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California Penal Code Section 374.4

Legal Research Home > California Laws > Penal Code > California Penal Code Section 374.4

374.4.  (a) It is unlawful to litter or cause to be littered in or
upon public or private property. A person, firm, or corporation
violating this section is guilty of an infraction.
   (b) This section does not restrict a private owner in the use of
his or her own property, unless the littering of waste matter on the
property creates a public health and safety hazard, a public
nuisance, or a fire hazard, as determined by a local health
department, local fire department or district providing fire
protection services, or the Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection, in which case this section applies.
   (c) As used in this section, "litter" means the discarding,
dropping, or scattering of small quantities of waste matter
ordinarily carried on or about the person, including, but not limited
to, beverage containers and closures, packaging, wrappers,
wastepaper, newspapers, and magazines, in a place other than a place
or container for the proper disposal thereof, and including waste
matter that escapes or is allowed to escape from a container,
receptacle, or package.
   (d) A person, firm, or corporation convicted of a violation of
this section shall be punished by a mandatory fine of not less than
two hundred fifty dollars ($250) nor more than one thousand dollars
($1,000) upon a first conviction, by a mandatory fine of not less
than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand five
hundred dollars ($1,500) upon a second conviction, and by a mandatory
fine of not less than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) nor more
than three thousand dollars ($3,000) upon a third or subsequent
conviction.
   (e) The court may, in addition to the fine imposed upon a
conviction, require as a condition of probation, in addition to any
other condition of probation, that any person convicted of a
violation of this section pick up litter at a time and place within
the jurisdiction of the court for not less than eight hours.

Last modified: February 22, 2013