LA County Code Title 8 Chapter 8.04 requires every retail food facility countywide to post an LACDPH letter grade within five feet of the entrance. A=90+, B=80-89, C=70-79; scores below 70 trigger immediate closure until reinspection clears violations.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) Environmental Health Division runs the countywide retail food grading program under LA County Code §8.04.752. Inspectors visit every restaurant, market, and mobile food facility in all 88 cities plus unincorporated areas at least annually, deducting points for critical violations like improper holding temperatures, vermin, and bare-hand contact. The numeric score converts to a letter grade card the operator must display within five feet of the main public entrance, visible from outside. Pasadena and Long Beach run their own city health departments and grading systems; everywhere else in LA County, LACDPH is the regulator. Sub-70 scores require immediate closure.
Operating without a posted grade card or removing one is a misdemeanor under LA County Code §8.04.755. Failed reinspections, repeat critical violations, or sub-70 scores trigger immediate closure plus public listing on the LACDPH website.
See how Santa Monica's restaurant grade cards rules stack up against other locations.
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