# In California must a bussiness who serves the public have an available restroom? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 23, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474 "2009-03-23T17:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/1 "2009-03-23T17:05:49Z")
An article I just read on [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) (I know ☹ ) Stated that > [@](#): > > It didn’t end until the CEO of the entire company stepped in, personally issuing an apology to the mother and pointing out that the franchise in question was not acting in accordance with company policy, \*\*or even state law; apparently it’s required that any business serving the public make a restroom facility available. \*\*We’re assuming over the next week, several hundred random strangers showed up to the store demanding to use the shitter, just daring them to refuse. I know [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) is not the best source to use to cite facts, and I can also think of many business locations I have been to that did not offer or even have a restroom available. Although this does seem like something that would be required. So what’s the dope? [The article in question](http://www.cracked.com/article_17170_8-awesome-cases-internet-vigilantism.html) I was actually involved with their #2 ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/2 "2009-03-23T17:30:51Z")
This Time article suggests they probably do, but doesn’t actually say so: [http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1648349,00.html](http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1648349,00.html) This says the answer is basically yes: [http://www.iapmo.org/California%20Plumbing%20Code/Chapter%2004.pdf](http://www.iapmo.org/California%20Plumbing%20Code/Chapter%2004.pdf) (see Table 14-1) and see [http://www.americanrestroom.org/code/index.htm#upc](http://www.americanrestroom.org/code/index.htm#upc) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/3 "2009-03-23T17:48:31Z")
There are differences for stores that serve food and it depends on the municipality. But in the event of just a member of the public walking by and not a customer? No, California has no law requiring that a restroom be made available to the non-public. Of course, California has no law prohibiting cannibalism either. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/4 "2009-03-23T18:07:34Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > There are differences for stores that serve food and it depends on the municipality. But in the event of just a member of the public walking by and not a customer? No, California has no law requiring that a restroom be made available to the non-public. Of course, California has no law prohibiting cannibalism either. In California, you see lots of “Restroom for customers only” signs on the doors of shops and restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/5 "2009-03-23T18:17:30Z")
Some smaller food establishments even have employee-only restrooms. Whether it’s legal or not, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/6 "2009-03-23T18:20:01Z")
“American Restroom Association” There truly is an interest group for everything under the sun. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/7 "2009-03-23T18:32:07Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > I was actually involved with their #2 :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-california-must-a-bussiness-who-serves-the-public-have-an-available-restroom/490474/8 "2009-03-23T22:10:41Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Some smaller food establishments even have employee-only restrooms. True. But sometimes they will make an exception for a hugely pregnant woman if she swears she’s about to pee her pants right there at the cashier’s desk. 😃