California · Penal Code

PEN §640.2: (a) Any person who stamps, prints, places, or inserts any writing in or on any product or box, package, or other container containing a consumer product offered for sale is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

A person commits a misdemeanor by stamping, printing, placing, or inserting writing on a consumer product or its container offered for sale, unless the owner, manager, manufacturer, or authorized distributor consents.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Any person who stamps, prints, places, or inserts any writing in or on any product or box, package, or other container containing a consumer product offered for sale is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) This section does not apply if the owner or manager of the premises where the product is stored or sold, or his or her designee, or the product manufacturer or authorized distributor or retailer of the product consents to the placing or inserting of the writing. (c) As used in this section, “writing” means any form of representation or communication, including handbills, notices, or advertising, that contains letters, words, or pictorial representations.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

Facing this? Know exactly what happens next.

MOFRD turns this code section into your situation: the deadlines that apply to you, the forms your county uses, and the resolution paths people in your position actually take. Free for 3 days — no card required.

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.