HARTFORD — The Department of Consumer Protection is advising businesses to round down the charge to the nearest five cents if they are unable to make exact change for consumers paying with cash, due to the national penny shortage.
Connecticut law requires retailers to accept cash as a valid payment method. The law also requires that a customer cannot be charged more for paying with cash than another method of payment.
For example:
- If a customer’s total is $19.97 and the customer cannot pay the exact total and the store cannot make exact change of 3 cents, the business should only charge the customer $19.95.
- If a customer’s total is $1.04 and the customer cannot pay the exact total and the store cannot make exact change of 1 cent, the business should only charge the customer $1.00.
Consumers who keep change jars can help by using those coins to make exact change when paying for a good or service with cash.
Consumers who would like to file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection can do so at CT.gov/DCP/Complaint.