State guide
California
California’s meth-lab property system is driven by local health officers under the Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Cleanup Act of 2005. I found statewide cleanup law and DTSC program information, but I did not find a statewide California registry page of contaminated properties on current official pages.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Contaminated property list
- I did not find a current statewide California registry of meth-contaminated properties on official state pages; if you need incident-location data, the DEA National Clandestine Laboratory Register is the fallback public source.
- Seller and landlord disclosure
- Health and Safety Code § 25400.28 requires a property owner, until a no-further-action notice is issued, to give written notice and a copy of the pending order to prospective buyers and prospective tenants.
- Cleanup standard
- DTSC says it developed a health-based cleanup number of 1.5 µg/100 square centimeters for homes identified as locations of former methamphetamine labs.
- Certified decontamination contractors
- Official page →
- State program
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control; local health officers administer property orders and clearance under the act
Official resources in California
DTSC page describing the state’s emergency illegal drug lab removal work and the current health-based cleanup number it developed with OEHHA.
DTSC page linking the Methamphetamine or Fentanyl Contaminated Property Cleanup Act statutory sections.
Official California bill text containing the Methamphetamine Contaminated Property Cleanup Act of 2005, including occupancy, remediation, and disclosure provisions.
Official contractor-license portal where residents can pull lists for HAZ - Hazardous Substance Removal Certification.
Example county local health program page explaining county response to potentially contaminated meth properties.
Key facts for California
- DTSC says it developed a health-based cleanup number of 1.5 µg/100 square centimeters for homes identified as former methamphetamine labs.
- Health and Safety Code section 25400.28 requires written notice to prospective buyers and prospective tenants until a no-further-action notice is issued.
- Health and Safety Code section 25400.26 requires use of an authorized contractor for remediation.
- Health and Safety Code section 25400.27 requires the local health officer to issue a no further action determination when the property is remediated under the chapter.
- CSLB publishes contractor lists by classification, including HAZ - Hazardous Substance Removal Certification.
- Butte County says its Public Health Officer responds to complaints of potentially contaminated meth properties and oversees return to a safe environment.
Local meth property programs in California
| Program | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butte County Public Health - Environmental Health Butte County | Oroville | Not published* | County meth-lab cleanup page says the Public Health Officer responds to potentially contaminated properties; Environmental Health is the county contact. |
| El Dorado County Solid Waste and Hazardous Materials Division - Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Program El Dorado County | Placerville | Not published* | County clandestine drug laboratory materials direct owners to obtain a Certified Industrial Hygienist and submit cleanup verification to the department. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Ask the county environmental health or local health officer where the property is located whether an order, warning notice, or no-further-action determination exists.
- Until a no-further-action determination is issued, get the pending order and disclosure paperwork in writing before signing a purchase or lease.
- If remediation is needed, verify the contractor’s California license and HAZ certification through CSLB before work starts.
Not seeing your program or county?
Not every program publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from California's population center, for comparison only):
- Southern Nevada Health District Appendices, Nevada · about 225 miles
- Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Nevada · about 251 miles
- Board of Health (BOH), Nevada · about 251 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Illegal Drug Lab Removal Program
Website →Phone: (800) 260-3972 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the California page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.