California Health Department
Los Angeles County commercial kitchen compliance
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is the authority. Here's the methodology, the thresholds, and the fire code overlay.
Authority chain
Los Angeles County → Los Angeles County Department of Public Health — Environmental Health Division → California Retail Food Code
The volume of commercial kitchens in Los Angeles County drives the methodology — the agency has to scale documentation and posting across thousands of facilities. Three cities sit outside Los Angeles County's authority entirely: Long Beach, Pasadena, Vernon. They run their own health departments and appear as separate health departments on Stovio. 7 cities within Los Angeles County have not adopted the grade-posting ordinance: Avalon, Bradbury, Hidden Hills, La Habra Heights, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Signal Hill. Kitchens there are still inspected but aren't required to post a grade card. Los Angeles County Fire Department serves unincorporated areas + 60+ contract cities. Los Angeles Fire Department serves City of Los Angeles. Confirm which AHJ applies by city limits.
Standard 01
Food Safety
Authority
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health — Environmental Health Division
- Phone
- (888) 700-9995
- Website
- publichealth.lacounty.gov
- Scoring type
- Numeric Deduction
- Grading type
- Letter Grade
- Pass threshold
- 90
- Warning threshold
- 80
- Critical threshold
- 70
Methodology
Statutory base: California Retail Food Code, part of California Health and Safety Code Division 104 Part 7 (§§113700-114437). Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Environmental Health Division is the local enforcement agency for all of Los Angeles County EXCEPT the cities of Long Beach, Pasadena, and Vernon, which operate their own independent health departments. Inspection scoring is a 100-point numeric deduction system documented in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Retail Food Inspection Guide for Permanent Food Facilities (May 2025). Inspection begins at 100 points; points are deducted per violation marked on the Retail Food Official Inspection Report. Critical Risk Factor violations are marked Major (-4 pts), Minor (-2 pts), or Major with permit suspension (-11 pts total = -4 base plus -7 additional). Good Retail Practices violations are -1 pt each. Category #53 (Multiple Major Critical Violations/Increased Risk to Public Health) triggers an additional -3 pts when two or more major (4-point) Critical Risk Factor violations are marked in a single inspection, with exception when permit is suspended for Category #22 (water), #23 (sewage), or #24 (vermin). Final score determines placard: A=90-100, B=80-89, C=70-79, Score Card=0-69, or Notice of Closure when permit suspended/revoked. Score below 70 on routine inspection or Owner Initiated Inspection is an imminent health hazard and triggers immediate closure consideration. Two scores below 70 within 12 months subjects facility to closure and further legal action (two-strike rule). Posting requirement applies to unincorporated Los Angeles County and cities that have adopted Ordinance 97-0071; the cities of Avalon, Bradbury, Hidden Hills, La Habra Heights, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and Signal Hill have not adopted this ordinance and are not required to post grade/score cards. Inspection frequency is risk-tiered: High Risk = 3/year, Moderate Risk = 2/year, Low Risk = 1/year. Owner Initiated Inspection allows owners to request an additional routine inspection within 3 business days of original inspection (paid within 10 calendar days, conducted within 10 calendar days of payment, once per 12-month period); Owner Initiated Inspection score and grade supersede the prior routine inspection.
Inspection results published by the agency are mirrored at Los Angeles County on ScoreTable.
Posted grade tiers
Posting location: Area clearly visible to patrons/public, as determined by the inspector.
| Grade | Range | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100 | Generally superior in food handling practices and overall food facility maintenance |
| B | 80-89 | Generally good in food handling practices and overall food facility maintenance |
| C | 70-79 | Generally acceptable in food handling practices and overall general food facility maintenance |
| Score Card | 0-69 | Poor in food handling practices and overall general food facility maintenance. Numeric score displayed; no letter grade. |
| Notice of Closure | — | Posted when public health permit is suspended, revoked, or facility is operating without a valid permit. Reason for closure indicated on sign by the environmental health specialist. |
Primary source
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/eh/business/restaurants-retail-food-stores.htm; Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Retail Food Inspection Guide for Permanent Food Facilities (May 2025, 134 pages); Los Angeles County Ordinance 97-0071; California Retail Food Code
Last verified by JIE: May 21, 2026
Published inspection data for Los Angeles County is mirrored on ScoreTable, direct from the agency.
Health department detail
What makes Los Angeles County distinct
Standard 02
Fire Safety
Authority having jurisdiction
In Los Angeles County, fire code authority rests with Los Angeles County Fire Department.
- Phone
- (323) 890-4243
- Fire code edition
- 2025 California Fire Code
- NFPA 96 edition
- 2021
- Hood cleaning default
- Semi Annual
- Permit type
- Operational Fire Permit — annual renewal, pass/fail
Hood cleaning frequencies
Frequencies enforced by Los Angeles County Fire Department per NFPA 96 (2021).
| Cooking volume / type | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Solid-fuel cooking | Monthly |
| High-volume / 24-hour / charbroil / wok | Quarterly |
| Moderate-volume | Semiannually |
| Low-volume / seasonal / place of worship | Annually |
Local amendments adopted
The Los Angeles County Fire Department adopts the California Fire Code with extensive local amendments. Title 32 of the Los Angeles County Code, the County of Los Angeles Fire Code, amends the 2025 California Fire Code. Note: The Los Angeles Fire Department (City of Los Angeles) is a separate authority having jurisdiction for the incorporated City of Los Angeles — the same California Fire Code basis with own amendments.
Hood cleaning enforcement
MODERATE — verifies certificates on inspection; Table 12.4 frequencies enforced
Reference
Frequently asked
- Who inspects commercial kitchens in Los Angeles County?
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Health — Environmental Health Division is the food safety authority for Los Angeles County. Reach them at (888) 700-9995. California Retail Food Code provides the statutory base; the agency conducts inspections, scores them per local methodology, and posts results to the public.
- Are inspection results posted publicly in Los Angeles County?
- Yes. Los Angeles County requires inspection results to be posted in an area area clearly visible to patrons/public, as determined by the inspector. Format: letter grade or score card.
- Who enforces fire and hood-cleaning rules in Los Angeles County?
- In Los Angeles County, fire code authority rests with Los Angeles County Fire Department. Enforcement covers the 2025 California Fire Code and NFPA 96 (2021 edition) for commercial kitchen exhaust. Hood cleaning default frequency: semi annual.
- Does Los Angeles County have local fire code amendments?
- Yes. The Los Angeles County Fire Department adopts the California Fire Code with extensive local amendments. Title 32 of the Los Angeles County Code, the County of Los Angeles Fire Code, amends the 2025 California Fire Code. Note: The Los Angeles Fire Department (City of Los Angeles) is a separate authority having jurisdiction for the incorporated City of Los Angeles — the same California Fire Code basis with own amendments. Kitchen leaders should verify which set of amendments applies to their address with the local fire authority.
- Where can I verify Los Angeles County inspection records?
- Primary source: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov. EvidLY ScoreTable mirrors the latest health-department-published results at https://www.getevidly.com/scoretable/california/la-county.
Related coverage
What to do with this data
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Los Angeles County inspection data — direct from the agency.
Real inspection results for Los Angeles County, mirrored from the health department's own published portals. No aggregation, no conversion.
View Los Angeles County on ScoreTableFTC disclosure: Stovio Advisors is a Cleaning Pros Plus, LLC company. Cleaning Pros Plus, HoodOps, and EvidLY (with ScoreTable) are commonly owned. Links to these sister brands are editorial references, not paid placements, and do not influence coverage. Vendor Network placements are paid and labeled as such; they do not influence editorial coverage.
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