Hilton Head Plastic Bag Ban
Hilton Head and the rest of Beaufort County ban plastic carryout bags at the checkout. Stores bag in paper or reusable totes, so bring your own bags to the grocery store and the beach shops.
What the Hilton Head Plastic Bag Ban Covers
The Town of Hilton Head Island bans single-use plastic carryout bags at the point of sale in every kind of store: grocery, hardware, liquor and convenience stores, farmers markets, restaurants and gift shops. Compostable and “biodegradable” plastic bags are banned too. Beaufort County and its other towns, Bluffton and Beaufort among them, have had matching bans since 2018, so the rule is the same across the bridge.
A bag a store can still hand out has to count as reusable: made for many uses and labelled as reusable, with handles, and made of cloth, fabric or another durable material, or of recyclable plastic at least 2.25 mils thick. A business that breaks the rule gets a warning first, then fines of up to $500.
What Stores Hand Out Instead
At the island’s supermarkets, groceries go into paper bags or into reusable bags sold at the register, and smaller shops use paper. A beach-week grocery run fills a lot of bags, so a few totes in the car save juggling paper ones up the stairs. Store hours and locations are in our guide to grocery stores on Hilton Head.
Bags That Are Still Allowed
- Produce, meat and bakery bags
- Bulk-food bags
- Prescription bags
- Dry-cleaning bags
- Newspaper and door-hanger bags
- Pet-waste bags
- Garbage and yard-waste bags
- Bags for flowers and potted plants
- Bags you bring yourself
Beaufort County’s Wider Plastic Ban
On June 8, 2026, Beaufort County Council voted 7 to 4 to widen the county’s ban. The change covers every plastic carryout bag whatever its thickness, bans foam food containers, and makes plastic straws and cutlery available only when a customer asks, with civil penalties for businesses. Each town, Hilton Head included, has to adopt the change before it applies inside town limits. Until then the Town’s current ban is the rule here.
A Line for the Rental Welcome Book
Vacation rental owners and managers: guests from states without a ban are often caught out at their first grocery stop. A line like this in the welcome book or pre-arrival email helps:
“Hilton Head stores don’t hand out plastic bags. Pack a couple of reusable totes for the grocery run, or use the ones we keep in the pantry.”
The Town’s other rental rules, from the per-bedroom permit to the permit number on every listing, are on our short-term rental permit page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hilton Head have a plastic bag ban?
Yes. The Town of Hilton Head Island bans single-use plastic carryout bags at every checkout, compostable plastic included. Stores use paper or reusable bags instead.
Does Beaufort County ban plastic bags?
Yes. Beaufort County and its towns have banned single-use plastic carryout bags since 2018. In June 2026 the county voted to widen its ban to foam food containers and to make straws and cutlery on-request only; each town has to adopt that change.
Are produce bags allowed under the plastic bag ban?
Yes. Produce, meat, bakery and bulk-food bags are exempt, as are prescription, dry-cleaning and pet-waste bags.
Do restaurants on Hilton Head give plastic bags for takeout?
No. Restaurants are covered by the ban like any other business, so takeout comes in paper or reusable bags.
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