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)
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.
What Merchants Are Saying
Merchants around the world rely on Magical Product Fees to handle bottle deposit charges with confidence, whether for compliance, transparency, or point-of-sale integration.
★★★★★
Mas Lieferdienst, Germany
“The app works great and is very simple to use. For me in Germany it is critical to add deposits to bottles. The tax rate depends on the product I’m selling, so it’s great that every fee is treated as a new product and I can adjust the tax rate. The support is really friendly and quick to respond.”
★★★★★
Beau Dégât Bièrerie de Quartier, Canada
“The technical support provided by the team is remarkably prompt and efficient. Their assistance in setting up our online store and integrating it with our point-of-sale system was amazing. Highly recommend this app to get those bottle deposits added.”
If you’re charging bottle deposits in the US, Magical Product Fees makes compliance simple and support stress-free.
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:
| State | Deposit Fee | Eligible Containers |
| California (CRV) | 5¢ (<24oz), 10¢ (≥24oz), 25¢ (wine pouches) | Aluminum, glass, plastic, bi-metal |
| Connecticut | 10¢ | Soda, beer, hard seltzer, juice, water |
| Hawaii | 5¢ | Soda, juice, tea, coffee, sports drinks |
| Iowa | 5¢ | Beer, soft drinks, carbonated beverages |
| Maine | 5¢ (small bottles), 15¢ (wine & liquor) | All beverages, including spirits |
| Massachusetts | 5¢ | Soda, beer, malt beverages |
| Michigan | 10¢ | Soda, beer, mineral water |
| New York | 5¢ | Soda, beer, energy drinks, flavored water |
| Oregon | 5¢ | Water, soda, beer, malt beverages |
| Vermont | 5¢ (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.
Real-Life Experiences
“I live in a region with a mandatory bottle fee, and I love Hendrick’s gin. When I return my bottles I almost always grab another bottle of Hendrick’s while I’m there to put away in my freezer, so I truly believe bottle programs can boost patronage, too!”
-Kyle Godon, Shopify App Expert
Key Takeaway
If you sell beverages in one of the ten bottle bill states, charging deposit fees is mandatory. Shopify does not provide built-in support, and manual solutions can create compliance risks.
The best way to handle this is with an app like Magical Product Fees, which:
- Automatically applies deposit fees based on state laws.
- Ensures transparency by displaying fees separately.
- Simplifies reporting to help with compliance.
Don’t risk non-compliance or fines. Try Magical Product Fees today to automate bottle deposit fees on your Shopify store and stay compliant worry-free.
Magical Fees
The Magical Fees app is a fast and easy way to build, customize, and attach fees to products or entire orders.