As wildfires continue to cause catastrophic levels of devastation
throughout the Los Angeles region, CSAC would like to remind
counties that the Governor’s declared state of emergency on
January 7, 2025, activated price gouging protections,
ensuring that prices for a variety of goods and services cannot
be raised by more than 10% during the state of emergency. This
includes the following protections under the Penal Code (PC):
PC § 396 (b): Any consumer food items or goods, goods or
services used for emergency cleanup, emergency supplies, medical
supplies, home heating oil, building materials, housing,
transportation, freight, and storage services, or gasoline or
other motor fuels.
PC§ 396 (c): Any repair or reconstruction services or
any services used in emergency cleanup.
PC § 396 (d): Hotel or motel.
PC § 396 (e) & (f): Any rental housing with an initial
lease term of no longer than one year, including, but not limited
to, a space rented in a mobile-home park or campground.
According to the California State Attorney General, these
protections generally apply for 30 days after a declaration of
emergency, although for reconstruction services and emergency
cleanup services, protections apply for 180 days after a
declaration of emergency. The fact that an emergency is
continuing does not, by itself, extend price gouging protections
beyond their initial expiration, but state and local officials
may extend price gouging protections beyond these timeframes by
additional orders. As of now, the price gouging protections are
set to expire on March 8, 2025.
Learn more:
Californians who believe they have been the victim of price
gouging should report it to their local authorities or to the CA
Attorney General at: oag.ca.gov/report.
