Written on: September 19, 2026
From the National Propane Gas Association Bobtail
In 2024, California enacted legislation banning the sale of single-use propane canisters, such as U.S. DOT 39 cylinders, beginning January 1, 2028. After that date, only refillable propane canisters and cylinders would be offered for sale within the state market.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA), declared that California’s ban on single-use canisters was unlawful and preempted by federal standards governing the uniformity over their design and manufacture. Small propane canisters are popular with consumers who use them for everything from camping and tailgating, to crafting and emergency preparedness.
Outside of California, single-use propane cylinders have also been the focus of legislative efforts to further regulate them in numerous other states, including Connecticut, Maine, and Vermont.
California is the largest propane market in the country, with annual sales of 533 million gallons or 6 percent of all retail sales. For more information, contact NPGA’s Senior Director of State Advocacy & Affairs, Jacob Peterson, at jpeterson@npga.org.
