Los Angeles County commercial kitchen compliance

Statutory base: California Retail Food Code (CRFC), part of California Health and Safety Code Division 104 Part 7 (§§113700-114437). LA County DPH 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 LA County DPH 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 (FOIR). Critical Risk Factor (CRF) 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 (GRP) 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) CRF 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 (OII) 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 LA 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 (OII) allows operators 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); OII score and grade supersede the prior routine inspection.