Paramount, CA Public Health Rules: Restaurant Grade Cards (2026)

Paramount does not write out the grading rules in its own code. Section 8.04.030 adopts County Ordinance No. 97-0071 by reference. That ordinance relates to the operation of food establishments, establishes a letter grade and inspection score system for all food establishments, creates a food handler's training certification program, and sets other requirements for food establishments. The City Council also adopted Title 11 of the Los Angeles County Code, the County "Health and Safety Code," as the Health Code of the City in § 8.04.010, and the adoption was updated by ordinance as recently as March 10, 2026.

The permit gate sits in § 8.04.020. The City Clerk shall not issue a business permit to any café, food establishment, public eating place or hawker unless the business has and keeps in effect a permit from the Health Officer. Each applicant pays a $10.00 fee in advance when filing with the City Clerk, and the application is referred to the Health Officer for processing and report. If the Health Officer approves, the City Clerk issues the permit once the business license under Chapter 5.12 is paid. An applicant holding a valid unexpired County health license can have it accepted in place of an additional City license, if the Clerk and the Health Officer find the public health will be protected.

Restaurants also sit on a second inspection track in Chapter 8.20, the Urban Stormwater Management chapter. Section 8.20.130 lists restaurants among the facilities subject to stormwater and urban water run-off inspections, and § 8.20.140 sets the "Restaurant (DHS)" fee at $32.00. Parking lots serving restaurants must be completely swept and kept free of debris and litter on each day the restaurant is open for business to the public (§ 8.20.160), and washing or rinsing restaurant mats, equipment or garbage bins so that non-stormwater reaches the storm drain system is a prohibited discharge (§ 8.20.100).