California · Food and Agricultural Code - FAC

FAC §6461: It is unlawful to ship or transport any plant or any other thing into this state which is infested with any pest which has been listed, by the director, as detrimental to agriculture in this state.

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is illegal to ship or transport plants or items infested with pests listed by the director as harmful to agriculture into this state. The director may impose inspection and treatment requirements on repeat violators and charge costs for pest control.

Read the full statutory text
It is unlawful to ship or transport any plant or any other thing into this state which is infested with any pest which has been listed, by the director, as detrimental to agriculture in this state. The director shall either establish and amend the list of pests by order, after notice and opportunity for written or oral comments, or through the adoption or amendment of quarantine regulations. In addition to the civil, criminal, and administrative remedies specified in this division, the director may, after notice and opportunity to respond, impose inspection, treatment, certification, holding, or other requirements for any shipper or transporter that has shipped or transported three or more pest-infested shipments into this state within any 12-month period. With regard to any commercial shipment violating any of those requirements imposed pursuant to this section, the director or commissioner may also charge the shipper or transporter the cost of inspecting and controlling the pest.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.