Redondo Beach, CA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Requirement
- Food handler course certification in application
- Section
- RBMC § 3-7.2004(a)(15)
- Also required
- LA County Dept. of Public Health approval
- Filed with
- City Finance Director; annual renewal
- Fine, unpermitted vending
- Up to $250 first violation
- Effective date
- October 21, 2021 (Ord. 3220)
Summary
Anyone selling food from a sidewalk vending cart in Redondo Beach must include certification of completing a food handler course in the permit application filed with the Finance Director. The same application must also show proof of approval from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health before the city will issue the annual sidewalk vending permit.
To apply for a sidewalk vending permit, a person must file an application with the Director, or designee, accompanied by a non-refundable application fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council. The application shall be in a form prescribed by the Director and shall contain, at a minimum, the following: ... (15) If a vendor of food or food products, certification of completion of a food handler course; (16) If a vendor of food or food products, proof of all required approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4889554; v14 updated 2026-05-12).
Full Breakdown
2004(a) lists what a sidewalk vending permit application must contain, and item (15) requires "certification of completion of a food handler course" whenever the applicant will sell food or food products. Item (16) adds a second, separate requirement: proof of all required approvals from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, since the city's Finance Department does not itself inspect food carts. The application is filed with the Finance Director (or designee) on a city form, accompanied by a nonrefundable fee set by City Council resolution, and must also include a valid business license, a California seller's permit under Revenue and Taxation Code § 6067, and identification such as a driver's license or ITIN.
Once issued, a permit under this article is valid for 12 months, expires with the vendor's business license, and is not prorated for partial years. 2009(c)(1), so the food handler certification submitted at application is backed up by an on-the-street inspection credential. Ordinance No. 3220, effective October 21, 2021, created this sidewalk vending program after the state decriminalized sidewalk vending; the food handler and county health requirements are how the city keeps public-health oversight in place. 2007 if the application omits required certifications or contains false information.
Violations & Fines
Vending without the required certifications is treated as vending without a valid sidewalk vending permit under § 3-7.2011(b): an administrative fine of up to $250 for a first violation, $500 for a second within a year, and $1,000 for each further violation within that year. A permitted vendor who later falls out of compliance faces the lighter § 3-7.2011(a) schedule of $100, $200 and $500, and the City may rescind the permit on a fourth violation. No violation is charged as an infraction or misdemeanor, and the hearing officer must consider the vendor's ability to pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Redondo Beach food cart vendor need a food handler card?
What other food safety approval does the city require?
What happens if I vend food without the certification?
How long does the permit last once issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Redondo Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Redondo Beach to another location·View the California public health rules overview
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Food Handler Certification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle food handler certification.