Four states charge a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers: Michigan, Oregon, and Connecticut apply the flat 10-cent rate to every eligible container, and California applies 10 cents only to containers 24 ounces or larger (smaller ones carry a 5-cent deposit). Six other states run deposit programs at lower amounts, mostly 5 cents.
Michigan
Michigan charges 10 cents on every qualifying beverage container up to one gallon. Covered drinks include soft drinks, carbonated and mineral water, beer, ale, other malt drinks, mixed wine drinks, and mixed spirit drinks. Containers can be metal, glass, plastic, paper, or any combination of those materials.1Michigan House Fiscal Agency. Michigan Bottle Bill Fiscal Snapshot
The 10-cent deposit has been in place since 1976, one of the oldest and highest in the country. Even so, return rates have been falling. In 2024, about 70% of containers sold were returned for a refund, Michigan’s lowest point in roughly 35 years.
Oregon
Oregon charges 10 cents on most beverage containers sold in the state. The deposit started at 5 cents in 1971, when Oregon passed the country’s first bottle bill, and rose to 10 cents in 2017. You can return empties to grocery stores or to dedicated BottleDrop redemption centers and get the 10 cents back per container.2Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Oregon’s Evolving Bottle Bill
Coverage is broad but not universal. Distilled spirits, milk (dairy and plant-based when listed as the first ingredient), infant formula, liquid meal replacements, concentrated beverages, and syrups are excluded, and so are cartons, foil pouches, and drink boxes.3Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Oregon’s Bottle Bill – Non-Redeemable Beverages As of July 1, 2025, canned wine is redeemable.4Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission. Oregon’s Bottle Bill and Redemption Centers Oregon’s return rate topped 90% in 2023.
Connecticut
Connecticut doubled its deposit from 5 cents to 10 cents on January 1, 2024, and expanded the list of covered beverages at the same time.5Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Connecticut Bottle Bill Alongside the traditional beer, malt beverages, and carbonated soft drinks, the program now takes non-carbonated water, juice, tea, coffee, kombucha, sports drinks, and energy drinks. Malt-based hard seltzers are in; spirit-based hard seltzers are not.
The higher deposit drew cross-border fraud from people buying cheaper containers in neighboring states and redeeming them in Connecticut. In early 2026, Governor Lamont signed SB 299, which raised penalties, lowered the daily redemption cap from 5,000 to 4,000 containers, and required redemption centers to keep records on anyone returning more than 1,000 containers in a day. First-offense fines run $500 to $750, repeat offenders face a minimum $1,000 fine, and a third offense is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.6Connecticut General Assembly. SB 299 Fiscal Note – An Act Concerning Redemption of Out-of-State Containers
California: 10 Cents Only on Larger Containers
California’s deposit depends on container size. The California Redemption Value (CRV) is 10 cents for containers 24 ounces or larger and 5 cents for containers smaller than 24 ounces. A 12-ounce soda can carries a nickel; a 32-ounce sports drink carries a dime. Covered materials include aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal.7CalRecycle. Beverage Container Recycling
The Other Deposit States
Six states charge less than 10 cents across the board. Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, and New York apply a flat 5-cent deposit, each with its own list of covered beverages.8Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Bottle Deposit Law9Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Deposit Bottle and Can Recycling Maine and Vermont charge 5 cents on most containers but step up to 15 cents on wine and spirits, the highest per-container deposit in the country.10Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Vermont’s Bottle Bill The remaining states have no deposit program at all.
What Counts as a Deposit Container
Every deposit state covers aluminum cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles used for beer and soda. From there, scope diverges. Connecticut now reaches well into non-carbonated drinks. Massachusetts stays with carbonated beverages and beer. Oregon covers nearly everything except spirits and milk. California covers eligible materials across all beverages but exempts refillable containers.
Common exclusions in most states include milk and dairy-based drinks, infant formula, and liquid meal replacements. Some states exclude wine, spirits, or both. If you’re not sure a container qualifies, check the label. Most states require eligible containers to show either the deposit amount or a state code, such as “MI 10ยข” in Michigan or “CT RV” in Connecticut.
How to Get Your Deposit Back
Returns happen in three places, depending on the state: at a retail store that sells the beverage, at a dedicated redemption center, or through a reverse vending machine. Oregon’s BottleDrop network offers both self-service machines and a bag-drop option that credits an account. California requires supermarkets to host a recycling center within their convenience zone or accept containers in-store, and you can request payment by count for up to 50 containers of each material type before recyclers switch to paying by weight.7CalRecycle. Beverage Container Recycling Michigan and New York rely heavily on reverse vending machines at grocery and retail stores.
Containers should be empty and reasonably clean. Don’t crush them before you check the local rules; machines that scan barcodes may reject flattened cans and bottles.
Don’t Try to Redeem Out-of-State Containers
The gap between a 10-cent state and a no-deposit neighbor creates a temptation that is illegal everywhere it’s been tried. Connecticut’s SB 299 made it an unfair trade practice for dealers or redemption centers to refund out-of-state containers and set fines and jail time for repeat offenders.6Connecticut General Assembly. SB 299 Fiscal Note – An Act Concerning Redemption of Out-of-State Containers Michigan has prosecuted this kind of smuggling for years, with fines and potential jail time attached. Only return containers you bought in the state where you’re redeeming them.