San Bernardino County, CA Single-Use Items: Plastic Straw Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- AB 1884 of 2018
- Applies to
- Full-service restaurants
- Disability exception
- Always available on request
- Annual fine cap
- 300 dollars
Summary
California AB 1884 bars full-service restaurants in San Bernardino County and statewide from automatically providing plastic straws; customers must specifically request them at sit-down meals.
42270. 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.
(6) Splash sticks.
(7) Cocktail sticks.
(f) “Standard condiment” means relishes, spices, sauces, confections, or seasonings that require no additional preparation and that are usually used on a food item after preparation, including ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, hot sauce, salsa, salt, pepper, sugar, and sugar substitutes.
(g) “Third-party food delivery platform” has the same meaning as in Section 113930.5 of the Health and Safety Code.
Full Breakdown
Under California Public Resources Code 42270 to 42272, full-service restaurants cannot provide single-use plastic straws unless a customer requests one. The law does not apply to fast-food, drive-thru, or takeout settings, though many SBC operators voluntarily adopt request-only policies countywide. People with disabilities are entitled to plastic straws on request, and operators cannot interrogate customers about disability status. Inspectors visit during routine health checks and issue notices of violation rather than fines for the first two offenses, with stronger enforcement for repeat offenders.
Violations & Fines
Full-service restaurants giving unsolicited plastic straws receive a written notice for the first two violations, then 25-dollar daily fines up to 300 dollars annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the law cover Starbucks?
What if I need a straw for medical reasons?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino County to another location·View the California single-use items overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.