.svg)
Seller guide
Last verified: August 2026. We keep this guide updated as new state laws go live.
The short version. If you sell into the United States, some states now have packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, similar to the EU. Here is what actually matters for you:
US EPR laws use the same hierarchy across states:
Because your customers buy under your brand, you are the producer. Ownprint is your fulfillment and production partner: we make and ship the product, but it is sold under your name, so the packaging obligation is yours.
Why is there no umbrella partner? Packaging EPR attaches per brand owner and depends on each seller's own volumes, so no single partner can take it on for everyone. What we can do is share our exact packaging materials and weights so you can report accurately. You can find them in our packaging materials guide, and the registration itself belongs to the brand owner.
| State | Law | You're exempt if... | When fees apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | SB 54 | Under $1M gross annual sales. You must register in CalRecycle's PEPRS system and file a small-producer exemption application (temporary and renewable) | Jan 2027 |
| Oregon | SB 582 | Under $5M global revenue OR under 1 metric tonne of packaging into Oregon = full "wholesale liberation" (no registration, reporting or fees) | Live since Jul 2025 |
| Colorado | HB 22-1355 | Under ~$5.6M revenue OR under 1 ton of covered material | Live since Jan 2026 |
| Minnesota | HF 3911 | Under $2M global revenue OR under 1 ton ("de minimis") | Feb 2029 |
| Maine | LD 1541 | Under $2M revenue (rises to $5M for first 3 years) OR under 1 ton | ~Late 2026 |
| Washington | SB 5284 | Under $5M global revenue OR under 1 ton ("de minimis") | ~2029 to 2030 |
| Maryland | SB 901 | Under $2M global revenue OR under 1 ton ("de minimis") | ~2028 and later |
What this means for jewelry sellers: your parcels are small and light. Reaching 1 tonne of packaging into a single state in a year is extremely unlikely for a normal shop, and most sellers are also under the revenue floors. So in real terms, you are almost certainly exempt in every one of these states.
The one thing to actually do: California wants you to register (in PEPRS) and file the exemption application to formally claim it. Being under the threshold is not automatic there. The other states are generally automatic below the threshold, though Oregon and Colorado suggest borderline producers register anyway.
Most states use a single Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), the Circular Action Alliance (CAA), for California, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington and Maryland. If you ever do need to register or report, that is where it happens. Sellers based outside the US can also use agents or partners to handle the admin; the legal responsibility stays with you as the brand owner, but the paperwork can be delegated.
Packaging EPR is spreading. Not yet in force but coming or proposed: Rhode Island (thresholds to be set after a December 2026 assessment), plus New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Georgia, Connecticut, Nebraska and North Carolina. We will keep this guide updated as new states go live.
Know you are the producer (brand owner), not Ownprint.
You are very likely exempt in every active state. Your packaging volume is well under 1 tonne per state.
California: register in CalRecycle's PEPRS and file the small-producer exemption to claim it.
Other states: generally nothing to do below the threshold.
Scaling fast? If you might approach a threshold, confirm your status with the Circular Action Alliance.
Need packaging details to report? We are happy to share the materials and specs for anything we fulfill. Start with our packaging materials guide.
US EPR is separate from EU rules. See our other guides:
Last verified: August 2026. Not legal advice, just a practical summary to help you understand your obligations. Always confirm your own status with the relevant state program if you are near a threshold.
Selling with Ownprint or thinking about it? Browse the full print on demand jewelry catalog with real prices and platings, or start with our guide on how to sell print on demand jewelry.