Contra Costa County, CA Public Health Rules: Restaurant Grade Cards (2026)
Key Facts
- Program authority
- Cal. Health & Safety Code § 113709
- Green placard
- 0-1 violation, passed inspection
- Yellow placard
- 2+ violations, conditional pass
- Red placard
- permit suspended, facility closed
- Posting rule
- within 5 ft of front door
- Tampering consequence
- mandatory reinspection and fees
Summary
Contra Costa County's color-coded placard program posts inspection results at every permitted food facility. Green means passed, yellow means a conditional pass, red means the permit is suspended and the facility closed, and white marks a pending rating for a new or reopened business.
This article establishes a placard program for food facilities, as authorized by California Health and Safety Code section 113709. The program consists of color-coded placards issued by the health officer and official inspection reports issued by the health officer. ... The color green is the color used for a placard indicating that a food facility has passed an inspection. A food facility receives a green placard if no more than one violation is noted during an inspection. ... The color red is the color used for a placard indicating that a food facility has not passed an inspection and its environmental health permit is suspended under Section 413-3.1408. ... A red placard is a notice of closure of a food facility.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Ordinance Code: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
18 of the county's Ordinance Code establishes the placard program "as authorized by California Health and Safety Code section 113709," consisting of color-coded placards and official inspection reports the health officer issues after every inspection (Sec. 1802). The program applies to every food facility holding an environmental health permit under Chapter 413-3, though temporary food facilities, certified farmers' markets, cottage food operations, and mobile facilities selling only whole uncut produce, prepackaged non-potentially-hazardous food, or prepackaged ice cream are exempt (Sec. 1804). 1408, marking a closure, and white for a rating still pending after a new opening, ownership change, or permit reinstatement (Sec.
1806(a)-(d)). The current placard must be posted within five feet of a fixed facility's front door, in the service window of a mobile facility, or another county-approved spot clearly visible to patrons, and only the most recently issued placard may be shown (Sec. 1810(b)-(c)). A copy of the official inspection report describing corrective actions must be kept on site and shown to the public on request (Secs. 1810(f)).
Violations & Fines
Defacing, hiding, or removing a placard, or covering it with an unofficial document, violates Section 413-3.1812 and is punishable under Chapter 413-3's penalty provisions. A facility caught operating with its placard removed faces one or more mandatory reinspections before the health officer will restore the correct placard, and it must pay the associated reinspection fees before service can resume.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a red placard mean at a Contra Costa restaurant?
Which businesses are exempt from the placard program?
Where must the placard be displayed?
Can I remove or cover a bad placard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Contra Costa County
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