California Jurisdiction
Pasadena commercial kitchen compliance
Pasadena runs its own food safety authority — separate from Los Angeles County. Here's how the rules are written, who enforces them, and where Pasadena kitchens stand.
Authority chain
Pasadena → Pasadena Public Health Department - Environmental Health Division → California Retail Food Code
Pasadena operates an independent health department for food safety. The city's authority covers commercial kitchens inside city limits; everything outside falls under Los Angeles County.
Standard 01
Food Safety
Authority
Pasadena Public Health Department - Environmental Health Division
- Phone
- (626) 744-6004
- Scoring type
- Numeric Deduction
- Grading type
- Pass Conditional Placard
- Pass threshold
- 85
- Warning threshold
- 75
- Critical threshold
- 75
Methodology
Statutory base: California Retail Food Code (H&SC Division 104, Part 7, §§113700-114437) and Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 8.13. Pasadena Public Health Department Environmental Health Division operates an independent city-level health department — one of only three California cities (with Berkeley and Long Beach) operating an independent municipal health department separate from county authority. Health permits issued by Los Angeles County are NOT valid within the City of Pasadena. Inspection scoring is a 100-point numeric deduction system documented in the Health Inspection Placard Requirements (effective 2014-07-01). Inspection begins at 100 points; points deducted per violation observed. Critical Risk Factor (CRF) violations are marked Major (-4 pts) or Minor (-2 pts); Good Retail Practices (GRP) are -1 pt each; Imminent Health Hazard is -26 pts. Final score determines placard: PASS (85-100), CONDITIONAL PASS (75-84, follow-up within 5 working days), CONDITIONAL PASS below 75 (Permit Suspension Hearing scheduled), or CLOSED (permit suspension or imminent health hazard). Placard displays both the categorical result AND the numeric score. Critical reinspection delta vs initial inspection: a facility that received a CONDITIONAL PASS must score 95 or above with NO major violations at follow-up inspection to be re-issued a PASS placard (the 95 reinspection threshold is 10 points higher than the 85 initial PASS threshold). Failure to clear 95 at follow-up triggers Permit Suspension or Revocation Hearing per CRFC §114405. Permit Suspension Hearing fee is $150. Pasadena explicitly chose NOT to adopt the LA County A/B/C letter-grade system, per Pasadena Public Health Department FAQ. Placard posting required within 5 feet of front door, with QR code linking to inspection database at decadeonline.com/main.phtml?agency=PAS (Tier 2 Decade Online platform).
Posted grade tiers
| Grade | Range | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| PASS | 85-100 | An acceptable level of compliance was achieved with any noted major violations corrected at time of inspection. If a major violation cannot be corrected during the inspection, a closure of the facility may be necessary. |
| CONDITIONAL PASS | 75-84 | Minimally acceptable compliance was achieved with any noted major violations corrected at time of inspection. A follow-up inspection will be conducted within 5 working days to ensure continued compliance. |
| CONDITIONAL PASS (Below 75) | 0-74 | Poor food handling practices and overall food facility maintenance and sanitation is lacking. A Permit Suspension Hearing will be scheduled. A follow-up inspection will be conducted to verify compliance or the permit may be suspended. |
| CLOSED | n/a | Facility ordered closed: Permit Suspension due to imminent health hazard, Permit Suspension due to non-compliance, or Operating without a Health Permit. |
Primary source
Pasadena Public Health Department Health Inspection Placard Requirements (PDF); Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 8.13; California Retail Food Code
Last verified by JIE: May 21, 2026
Published inspection data for Pasadena is mirrored on ScoreTable, direct from the agency.
Standard 02
Fire Safety
Authority deferral
Pasadena operates an independent food safety authority, but fire code enforcement defers to Los Angeles County Fire Department for commercial kitchens within city limits.
See Los Angeles County fire authority
NFPA 96 (2024 edition) governs commercial kitchen exhaust regardless of which agency enforces. Hood cleaning default for Pasadena: Quarterly.
Reference
Frequently asked
- Who inspects commercial kitchens in Pasadena?
- Pasadena Public Health Department - Environmental Health Division is the food safety authority for Pasadena. Reach them at (626) 744-6004. California Retail Food Code (CRFC) 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 Pasadena?
- Yes. Pasadena requires inspection results to be posted at the facility. Format: pass conditional placard with numeric score.
- Who enforces fire and hood-cleaning rules in Pasadena?
- Pasadena operates an independent food safety authority but defers fire enforcement to the surrounding county fire AHJ. Confirm by city limits — kitchens within incorporated city boundaries may fall under a city fire department; unincorporated areas typically fall under county fire. NFPA 96 (2024 edition) governs commercial kitchen exhaust regardless of which agency enforces.
- What fire code edition applies in Pasadena?
- 2025 CFC is the adopted edition. NFPA 96 (2024) governs commercial kitchen exhaust systems. Local amendments: none recorded.
- Where can I verify Pasadena inspection records?
- Primary source: https://www.cityofpasadena.net/public-health/. EvidLY ScoreTable mirrors the latest jurisdiction-published results at https://www.getevidly.com/scoretable/california/los-angeles.
Related coverage
What to do with this data
EvidLY
Predict the failure. Reduce the cost. Prove the work.
EvidLY reads the regulations for Pasadena, identifies what's about to slip, and documents what got done — before an inspector or insurer asks.
See EvidLY pricingScoreTable
Pasadena inspection data — direct from the agency.
Real inspection results for Pasadena, mirrored from the jurisdiction's own published portals. No aggregation, no conversion.
View Pasadena on ScoreTableFTC disclosure: Stovio Advisors is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EvidLY LLC. Cleaning Pros Plus and HoodOps share common ownership with EvidLY. These are editorial references to sister brands, not paid placements.
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