Los Angeles County, CA Single-Use Items: Utensils-On-Request (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- California AB-1276, June 2022
- Enforcer
- LA County Public Health Environmental
- Applies to
- All food facilities and delivery
- First violation
- Written warning, no fine
- Annual fine cap
- $300 per location
Summary
California AB-1276 prohibits restaurants and food vendors from automatically providing single-use foodware accessories. Utensils, straws, condiments, and stirrers must only be supplied on customer request or self-serve, enforced countywide by LA County Public Health.
(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (c) and (d), a food facility, for on-premises dining or when using a third-party food delivery platform, shall not provide any single-use foodware accessory or standard condiment packaged for single use to a consumer unless the single-use foodware accessory or standard condiment is requested by the consumer. (b) Single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments packaged for single use provided by food facilities for use by consumers shall not be bundled or packaged in a manner that prohibits a consumer from taking only the type of single-use foodware accessory or standard condiment desired without also having to take a different type of single-use foodware accessory or standard condiment. (c) A food facility may ask a drive-through consumer if the consumer wants a single-use foodware accessory if the single-use foodware accessory is necessary for the consumer to consume ready-to-eat food, or to prevent spills of or safely transport ready-to-eat food. (e) (1) A third-party food delivery platform shall provide consumers with the option to request single-use foodware accessories or standard condiments from a food facility serving ready-to-eat food. (2) If a food facility uses any third-party delivery platform for ready-to-eat food, the food facility shall customize its menu with a list of available single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments, and only those single-use foodware accessories or standard condiments selected by the consumer shall be provided by the food facility.
Full Breakdown
AB-1276, effective June 2022, requires all California food facilities to provide single-use foodware accessories, including plastic utensils, straws, stirrers, condiment packets, and cocktail picks, only on customer request or from a self-service station. The law applies countywide in LA County, including unincorporated areas, contract cities, and incorporated cities, and is enforced by LA County Public Health Environmental Health inspectors during routine restaurant grading visits. Third-party delivery platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub must include an opt-in checkbox during ordering. The rule supplements LA County Code Title 12.84 single-use foodware program with broader accessory coverage. Compostable, reusable, and unwrapped accessories are equally subject to the on-request rule.
Violations & Fines
First two violations within 12 months draw written warnings. The third and subsequent violations carry $25 per day fines, capped at $300 annually per location. Willful refusal can elevate to $500 administrative penalties through DPH enforcement hearings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still have utensils at the counter?
Does this apply to schools and hospitals?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles County to another location·View the California single-use items overview
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