DENVER — The Denver City Council approved an ordinance that exempts diapers from City and County of Denver sales tax.
The tax exemption will go into effect on Oct. 1. All diapers are included in the exemption, including adult incontinence products.
The ordinance, led by councilmembers Amanda Sawyer and Jolon Clark, was published Monday night with unanimous support. It will be officially adopted after next week’s city council vote.
The cost of passing the measure is estimated to be between $500,000 to $800,000 annually, though Sawyer and Clark said sales tax data is not aggregated at a granular level of detail.
“Diapers are an essential item, but unlike other essential items, they have been taxed,” Clark said. “This tax disproportionately affects low income families in our community, and this exemption will provide relief to those who need it most.”
The ordinance approval comes after state lawmakers passed a bill that exempts adult and baby diapers as well as feminine hygiene products from the state’s sales tax. Cities have to choose whether to apply the exemption to local sales tax as well. Denver began exempting menstrual products from local sales tax in 2019.
