About COVID-19 restrictions

We are in the midst of an unprecedented surge in cases and hospitalizations in California and across the country. Without immediate action many hospital Intensive Care Units (ICU) will reach capacity before the end of the year. ICU beds are a critical resource for individuals who need the most advanced support and care. Given the nationwide surge, the ability to add surge ICU capacity is limited by availability of ICU nurses and physicians. We need to protect our hospital capacity so those who need care—for such things as cancer treatment, heart attacks, and strokes—can get it. By taking this action we are saving lives, protecting our health care delivery system and keeping those at highest risk and essential workers safe.

The Regional Stay Home Order instructs Californians to stay at home as much as possible and to stop mixing between households that can lead to COVID-19 spread. It allows access to critical services and allows outdoor activities to preserve Californians’ physical and mental health. The Regional Stay Home Order will help stop the surge and prevent overwhelming regional ICU capacity. 

Under the order, the following sectors are allowed to remain open with safety precautions: 

• Critical infrastructure (when remote option is not possible)
• Schools
• Non-urgent medical and dental care
• Child care and pre-K

The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:

• Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only for the purpose of facilitating physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise, without any food, drink or alcohol sales. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
• Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity, and 35% of capacity for standalone grocery stores, with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems. 
• Shopping centers: Allow indoor access at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
• Hotels and lodging: Allow for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures, treatment measures, provide accommodation for essential workers, or providing housing solutions, including measures to protect homeless populations.
• Restaurants: Allow only for take out or delivery.
• Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible. 
• Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor activities only.
• Entertainment production: Industries, studios, and other related establishments such as establishments that provide content for professional broadcast can operate without live audiences.

In any region that triggers a Regional Stay Home Order because it drops below 15% ICU capacity all operations in the following sectors must be closed (except to the extent that their operations fall within critical infrastructure):

• Hair salons and barbershops
• Personal care services
• Museums, zoos, and aquariums
• Movie theaters (except drive-in)
• Wineries, bars, breweries, and distilleries (with exception for production, manufacturing, distribution, and retail sale for off-site consumption)
• Family entertainment centers
• Cardrooms and satellite wagering
• Limited services
• Live audience sports
• Amusement parks

The Regional Stay Home Order will be implemented regionally once there is less than 15% ICU capacity remaining in the designated region. After three weeks from the start of the Regional Stay Home Order in the region, one of two situations would occur:

1. The order will end in a region if the region’s ICU capacity projected out four weeks (from day 22 after the Regional Stay Home Order started in the region) is above or equal to 15%. Each county in the region will then be assigned to a tier based on the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and the rules of the Blueprint will apply again.
2. The order will remain in effect in a region if its ICU capacity projected out four weeks (from day 22 after the Regional Stay Home Order started in the region) is less than 15%. The order will remain in effect until the region’s projected ICU capacity is equal or greater than 15%. This would be assessed approximately twice a week.

The state will post ICU capacity by region daily. The state also maintains a publicly-available dashboard on hospital and ICU capacity by county.

Hospitals are required to submit information on the total number of available staffed ICU beds daily. This includes both existing staffed ICU beds and staffed ICU surge beds. To calculate regional ICU capacity the total number of adult ICU beds is calculated by removing neonatal ICU beds (NICU) and pediatric intensive care unit beds (PICU) as well as standardizing current adult ICU capacity. Consistent with the goal of the Regional Stay Home Order, this calculation ensures that sufficient ICU bed capacity is available for COVID and non-COVID related conditions.   

As of December 4, 2020 the ICU capacity is calculated as described above.

The Order does not modify existing state guidance regarding K-12 schools.

Schools that are currently open are able to continue to provide in-person instruction on school sites. 

• Schools that are currently operating under an elementary school waiver are able to continue to provide instruction to students on school sites.
• Schools that reopened while their county was in a less restrictive tier are able to continue to provide instruction to students on school sites.
• All schools that have not yet reopened for in-person instruction are able to continue to serve small cohorts of students (e.g., students with disabilities) following CDPH Guidance.

Schools are still required to follow the Schools Guidance issued by CDPH which outlines requirements for safe conditions, testing and tracing. Schools may be required to close if certain percentages of staff and students are diagnosed with COVID-19. All existing guidance applicable to schools can be found on the CDPH website.

Playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise.  Playgrounds located at schools that remain open for in-person instruction, and not accessible by the general public, may remain open and must follow guidance for schools and school-based programs (PDF).

They are:

• Northern California: Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity
• Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma
• Greater Sacramento: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba
• San Joaquin Valley: Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne
• Southern California: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura

Yes. Currently the state has 11 alternative care sites that could be activated in 24-96 hours should they be needed. The total number of beds in these alternative care sites is 1,862. In addition to the alternative care sites the state has 22 California Medical Stations, which are 50 bed field hospitals, in our cache that can be rapidly deployed. In total we have a capacity of approximately 3,000 additional medical beds currently available beyond what we have in the hospital system. Information on the number of alternative care sites and the number of surge beds in use can be found here: https://public.tableau.com/views/COVID-19BedSurgeDashboard/BedSurge?:embed=y&:showVizHome=no

All individuals living in a region under the Regional Stay Home Order.

Members of the same household are encouraged to maintain physical and mental health by safely going to a park, a beach, hike, walk, or bike ride with members of their own household. Californians are also encouraged to keep connected with loved ones virtually.

Limiting mixing and movement of individuals from different households is critical in order to stop the transmission of the virus. All activities are higher-risk now in California based on the level of community spread we are currently seeing. By staying home, we are limiting exposure and interrupting the chain of transmission.

Essential workforce and critical infrastructure sectors are defined on the Essential Workforce web page.

Yes, there is no restriction on commuting to work.

Residents are required to stay at home as much as possible and minimize mixing to reduce unnecessary exposure, while still being able to do important things like go to the doctor, buy groceries, pick up takeout, go on a hike, or worship outdoors.

Non-essential businesses, those that are NOT defined as critical infrastructure, must close for in-person activities, with the exception of retail. Essential work is permitted to continue.

Yes, restaurants can stay open for take out and delivery.

Failure to comply with the order may be punishable by fine and as a misdemeanor, revocation of a business license, or court-imposed penalties.

All Californians are being asked to follow this order to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. The order provides a new tool for local officials & law enforcement personnel to use to protect public health and safety, should they need it. 

The State COVID-19 Enforcement Taskforce will continue to work closely with local officials to implement the order and coordinate strategic, targeted enforcement actions with the goal of adjusting behavior, interrupting high-risk actions and defiance of public health orders, and restoring compliance.

Several Health and Safety Code provisions (listed in the order itself) authorize the California Department of Public Health to take action necessary to protect public health. In addition, multiple executive orders require compliance with such orders. For example, on March 12, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-25-20, which included as operative paragraph one, “[a]ll residents are to heed any orders and guidance of state and local public health officials, including but not limited to the imposition of social distancing measures, to combat the spread of COVID-19.” Further, on March 19, 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-33-20, in which he reiterated his directive that all residents immediately heed state public health directives (which, in that Order, was in the context of the stay-at-home order).

There are a variety of downloadable resources and fact sheets available on covid19.ca.gov and the California Department of Public Health website.

Gyms in counties in a region that is impacted by the order must stop indoor operations. Outdoor gyms meet the essential workforce definition of an outdoor recreational facility for the purpose of facilitating personal health through physically distanced outdoor exercise and may continue operations.

Capacity is based on the fire department occupancy limit. In most cases the capacity limit does NOT include staff under the fire code; individual premises will know from their own individualized fire department occupancy limits whether staff are included. Trained staff serve as safety facilitators and help customers evacuate in an emergency. These same staff can assist in the public health emergency to enforce public health protocols. Staff also play an important role by ensuring customers are assisted quickly at the point of sale to avoid crowding and ensure appropriate physical distancing.

The State’s Regional Stay Home Order sets forth minimum restrictions necessary based on regional conditions. The Local Health Officer may determine if and when the situation within a given local jurisdiction warrants measures that are more restrictive than the State’s Regional Stay Home Order and retains authority to implement such measures.

The order went into effect on Thursday, March 19, 2020. The order is in place until further notice. It covers the whole state of California.

The order was modified on May 4, 2020. On August 28, 2020 the State released the Blueprint for a Safer Economy to permit gradual reopening of certain businesses and activities.

As of November 21, 2020, Californians in counties in the Widespread (purple) tier are directed to stop non-essential activities between 10PM and 5AM. On December 21, 2020, this was extended to counties under the Regional Stay Home Order.

See the Blueprint for a Safer Economy for state restrictions in your area. Further local restrictions may apply.

The Governor has ordered Californians to obey the directives of the State Public Health Officer. Those directives take many forms; they include specific materials linked on this page, as well as these questions and answers. These questions and answers are directives from the State Public Health Officer, and have the same force and effect as other State Public Health Officer directives.

Yes. The State Public Health Officer may issue new orders as the public health situation changes.

You can check the open or closed status of more than 90 kinds of businesses or activities at the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

The Blueprint for a Safer Economy has a map of California with each county’s current tier status: Widespread (purple), Substantial (red), Moderate (orange), or Minimal (yellow).

It depends. In regions under a Regional Stay Home Order, hair salons and barbershops are closed. In other regions they are open, with modifications for safety. See what’s open in your area.

Outdoor swimming pools are allowed to open in all counties in California. Outdoor pools must close slides, rides, or other attractions. 

Indoor swimming pools are closed in counties in the Widespread (purple) or Substantial (red) tiers.

Drowning prevention classes, including swim lessons with certified instructors, are permitted in indoor and outdoor swimming pools in all tiers, as they are deemed essential.

Water parks, both indoor and outdoor, remain closed throughout the state.

When out of the water, masks or face coverings should be worn. Physical distancing should be practiced at all times. Group gatherings are not allowed. Bring your own towel, and don’t share items that are worn on the face (like goggles, nose clips, or snorkels). Pool operators should follow heightened cleaning and safety guidance in response to COVID-19. See sector guidance for gyms and fitness centers and campgrounds and outdoor recreation.

There has been an unprecedented increase in COVID-19 cases in California. Reducing movement and mixing between people is critical to lowering transmission, hospitalizations, and deaths.

The Limited Stay Home Order, announced on November 21, 2020, and a supplemental order, signed on December 21, 2020, directs all individuals in counties in the Widespread (purple) tier or under the Regional Stay Home Order be at home by 10:00 PM, and stay there until 5:00 AM the next day. Exceptions include, for example:

• Individuals going home or to their workplace
• Individuals getting medical assistance
• Those who work in critical infrastructure during these hours
• Unsheltered persons

Interactions during these hours are usually social in nature, and reducing those interactions helps reduce the spread of COVID-19.

This order is in effect until such time as the Regional Stay Home Order has terminated in all Regions of the State of California..

The risk of COVID-19 infection is still real for all Californians and continues to be fatal. That is why every business permitted to open should take every step humanly possible to reduce the risk of infection by following these state guidelines.

Yes. As described in more detail elsewhere in applicable state public health directives (including on this page), there are a wide range of circumstances in which you may leave your home or other place of residence, even if you are not an Essential Critical Infrastructure Worker. For example, you may leave your home to work at any business or other entity that is allowed to open, to engage in in-person worship and protest activities consistent with public health directives, to patronize local businesses, or to care for friends or family members who require assistance (as set forth under Health care). And errands like these are not the only reasons you may leave your home: you may also leave your home with or without a specific destination in mind (for example, to walk your dog, to engage in physical recreation, or simply to get some fresh air) as long as you maintain physical distancing and comply with any other applicable public health directives.

They are being enforced, and you can report it. Report unsafe conditions or businesses that shouldn’t be open to your local Alcohol Beverage Control, Labor Commissioner’s office, or regional Cal/OSHA office, depending on the type of business. To find these local contacts, see Appendix B of the Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening (PDF).

You can walk your dog. You can go to the vet or pet hospital if your pet is sick. Remember to wear a face covering and distance yourself at least 6 feet from other pets and owners.

There are many ways for you to express your political views without holding a physical, in-person gathering.  For example, you may continue to call or write elected officials, write letters to the editor of news publications, display lawn or window signs, or use online and other electronic media (including Zoom rooms, Twitter feeds, Facebook pages, and other digital forums) to express your views.  

Additionally, as noted above, you may leave your home for any reason as long as you comply with any other applicable public health directives. When you are otherwise out in public, public health directives do not prevent you from engaging in political expression—such as by wearing or carrying a sign.

If collective action in physical space is important to you, consider whether you and other participants can safely protest from within your cars. The State Public Health Officer does not consider in-car activities to be gatherings, if participants stay in their cars and otherwise remain apart from individuals who are not part of their households. Many activists have organized car-based protests (honking horns, flying flags, displaying signs, and so on) to express their political views while complying with State public health directives.  

Whenever you are considering a protest (including an in-car protest), make sure you comply with all other applicable laws, including any local public-health measures that may be more restrictive than statewide directives and any other applicable local laws.

If you do wish to engage in in-person protest outside of your car with a group of any size, you must follow the guidelines for political protest gatherings below.

Yes, although in-person protests and rallies present special public health concerns for high risk of COVID-19 transmission. 

Even with adherence to physical distancing, bringing members of different households together to engage in in-person protests and rallies carries an especially high risk of widespread transmission of COVID-19.  Such gatherings may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations. In particular, activities like chanting, shouting, singing, and group recitation negate the risk-reduction achieved through 6 feet of physical distancing. For this reason, people engaging in these activities must wear face coverings at all times.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that those exercising their right to engage in political expression (including, for example, their right to petition the government) should utilize alternative channels, such as the many online and broadcasting platforms available in the digital age, in place of in-person gatherings. 

However, state public health directives do not prohibit in-person outdoor protests and rallies as long as you maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet between persons or groups of persons from different households at all times. In addition, you must wear a face covering or mask. Local Health Officers are advised to consider appropriate limitations on outdoor attendance capacities, factoring their jurisdiction’s key COVID-19 health indicators. Failure to follow these requirements may result in an order to disperse or other enforcement action. 

In counties in the Widespread (purple) tier, indoor protests and rallies are not currently permitted. In other counties, state public health directives do not prohibit in-person indoor protests and rallies as long as (1) attendance is limited as required by the relevant restrictions on places of worship and local health restrictions, (2) physical distancing of at least 6 feet between persons or groups of persons from different households is maintained at all times, and (3) singing and chanting activities are discontinued. Failure to follow these requirements may result in an order to disperse or other enforcement action. Masks and face coverings are required in compliance with CDPH directives.

Participants must maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from any uniformed peace officers and other public safety personnel present, unless otherwise directed, and follow all other requirements and directives imposed by local health officers and law enforcement, or other applicable authorities.

This limitation on attendance will be reviewed regularly. This review will assess the impacts of these imposed limits on public health and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of gatherings that implicate the First Amendment.

Elections are an essential activity. The Governor has issued executive orders to ensure elections are safe and accessible. Vote-by-mail ballots will be sent to all registered voters for the November 3, 2020 General Election. Most counties will provide three days of early voting in-person starting the Saturday before the election. Open ballot drop-box locations will be available between October 6 and November 3, 2020. Existing laws addressing the use of vote-by-mail ballots in California elections remain in effect except where suspended by Executive Order. Find guidance for the safe administration of elections during COVID-19.

 Visit online voter registration to register to vote or check your voter registration status. 

Practice physical distancing and follow other applicable public health directives while engaged in election-related activities. These include collection and drop-off of ballots, and collection of signatures to qualify candidates or measures for the ballot.

Yes. Places of worship such as churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues can open throughout the state, with modifications for safety (PDF). In counties in the Widespread (purple) tier, indoor services in places of worship must be discontinued but outdoor and online services are permitted.

Yes. Practicing your faith is a constitutionally-protected activity and may manifest in many different forms.

Although in-person religious gatherings—like other in-person gatherings—have been restricted to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, on May 25, 2020, the State Public Health Officer began to ease restrictions on in-person religious gatherings. In particular, the State Public Health Officer now authorizes County Departments of Public Health to allow collective activities at places of worship, subject to conditions that support a safe, clean environment for employees, interns and trainees, volunteers, scholars, and all other types of workers as well as congregants, worshippers, and visitors.

Information on conditions imposed by the state can be found at guidance for places of worship (PDF). Additional conditions may be imposed by local public health officials. This guidance does not obligate places of worship to resume in-person activity. It is strongly recommended that places of worship continue to facilitate remote services and other alternatives to in-person religious practice for those who are vulnerable to COVID19.

Even with adherence to physical distancing, convening in a congregational setting of multiple households to practice a personal faith carries a higher risk of widespread transmission of COVID-19, and may result in increased rates of infection, hospitalization, and death, especially among more vulnerable populations. In particular, activities like singing and group recitation dramatically increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission. For this reason, singing and chanting activities must be discontinued at indoor services, and congregants engaging in group recitation should wear face coverings at all times.

Places of worship may only open indoor operations when permitted by relevant local restrictions and must comply with all applicable attendance limitations and guidance requirements.

Local Health Officers are advised to consider appropriate limitations on outdoor attendance capacities, factoring their jurisdiction’s key COVID-19 health indicators. At a minimum, outdoor attendance should be limited naturally through implementation of strict physical distancing measures of a minimum of 6 feet between attendees from different households, in addition to other relevant protocols within this document.

This limitation will be regularly reviewed by the California Department of Public Health.

Yes.  Outdoor activities are permitted, and indoor activities are permitted if they comply with the cohort guidance.

The California Department of Public Health, in consultation with county Departments of Public Health, will regularly review and assess the impacts of these imposed limits on public health and provide further direction as part of a phased-in restoration of activities in places of worship.

Yes, but only wedding ceremonies are allowed, not receptions. Wedding ceremonies should follow the guidance for Places of worship or cultural ceremonies. As required by that guidance, social distancing should be practiced by all attendees. Wear masks, wash hands frequently, and keep 6 feet from anyone you don’t live with. 

Ceremonies have restrictions on their setting or capacity, depending on your county’s tier status:

• Regional Stay Home Order: Outdoors only
• Widespread (purple) tier: Outdoors only
• Substantial (red) tier: May be held indoors, but with max capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer
• Moderate (orange) tier: May be held indoors, but with max capacity of 50% or 200 people, whichever is fewer
• Minimal (yellow) tier: May be held indoors, but with max capacity of 50%

While wedding receptions are not permitted, consider safer options like sharing your wedding online via video conference (Zoom, Google Meet, or other platforms). This protects all your loved ones, especially those at high risk like seniors or people with chronic conditions.

See more details in guidance for Places of worship and cultural ceremonies.

Gatherings for live musical, theatrical, and other artistic performances are not permitted indoors or outdoors in counties under a Regional Stay Home Order, or in counties that have been designated as having “Widespread” (purple) or “Substantial” risk levels of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Because such gatherings frequently involve the mixing of people from different communities creating a high risk of transmission of COVID-19, until further CDPH guidance is issued, such gatherings are  allowed only in counties in the “Moderate” (orange) or “Minimal” (yellow) risk levels.  In addition, performances are permitted only if, in the exercise of their discretion, the relevant local or city health officer approves the precautions taken to ensure the safety of audience members, performers and others connected with the performance.  Performances may have no more than 50 persons in the audience in counties in the “Moderate” risk level and no more than 100 in counties in the “Minimal” risk level. If a local or city health officer approves a performance, the officer shall notify CDPH of the approval within two business days.   

During approved performances, all audience members and others not performing must wear masks, and audience members from different households must be spaced at least six feet apart when seated or otherwise viewing the performance. Performers who are not wearing face coverings must be at least six feet apart from each other. 

Approval is not required in counties with a “Moderate” or “Minimal” risk level for a live musical, theatrical, or artistic performance if, in aggregate, members of no more than three households attend, perform, or otherwise are involved in the performance.

Additionally, live performances are permitted to the extent that they are permitted by applicable sector guidance for the venue hosting such a performance (such as restaurants, wineries, or bars).

Yes, but first check if an in-person visit is required. Several deadlines have been extended, and many DMV services can be accessed online.

Extended deadlines

DMV has extended deadlines for:

• Driver’s license renewals for drivers of any age
• ID card or REAL ID renewals
• Renewals for commercial licenses, endorsements, and certificates
• Vehicle registrations
• Driver’s license permits
• Commercial learner’s permits

Online or by-mail services

DMV offers many services that can be handled online, including simple vehicle registration, renewing a driver’s license, getting a duplicate license, and more. See DMV Online Services.

Some DMV services that used to require an in-person office visit can now be accessed online, including driver’s license renewals, vehicle registrations, title transfers, temporary driver’s license extensions, commercial driver’s license renewals, and more. See DMV Virtual Field Office.

Still more services can be accessed by mail. See the DMV website for details.

In-person visits

Beginning June 11, all DMV offices are open to the public for appointments that require an in-person visit. You will be required to wear a mask and must remain 6 feet apart in line.

On December 14, 2020, commercial and non-commercial driving tests were suspended until at least December 28. Those with canceled appointments were notified. Motorcycle driving tests were not canceled. See the DMV Field Office Reopenings page for details.

In-person appointments are limited to:

• Commercial driver’s license transactions including applications, medical reports and administering knowledge and vision tests.
• Paying registration for a vehicle impounded because of registration-related issues
• Reinstating a suspended or revoked driver license
• Applying for a reduced-fee or no-fee identification card
• Applying for a disabled person parking placard (though this can also be done by mail)
• Adding an ambulance certificate or firefighter endorsement to a driver license
• Verifying a transit training document to drive a transit bus
• Processing DMV Express customers for REAL ID transactions, if time and space allow
• Vehicle verifications

It depends. Some smog check locations may be closed. The Bureau of Automotive Repair advises drivers to still pay DMV vehicle registration fees to avoid any late fees. However, you will not receive your new registration or year sticker until the smog information has been received by DMV. Once state and local orders or directives are no longer in effect, you can then obtain the required smog check certificate to complete the DMV vehicle registration process.

Court operations vary from county to county. You can use the California Courts Self-Help Center or reach out to your local government office for more information.

Court operations vary from county to county. You can use the California Courts Self-Help Center or reach out to your local government office for more information about jury duty.