Quick Answer: What’s the Best Way to Charge Bottle Deposit Fees on Shopify (U.S.)?
If you sell beverages in one of the ten U.S. “bottle bill” states, you’re required to charge a refundable bottle deposit fee on each eligible container.
Shopify doesn’t support these deposits as separate fees by default, so the simplest way to stay compliant is to use an app like Magical Product Fees to automatically add the correct deposit per container and show it as its own line at checkout, keeping charges transparent for customers and easier to report for regulators.
Watch*: How to Charge U.S. Bottle Bill Deposit Fees on Your Shopify Store (46-second video)*
https://youtu.be/7vEYKpOM2xQ
Detailed Answer: How to Set Up U.S. Bottle Deposit Fees on Shopify With Magical Product Fees
Why bottle deposit fees matter for Shopify stores in bottle bill states
Bottle deposit fees are small, refundable charges, usually around 5–10¢ per container, that customers pay when they buy eligible beverages and get back when they return empties.
If you sell in one of the ten U.S. bottle bill states, charging these deposits correctly is a legal requirement, and getting them wrong can lead to fines and compliance issues.
Why manual workarounds create compliance risk
Shopify doesn’t have a native way to add a per-container deposit, so many merchants are driven to brittle workarounds: raising product prices, baking deposits into shipping, or creating separate “bottle deposit” products.
These methods hide the fee, don’t scale properly with quantity, and make it easy for customers to skip paying the deposit altogether, which can leave you undercharging and out of compliance.
A simple way to charge deposits clearly and correctly
Magical Product Fees gives you a cleaner way to handle bottle deposits on Shopify. You choose which products and regions are subject to deposits and what amount to charge, and the app:
- Automatically adds the correct deposit fee per container for eligible products- Shows the deposit as a separate, clearly labeled line item at checkout and on receipts- Keeps your base prices and shipping rates clean while making deposits easier to track for reporting
3 steps to add bottle deposit fees on Shopify
1. Install Magical Product Fees
Install Magical Product Fees on your Shopify store. The free trial gives you time to set up your bottle deposits and test how they appear.
2. Create bottle deposit rules
In the app, create a fee rule for bottle deposits. Set the fee amount (for example, 5¢ or 10¢ per container), choose how it applies (per item), and give it a clear label like “Bottle deposit” so customers know what it is.
3. Assign the rules and run a test order
Assign your deposit rule to the beverages and regions that fall under bottle bill laws. Then, save and activate the rule, and place a test order to confirm the deposit shows as a separate line in the cart and at checkout. If it does, the app will apply the correct bottle deposit automatically on every eligible order moving forward.
Supporting Answers
What Are Bottle Deposit Fees?
Bottle deposit fees are small charges added to beverage purchases. These fees incentivize recycling by providing a refund when customers return empty containers. States with bottle deposit laws see higher recycling rates (60–90%) compared to states without them (20–40%).
Which U.S. States Require Bottle Deposit Fees?
Currently, 10 states enforce bottle deposit laws:
StateDeposit FeeEligible Containers****California (CRV)5¢ (<24oz), 10¢ (≥24oz), 25¢ (wine pouches)Aluminum, glass, plastic, bi-metalConnecticut10¢Soda, beer, hard seltzer, juice, waterHawaii5¢Soda, juice, tea, coffee, sports drinksIowa5¢Beer, soft drinks, carbonated beveragesMaine5¢ (small bottles), 15¢ (wine & liquor)All beverages, including spiritsMassachusetts5¢Soda, beer, malt beveragesMichigan10¢Soda, beer, mineral waterNew York5¢Soda, beer, energy drinks, flavored waterOregon5¢Water, soda, beer, malt beveragesVermont5¢ (small bottles), 15¢ (liquor)Beer, soda, wine coolers, spirits
Failing to comply with these laws can result in heavy fines. In 2018, a beverage distributor in New Jersey was fined $550,000 for failing to charge New York’s 5¢ bottle deposit fee.
How to Add Bottle Deposit Fees to Your Shopify Store
Since Shopify does not support deposit fees natively, there are three main approaches to adding them:
Workarounds That Don’t Work Well:
- Include the fee in the product price, but this hides the charge and creates compliance risks.- Add fees to shipping rates, but this doesn’t scale properly with quantity.- Manually creating a fee product, but customers may not add it, leading to non-compliance.
The best solution is to use an app like Magical Product Fees to easily charge bottle deposits correctly.
- Automatically apply the correct deposit fee per item and location.- Display the fee separately at checkout.- Track fees for easy reporting and compliance**.**
Always label deposits separately for compliance
Display bottle deposit fees as a clearly labeled, separate line item at checkout and on receipts. This meets regulatory transparency requirements, builds customer trust by showing exactly what they're paying, and makes it significantly easier to track deposits for reporting and audits. Use a clear label like "Bottle deposit" or "Container deposit (CRV)" so customers immediately understand the charge.
“Magical Fees is the only fee app that allows you to apply a fee based on a specific or individual state/province situation. All the other apps we tested only allow 'Location' (the entire country) which is a major limitation. The solution Magical Fees applies during the Cart to Checkout process is very smart and not a hassle. Very easy app to setup and the support was great.”