Most California restaurant owners know they need to post something. The minimum wage notice, the health inspection grade — those are the obvious ones. But what notices does a California restaurant have to post, in full, in 2026? The complete answer is longer than most operators expect, and the gaps between what’s posted and what’s required are where fines happen.
This post answers the question definitively: every required notice, who issues it, who needs to see it, and what’s changed recently.
Why This Question Is Harder Than It Looks
California doesn’t have a single master list of required postings for restaurants. Requirements come from at least eight different state agencies — DIR, Cal/OSHA, CRD, EDD, DWC, ABC, OEHHA, and your county health department — each with their own notice, their own update schedule, and their own enforcement authority.
On top of that, some notices changed in 2024 and 2026 due to new legislation (SB 616, SB 553, SB 294). Operators who bought an all-in-one labor law poster set in 2022 or 2023 and haven’t updated it since are likely out of compliance on at least two or three items.
Let’s go through every one.
Employee-Facing Notices (Back of House / Break Room)
These must be posted where your employees can reasonably see them during their workday. A break room wall, a hallway to the kitchen, or near a time clock all meet the standard. A manager’s office does not.
1. IWC Wage Order No. 5 — Public Housekeeping Industry
The foundational notice for California restaurants. It covers minimum wage, overtime rules, meal periods, rest breaks, and working conditions specific to the food service industry. You must post the full text — a summary is not sufficient. Download the current version from the DIR website annually to make sure yours is current.
2. Minimum Wage Notice
As of January 1, 2026, California’s statewide minimum wage is $16.50/hour. If your city or county has a higher local rate — Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, and many others do — your posted notice must show the higher local rate. Using the state rate when a higher local rate applies is a citable violation. Check your local ordinance and update accordingly.
3. Paid Sick Leave Notice
Updated significantly under SB 616 (effective January 1, 2024): California now requires at least 5 days (40 hours) of paid sick leave per year. If you’re still posting the old 3-day version, replace it immediately.
4. CFRA / Family and Medical Leave Notice
The California Family Rights Act applies to employers with 5 or more employees — a lower threshold than federal FMLA. Required notice must explain employee rights to take protected leave for family care, serious health conditions, and military exigencies.
5. Pregnancy Disability Leave Notice
Separate from CFRA. Covers protections for employees disabled due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Required for employers with 5 or more employees.
6. CRD Harassment and Discrimination Notice
The Civil Rights Department (formerly DFEH) requires employers with 5 or more employees to post a notice of employee rights under FEHA, including protections against discrimination and sexual harassment. The agency rebranded from DFEH to CRD in 2022 — if you’re still posting the old DFEH version, replace it.
7. Workers’ Compensation Notice
Required for every California employer. This is not a generic notice — it must include your specific workers’ compensation insurance carrier name, address, and claims contact. A blank template on the wall is not compliant. Update it any time you change carriers.
8. Cal/OSHA Safety and Health Protection Notice
The standard Cal/OSHA posting explaining employee rights to a safe workplace, how to report hazards, and retaliation protections.
9. SB 553 Workplace Violence Prevention Notice
Required since July 1, 2024. Every California employer must post notice that a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) exists, where employees can access it, and how to report incidents. This is one of the most commonly missing notices in restaurant audits right now because it was only added in mid-2024.
10. SB 294 Disclosure Notice
New for 2026. SB 294 expanded employee disclosure requirements around wages, rights, and reporting channels. The notice must be posted where employees can see it, and you should be able to document that employees were informed of its contents at hire.
11. Unemployment Insurance / SDI Notice (EDD DE 1857A)
Informs employees of their rights to unemployment insurance, state disability insurance, and paid family leave. The EDD updates this periodically — verify you have the current version.
12. SDI for Work-Related Injuries Notice (EDD DE 1857I)
Often bundled with the above but a separate required document. Covers SDI benefits specifically for work-related injuries.
13. Whistleblower Protections Notice
Required under California Labor Code §1102.8. Must include the state’s whistleblower hotline number and be posted conspicuously. Protects employees who report violations of state or federal law.
14. Emergency Phone Numbers
Cal/OSHA requires emergency contact information (fire, police, medical) posted near every telephone employees use. Easy to overlook because it doesn’t look like a formal labor law poster, but it’s a required posting.
Customer-Facing Notices (Front of House)
These must be visible to customers, not just employees. Placement near the entrance, front register, or point of service is standard.
15. Health Inspection Grade Card
Your most recent county health inspection grade card must be posted prominently where customers can see it. It cannot be covered, obscured, or removed except by the health department. Placement is regulated — “somewhere near the front” is not specific enough. Check with your county for exact placement requirements. A solid California restaurant health inspection checklist always starts here.
16. Proposition 65 Warning (if applicable)
If your operation uses, serves, or exposes customers or employees to any Prop 65-listed substance above threshold levels — which applies to many common restaurant scenarios including grilled meats, certain cookware, and alcohol service — a clear warning must be posted where customers can see it before exposure. Enforcement is active; fines can reach $2,500 per day per violation.
Alcohol-Specific Notices (Bar / Point of Service)
17. ABC Responsible Beverage Service Notice
If your restaurant holds an ABC license, this notice must be posted visibly near your bar or primary alcohol service point. It works in tandem with RBS certification California requirements: every server and bartender needs a current RBS certification, and the notice must be posted regardless. Both are separate obligations.
The Notices Most Operators Are Missing Right Now
Based on the most common gaps we see in California restaurant compliance audits, here are the postings most likely to be missing from your walls today:
| Missing Notice | Why It’s Commonly Missed | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| SB 553 WVPP Notice | Added July 2024 — not in pre-2024 all-in-one poster sets | Cal/OSHA citation |
| SB 294 Disclosure Notice | New for 2026 — not yet in most commercial poster sets | DLSE citation, civil penalties |
| Updated Minimum Wage Notice | Old poster still up from prior year | DLSE citation |
| Workers’ Comp Notice with carrier details | Generic template posted, not filled in | DWC citation |
| CRD Notice (updated from DFEH) | Pre-2022 DFEH version still posted | CRD citation |
| ABC RBS Notice | RBS certification tracked, but notice itself never posted | ABC violation |
What All-In-One Poster Sets Cover (and Don’t)
California restaurant labor law posters from commercial vendors — the laminated all-in-one sheets you order online — typically cover items 1–14 above. That’s the core DIR, CRD, Cal/OSHA, and EDD notices on one sheet.
What they don’t cover:
- SB 553 WVPP notice (too new for most 2024-edition sets)
- SB 294 disclosure notice (new for 2026)
- Workers’ comp notice with your specific carrier details
- Health inspection grade card
- Prop 65 warning
- ABC RBS notice
The commercial poster set is a starting point, not a complete solution. You still need to source and post the additional items separately — and update them when the law changes.
How Often Do These Need to Be Updated?
Different notices update on different cycles:
- Minimum wage: Annually (January 1), or mid-year if a local ordinance changes
- Paid sick leave: Updated with any legislative change (most recently SB 616 in 2024)
- Cal/OSHA notices: Updated when regulations change — check annually
- CRD/FEHA: Updated when the agency changes rules — check annually
- Workers’ comp: Any time you change carriers
- Health inspection grade card: After every inspection
- RBS notice: Stable, but verify after any ABC regulation changes
California restaurant labor law posters from 2023 are currently out of date on at least two items (minimum wage rate, SB 553 notice). If you haven’t done a full notice audit since 2023, now is the right time.
How ComplianceKitchen Keeps Your Notices Current
The right answer to “what notices does a California restaurant have to post?” changes every time California passes a new bill or an agency updates its forms. That’s a moving target that’s hard to track manually alongside everything else you’re managing.
ComplianceKitchen tracks every required notice for your California restaurant location:
- Required notice library — updated when California law changes, so your list is always current
- Gap alerts — flagged when a required notice isn’t accounted for in your compliance profile
- RBS certification tracking — alongside the ABC RBS notice requirement, track expiration dates for every alcohol-serving employee with renewal reminders before they lapse
- Inspection readiness score — including how your notice compliance factors into your overall California restaurant health inspection checklist readiness
Knowing what’s required is the first step. Staying current with it automatically is how you stop thinking about it.