Santa Clara County, CA Single-Use Items: Plastic Straw Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Default
- Straws on request only
- Dine-in statute
- AB-1884, PRC section 42270
- Quick-serve statute
- AB-1276, PRC section 42273
- Disability access
- Must accommodate requests
Summary
California AB-1884 (Public Resources Code section 42270) and AB-1276 make Santa Clara County a straws-on-request jurisdiction. Restaurants countywide cannot auto-distribute single-use plastic straws; disability requests must be accommodated without burden under state and federal law.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (a) "Consumer" has the same meaning as in Section 113757 of the Health and Safety Code. (b) "Food facility" has the same meaning as in Section 113789 of the Health and Safety Code. (c) "Ready-to-eat food" has the same meaning as in Section 113881 of the Health and Safety Code. (d) "Single-use" means designed to be used once and then discarded, and not designed for repeated use and sanitizing. (e) "Single-use foodware accessory" means all of the following single-use items provided alongside ready-to-eat food: (1) Utensils, which is defined as forks, knives, spoons, and sporks. (2) Chopsticks. (3) Condiment cups and packets. (4) Straws. (5) Stirrers.
Full Breakdown
California AB-1884 (Public Resources Code section 42270) bars full-service dine-in restaurants from automatically providing single-use plastic straws to customers anywhere in Santa Clara County. AB-1276 (PRC section 42273) extends straws-on-request rules to quick-service outlets, coffee shops, food trucks, and beverage retailers across all fifteen cities and unincorporated areas. Self-service straw caddies are barred. Staff may provide a straw only if a customer affirmatively asks, and compostable or paper alternatives are encouraged under SB-54 packaging rules. Persons with disabilities must be accommodated upon request without burden under the ADA and Unruh Act. The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health enforces locally with warnings, then administrative fines.
Violations & Fines
Auto-distributing plastic straws violates PRC sections 42270 and 42273, triggering written warnings, then administrative fines starting around twenty-five dollars per violation up to several hundred dollars for repeat offenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a coffee shop in Mountain View set out a self-serve straw caddy?
Are paper or compostable straws restricted too?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California single-use items overview
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