What Are Bag Fees?
Bag fees are small charges added to customer orders to cover the cost of single‑use bags you use to pack orders.
DoorDash collects the fee and passes 100% through to you as the merchant; DoorDash does not treat bag fees as revenue.
How does DoorDash decide where to add bag fees?
To help merchants comply with local bag fee regulations, DoorDash uses a standardized, legally reviewed process to enable bag fees only in areas where they are required by local laws.
Our legal team reviews regulations on a quarterly basis to identify eligible areas and understand the rules in each geography; bag fees are turned on only in locations that meet those requirements. We will notify you in advance of bag fees being added to your stores, typically ~2 weeks before any changes go live.
If you believe these regulations do not apply to your business, you can opt-out at any time by reaching out to Support or an Account Manager.
Why is DoorDash doing this?
This process supports merchants in meeting their compliance requirements under regional environmental regulations and provides a clear, consistent way to manage bag fees across all affected U.S. restaurant merchants. Ultimately, it is the individual merchant’s responsibility to determine their compliance requirements with these laws. If you determine these bag fees should not apply to your business, please opt-out by reaching out to DoorDash Support or an Account Manager.
Reminder: DoorDash cannot provide legal advice on your individual business’s compliance with these regulations. If you believe these regulations determine that the bag fee regulation does not apply to your business, you can opt-out at any time of the addition of bag fees to your store by reaching out to DoorDash Support or an Account Manager.
US Restaurant Bag Fee Process (Starting Feb 2026)
This section covers the ongoing process for US restaurant merchants.
1. How We Decide Where Bag Fees Apply
On a regular schedule, DoorDash runs an approved review to identify areas where bag fees are legally required.
Our Legal team reviews local regulations and confirms which areas qualify.
2. How and When You’ll Be Notified
We notify you in advance before turning on bag fees for your stores.
Typical notice period: about two weeks between our communication and the date bag fees go live.
3. What You and Your Customers See After Enablement
Once bag fees are enabled for your store:
Customers see a separate “Bag Fee” line item at checkout and on their receipt.
The fees collected are paid out to you and shown in a separate column in your reporting.
Important: DoorDash does not provide legal or tax advice. You are responsible for understanding and complying with the laws that apply to your business.
Frequently asked questions
How and when do bag fees pay out to me? Where do I see them?
Bag fees collected from customers are passed through in your regular DoorDash payout. You can see them:
As a separate column in Transactions Breakdown & Payouts, and within Customer Fees in your Transaction Overview.
Is my area required to have bag fees?
DoorDash only enables bag fees in locations where local laws or regulations require them. Our Legal team maintains an internal list of covered areas and fee amounts.
If you believe:
Your area should have bag fees enabled but does not, or
Your area should not have bag fees enabled but does,
Please contact DoorDash Support or your Account Manager so we can review your situation.
Will I be notified before bag fees are added to my store? How much notice will I get?
Yes. DoorDash notifies merchants in advance before turning on bag fees. In general, you can expect about two weeks’ notice before the change goes live on your store.
Can I opt out of bag fees or have them removed from my store?
Yes. If you determine that bag fee regulations do not apply to your business, you can:
Reach out to DoorDash Support or your Account Manager and request that bag fees be removed from your store.
How is the bag fee shown to customers at checkout?
Customers see a clearly labeled “Bag Fee” line item in their order subtotal breakdown and on their receipt. We also provide short explanatory text indicating that the fee is required by law or charged by the merchant and may vary based on the order and jurisdiction.
Who decides where bag fees are added and how often do you review this?
DoorDash adds bag fees only in areas where local laws or regulations require them. Our Legal team:
Reviews local regulations
Updates where bag fees apply
Adjusts fee amounts as needed
If you have questions about the bag fee that applies to your location, please contact DoorDash Support or your Account Manager so we can review.
Do I need to do anything operationally to comply on DoorDash?
You do not need to take any special operational steps on DoorDash for bag fees to be enabled. However, you are still responsible for complying with any local legal requirements (on DoorDash and in your own operations). DoorDash cannot provide legal advice on your individual business’s compliance with these regulations.
If you believe these regulations determine that the bag fee regulation does not apply to your business, you can opt-out at any time of the addition of bag fees to your store by reaching out to DoorDash Support or an Account Manager.
