CT Businesses Advised On How To Handle Cash Payments Amid Penny Shortage

Connecticut is advising businesses to round down to the nearest five cent mark if they don’t have enough pennies to give cash-paying customers exact change.

The state Department of Consumer Protection provided the guidance Tuesday due to what it described as a national penny shortage.

The federal government has stopped minting new pennies due to the cost, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Meanwhile, retailers and businesses must continue to accept cash as payment for goods and services.

According to the DCP, the law requires that customers can’t be charged more for paying with cash as opposed to another method of payment.

If a bill comes to $19.97, but the customer can’t pay the exact total in cash, and the store can’t give exact change of three cents, the business should only charge the customer $19.95, DCP said.

The DCP noted that consumers who keep change jars can help by using coins to make exact cash payments.