NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL — A new Florida law changing how some cash purchases are rounded could soon impact how residents pay for everyday items.
Florida Senate Bill 1074 is now law after the federal government stopped minting new pennies in 2025. The law allows cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel when exact change is not available.
Examples include $10.01 rounded down to $10.00 and $10.03 rounded up to $10.05.
Scott Shalley, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation, says retailers across the state needed guidance after pennies became harder to find.
"The important thing is absolutely that the retailer and the consumer are both treated fairly, and they needed guidance. That was the most important thing to establish a standard, and that's been dealt with nationwide, Florida like on a lot of things, was out in front," Shalley said.
Under the law, sales tax will still be calculated using the original purchase price, not the rounded total.
But in communities where many residents still rely on cash purchases, Shalley says those small roundups could add up over time.
"Every penny counts for both the consumer and the business. The businesses that are trying to survive in economically challenge areas were on very thin margins, the pennies add up on both sides," Shalley said.
For many Northwest Tallahassee residents, cash still plays a major role in paying for groceries, gas, and other daily necessities.
Shalley says customers should not be afraid to ask retailers about their rounding policies at the register. The law applies only to cash purchases and does not impact electronic payments.
"I don't think anybody's looking to make money. Nobody's just deserves to lose money, so we hope it all balances out," a resident said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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