California · Public Resources Code - PRC

PRC §14591: (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), in addition to any other applicable civil or criminal penalties, a person convicted of a violation of this division, or a regulation adopted pursuant to this

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Violations of beverage container recycling laws are infractions. Fraudulent claims, false reporting, or redemption of ineligible containers with intent to defraud constitute crimes punishable by jail time and fines, with severity depending on money involved.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), in addition to any other applicable civil or criminal penalties, a person convicted of a violation of this division, or a regulation adopted pursuant to this division, is guilty of an infraction, which is punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100) for each initial separate violation and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each subsequent separate violation per day. (b) (1) Every person who, with intent to defraud, knowingly takes any of the following actions is guilty of a crime: (A) Submits a false or fraudulent claim for payment pursuant to Section 14573 or 14573.5. (B) Fails to accurately report the number of beverage containers sold, as required by subdivision (b) of Section 14550. (C) Fails to make payments as required by Section 14574. (D) Redeems out-of-state containers, rejected containers, line breakage, or containers that have already been redeemed. (E) Returns redeemed containers to the California marketplace for redemption. (F) Brings out-of-state containers, rejected containers, or line breakage to the California marketplace for redemption. (G) Submits a false or fraudulent claim for handling fee payments pursuant to Section 14585. (2) If the money obtained or withheld pursuant to paragraph (1) exceeds nine hundred fifty dollars ($950), a person convicted of a crime pursuant to paragraph (1) is subject to punishment by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years, by a fine not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or twice the late or unmade payments plus interest, whichever is greater, or by both that fine and imprisonment. If the money obtained or withheld pursuant to paragraph (1) equals, or is less than, nine hundred fifty dollars ($950), the person is subject to punishment by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment. (c) For purposes of this section and Chapter 8.5 (commencing with Section 14595), “line breakage” and “rejected container” have the same meanings as defined in the regulations adopted or amended by the department pursuant to this division.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.