Bottle Bill – Connecticut

The “deposit initiator” for every beverage container sold in Connecticut that is subject to the bottle bill must open an account. A deposit initiator is the first distributor, dealer, or agent to collect the deposit on a beverage container sold to any person within Connecticut   Deposit initiators must register online with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Service (DRS) and establish a special account depositing the amount equal to the refund value for each beverage container sold by such initiator.

Resources:

• DEEP Bottle Bill Program home page
• CT Regulations for Bottle Bill Deposit and Redemption
• Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec.22a-243
• Summary of Connecticut Bottle Bill Legislation
• CT DEEP Bottle Bill FAQ
• CT DRS Bottle Bill FAQ

Is Wine included in the bottle bill?

• No

Are wine (coolers) products or wine-based ready-to-drink beverages included in the bottle bill?

• No

Definitions as of July 1, 2025: 

• “Carbonated beverage” means beer or other malt beverages, hard seltzer, and mineral waters, soda water and similar carbonated soft drinks in liquid form and intended for human consumption “Carbonated beverage” does not include any product that contains wine or spirits or any infused beverage, as defined in section 21-a-245;
• “Noncarbonated beverage” means any water, including flavored water, plant water, nutritionally enhanced water, juice, juice drink, tea, coffee, kombucha, plant infused drink, sports drink or energy drink and any beverage that is identified through the use of letters, words or symbols on such beverage’s product label as a type of water, juice, tea, coffee, kombucha, plant infused drink, sports drink or energy drink but excluding mineral water. “Noncarbonated beverage” does not include any product that contains wine or spirits, any food for special dietary use, as defined in 21 USC 350(c)(3), [or] any medical food, as defined in 21 USC 360ee(b)(3), or any infused beverage, as defined in section 21a425;

Resources:

• Updated list of covered beverages as of July 1, 2025
• 2023 H 6671 enacted 2/14/23 –  clarifies that both wine- and spirits-based RTDs are excluded from the current bottle deposit law.
• Section 193 of Public Act 25-174, removed hard cider from Connecticut’s Bottle Bill, effective July 1, 2025.

Are wine containers included in the bottle bill?

• No

Definition:

• “Beverage container” means the individual, separate, sealed glass, metal or plastic bottle, can, jar or carton containing three liters or less of a carbonated beverage, or two and one-half liters or less of a noncarbonated beverage. “Beverage container” does not include any such bottle, can, jar or carton that contains less than one hundred fifty milliliters of any such carbonated or noncarbonated beverage;

• Not applicable as all wine containers are excluded from the bottle program.

• Not applicable as all wine containers are excluded from the bottle program.

• Not applicable as all wine containers are excluded from the bottle program.

• Not applicable as all wine containers are excluded from the bottle program.