California Electronic Recycling Fee

California remains the only state to adopt an Advanced Recovery Fee (ARF) to finance electronic recycling by imposing a fee on the purchase or lease of new electronic devices. Equipment lessors are required to collect the fee on the lease of any Covered Electronic Device into California; this covers televisions, computer monitors, laptops, and portable DVD players. The fee is divided into three rate tiers dependent on the viewable diagonal screen size of the equipment.

On January 1, 2013, the California Electronic Recycling fee rates are set to change to $3, $4, and $5 depending on the viewable diagonal screen size of the equipment. Lessors are responsible for proper collection even if exercising the option for vendors to voluntarily collect and remit the fee.

• Information on Collecting the California Electronic Recycling Fee
• Option for Vendors to Collect & Remit Fee for Lessors
• California Assembly Bill 575
• Clarifications from California Board of Equalization:
  • 2010 Response to ELFA Request for Guidance
  • Electronic Recycling Fee is Exempt from Sales Tax
  • Q&A with California Board of Equalization