10, 2026. The EPR Atlas is re-checked weekly; this stamp moves only when a verification pass actually runs, not when the site rebuilds.
Oregon and Colorado have been invoicing packaging EPR fees since July 2025 and January 2026. California has two separate instruments and they are commonly confused: CAA published the 2026 California Early Fee Schedule on July 20, 2026, six flat per-pound rates covering program year 2026 and invoiced in August 2026 per CAA's program plan, while the ongoing per-CMC program fee begins in 2027 on a schedule that is still draft. Maine, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington phase in later. The table shows where each state stands, when fees begin, how eco-modulation works, and who is exempt.
| State | Fee status | Fees begin | Eco-modulation model | De minimis exemption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Fees live | July 1, 2025verified August 10, 2026 | Bonus only (LCA-based) | <1 ton OR <$5M global revenue |
| Colorado | Fees live | January 2026verified August 10, 2026 | Bonus and malus | <1 ton OR <$5,632,843 global revenue (Jul 1 2025 figure; CPI-adjusted each Jul 1) |
| California | 2026 early fee published, 2027 schedule draft | 2027 (post program plan approval)verified August 10, 2026 | Not yet set | <$1M CA gross sales, must apply |
| Maine | Not yet | Late 2026, contingent on SO selectionverified August 10, 2026 | Not yet set | <1 ton OR <~$2M revenue |
| Minnesota | Not yet | Feb 1, 2029 (50% cost-share)verified August 10, 2026 | Not yet set | <1 ton into MN OR <$2M global revenue (either qualifies; Minn. Stat. 115A.1441 subd. 13) |
| Maryland | Not yet | 2028 or laterverified August 10, 2026 | Not yet set | <1 ton OR <$2M global revenue |
| Washington | Not yet | 2029–2030verified August 10, 2026 | Not yet set | <1 ton OR <$5M global revenue OR agricultural employer under $5M in WA own-brand ag sales (any one qualifies; RCW 70A.208.020(16)) |
Full thresholds and the AND versus OR test logic are on the de minimis and small producer thresholds page.
Representative per-pound rates for common formats. Oregon rates come from the published CAA fee schedule and are live. California rates come from CAA's draft 2027 program plan schedule and are indicative only until final rates publish, expected October 2026. They are not the 2026 California Early Fee Schedule, which is a separate published set of six flat per-pound rates covering this program year and is not modeled here. Every figure below is computed from the Atlas fee table at build time, so it cannot drift from the calculators.
| Material | Oregon ($/lb) | California draft 2027 ($/lb) |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum, cans | $0.07 | $0.08 |
| Clear PET (#1) | $0.28 | $0.56 |
| HDPE Natural (#2) | $0.10 | $0.61 |
| Corrugated | $0.09 | $0.04 |
| Glass | $0.11 | $0.02 |
| PP (#5) | $0.42 | $0.59 |
| LDPE Film / Mono-PE | $0.47 | $0.88 |
| Multi-layer Laminate | $1.12 | $1.44 |
Rates are per pound of covered material sold into the state. Actual invoices depend on your exact material classification, your eco-modulation profile, and state-specific rule interpretations. Model your own mix in the EPR fee calculator.
Three things: how much covered material you put on the market by weight, which material category each component falls into, and whether that category is recyclable in the state in question. The third is where the money is. Non-recyclable formats carry multiples of the recyclable rate, so a laminated pouch and a mono-material pouch of the same weight can differ by more than an order of magnitude. That is the whole logic of eco-modulation, and it is why design decisions made years before a fee arrives determine its size.
Eco-modulation models differ by state. Oregon is bonus only this cycle and runs on qualified life cycle assessment. Colorado applies both bonuses and maluses, with passive factors baked into the published dues rates and active credits applied on top. California's factors are not yet published and take effect from 2027. See each state guide for the detail.
Every state guide carries the full fee schedule, registration deadlines, program plan status, eco-modulation detail, statute and rule text, and exemptions.