Article 12 - Price Sign Advertising

California Business and Professions Code — §§ 13530-13540

Sections (8)

Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 591, Sec. 39. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2016.

(a)Nothing in this article applies to price indicators and signs referred to in Article 8 (commencing with Section 13470). However, any numerals designating the total price per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement adopted pursuant to Section 12107, 13404, or 13404.5 for a particular brand and grade of motor vehicle fuel permitted or required under Article 8 (commencing with Section 13470) shall, unless otherwise stated, be identical in numerical value with the price per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement for the same brand and grade of motor vehicle fuel permitted or required under this article.

(b)Nothing in this chapter requires that the cash or merchandise value

of trading stamps be stated on any advertising media that either advertises the stamps or advertises the price of motor vehicle fuel.

(c)Unless otherwise prohibited, any person selling motor vehicle fuel by the liter shall be authorized to advertise its price by displaying on the advertising medium either the price per liter or the price per gallon.

§ 13531

Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 117, Sec. 3. (AB 2663) Effective January 1, 2021.

(a)(1) Every person offering for sale or selling any motor vehicle fuel to the public from any place of business shall display on the premises an advertising medium that complies with the requirements of this article and that advertises the total prices of the three major grades of motor vehicle fuel offered for sale.

(2)The advertising medium shall be clearly visible from the street or highway adjacent to the premises. When the place of business is situated at an intersection, the advertising medium shall be clearly visible from each street of the intersection.

(3)For purposes of this subdivision, motor

vehicle fuel does not include propane or dimethyl ether-propane fuel blend.

(4)For purposes of this subdivision, electricity and natural gas sold as a motor vehicle fuel shall meet only the requirements adopted pursuant to Sections 13404 and 13404.5.

(b)The governing body of any city, county, or city and county may, by ordinance, exempt specified geographic areas from the provisions of this section if, pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 65300) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7 of the Government Code, the areas are designated on the local general plan as scenic corridors or historic preservation areas.

(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (a) is guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction, is punishable by a fine not to exceed five

hundred dollars ($500).

(2)Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision (a) and who has been previously convicted two or more times of a violation of subdivision (a) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both.

(d)Notwithstanding Section 13590, the district attorney of each county, or pursuant to Section 41803.5 of the Government Code, the city attorney of any general law city or chartered city within each county, or the county sealer, shall, upon complaint or upon their own motion, enforce the provisions of this section and, in addition, may bring an action for injunctive relief in accordance with Section

13611.

§ 13532

Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 208, Sec. 1. (AB 2906) Effective January 1, 2017.

(a)It is unlawful for any person to display any advertising medium that indicates the price of motor vehicle fuel unless the advertising medium displays all of the following:

(1)The total price per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement adopted pursuant to Section 12107, 13404, or 13404.5, including all taxes, in numerals, and fractions when applicable, not less than six inches in height and of uniform size and color. For purposes of this article, fractions are considered one numeral. For purposes of this section, electricity sold as a motor vehicle fuel shall meet only the requirements adopted pursuant to Section 13404.5.

(2)The trademark or brand of

the motor vehicle fuel in letters, figures, or numerals not less than one-third the size of the numerals designating the price.

(3)The word “gasoline” or the name of other motor vehicle fuel in letters not less than one-third the size of the numerals designating the price, but these words need not be more than four inches in height.

(4)The grade designation of the motor vehicle fuel in letters or numerals not less than one-sixth the size of the numerals designating the price, but this designation need not be more than four inches in height.

(5)If motor vehicle fuel prices are advertised by the unit of measurement other than gallon, the unit shall be displayed on the advertising medium in letters not less than one-third the size of the numerals designating the price.

(b)(1) It is unlawful for any person to display an advertising medium that advertises a discount or price reduction for motor vehicle fuel, unless the advertising medium contains all the following:

(A) The total price per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement adopted pursuant to Section 12107, 13404, or 13404.5 from which the discount or price reduction is to be taken.

(B) The amount of the discount or price reduction in cents per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement using numerals that do not exceed the height of the numerals in the advertised price.

(C) The conditions of the discount or price reduction using words whose letters are not less than one-third the size of the price numerals.

(2)Any limitations under which the discount or price reduction is offered shall be explained in words whose letters are not less than one-third the size of the numerals indicating the prices.

(3)There shall be available for each customer’s reference, a chart showing the amount of discount for each type of unit being sold or fraction thereof in one cent ($0.01) increments, or the retail dispensers used to dispense motor vehicle fuel at the discount price shall be set to compute the total sale at the discounted price per gallon or liter and shall be clearly labeled “Includes Cash Discount” in letters not less than one inch in height.

(4)For purposes of this subdivision, the motor vehicle fuel shall be sold in the same unit of measure in which the discount and the price from which the discount is taken are

advertised.

(c)In the event that the same grade of motor vehicle fuel is sold at different prices from any single place of business, it is unlawful for any person to display any advertising medium that advertises a price of a grade of motor vehicle fuel unless the advertising medium advertises in numerals of equal size each of the higher prices, including all taxes for which the grade is sold or offered for sale, and unless the advertising medium explains the conditions, and any limitations, under which that grade is sold or offered for sale at different prices. The words of explanation shall be clearly shown in letters at least one-third the size of the numerals indicating the prices. The different prices at which the same grade of motor vehicle fuel is sold or offered for sale shall be advertised in the same unit of measure as permitted or required by law.

(d)Nothing in this

section prohibits any person who has posted or displayed a sign or advertising medium in compliance with this chapter from displaying additional signs or advertising media that state either (1) the amount of discount in cents per gallon, liter, or other unit of measurement adopted pursuant to Section 12107, 13404, or 13404.5, or (2) the total price of one or more brands or grades of motor vehicle fuel sold or offered for sale, provided the conditions and any limitations of the discount or price of the brand or grade of motor vehicle fuel are included in the additional advertising media in letters not less than one-third the size of the numerals indicating the discount or price.

§ 13533

Repealed and added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 698, Sec. 6.

It shall be unlawful for any person to display on or near the premises of any place of business in this state any advertising medium which advertises the price of motor oil offered for sale without conspicuously showing on the same advertising medium the brand of the motor oil and the name of the product. The letters, figures and numerals used to designate the brand and the name of the product shall not be less than one-half the size of the numerals designating the price.

§ 13534

Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 72, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2005.

(a)Except as provided by subdivision (b), and subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) of Section 13532, it is unlawful for any person to place any additional advertising matter on any advertising medium referred to in this article except:

(1)A description of the products offered for sale in letters or numerals not larger than the price numerals.

(2)Methods of sale, such as self-serve or full-serve, in letters not less than one-third the size of the price numerals.

(3)Words describing the type of services offered at the place of business, such as food market, carwash, tune up, and the registered trademark or trade name of the service, but not the price of the service.

(b)Subdivision (a) does not apply to electronic changeable message centers when the advertising content includes both the product offered for sale and its price in a single advertising message, or when the product and price components of the advertising message clearly relate to one another and the price neither starts nor ends the message.

§ 13535

Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 591, Sec. 42. (AB 808) Effective January 1, 2016.

If any motor vehicle fuel or lubricant is advertised for sale, but not under any brand designation, the words “no brand” shall be used on the advertising medium as a brand designation.

§ 13536

Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 345, Sec. 7.

All letters, words, figures, or numerals which are part of the advertising media referred to in this article shall have a heavy type face or stroke, shall be clearly visible, and of a color or tint that will contrast the letters, words, figures, or numerals with the background of the advertising media. The height of the letters, figures, and numerals, except the letter “l” and numeral one, shall not be more than twice the width.

§ 13540

Repealed and added by Stats. 1984, Ch. 698, Sec. 6.

Nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit the governing body of any city, county, or city and county from enacting ordinances, including, but not limited to, land use and zoning ordinances, which impose restrictions on the advertising medium referred to in this article, so long as any provisions of the ordinances dealing with matters specifically covered in this article are identical to this article.