ARTICLE 9. Labeling [13480. - 13490.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 9.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13480. Section 13480.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to sell any motor vehicle fuel or lubricant referred to in this chapter at any place where motor vehicle fuels or lubricants are kept or stored for sale, unless there is affixed to each container, receptacle, pump, dispenser, and inlet end of the fill pipe of each underground storage tank, from which or into which that product is drawn or poured out for sale or delivery, a sign or label plainly visible consisting of the name of the product, the brand, trademark, or trade name of the product, and, in the case of motor vehicle fuel and kerosene, the grade or brand name designation. (b) When the product is a lubricant, as defined by Section 13400, each sign or label shall also have in letters or numerals, plainly visible, the viscosity grade classification as determined in accordance with the SAE International latest standard for engine oil viscosity classification SAE J300 or manual transmission and axle lubricants viscosity classification SAE J306, as applicable, and shall be preceded by the letters “SAE.” (c) When the product is automotive spark-ignition engine fuel, the secretary shall make rules and regulations as are reasonably necessary to define and enforce the octane number, antiknock index labeling requirements, or other labeling requirements of the product sold. (d) When the product is a motor vehicle fuel consisting of a mixture or premixture of gasoline and oil or gasoline-oxygenate blend and motor oil, there shall be conspicuously displayed on the dispensing device at least one sign or label stating the ratio of gasoline to motor oil or gasoline-oxygenate blend to motor oil. (e) All signs or labels required by this section for retail motor vehicle fuel dispensers and containers of more than one gallon capacity shall be in letters and numerals not less than one-half inch (12.70 mm) in height. On containers of one gallon or less, the signs or labels shall be in letters and numerals not less than one-fourth inch (6.35 mm) in height and one-sixteenth inch (1.59 mm) in width. (f) The provisions of this section pertaining to octane numbers or antiknock index and motor oil SAE International viscosity number grade shall not apply to products sold for aviation purposes. (g) This section does not apply to electricity sold as a motor vehicle fuel.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13481. Section 13481.

(a) If any motor vehicle fuel or lubricant is offered for sale, but not under any brand, trademark, or trade name, the words “no brand” shall be used as the brand, trademark, or trade name designation. The words “no brand” shall be in letters of gothic type with a stroke of not less than one-half inch in width, not less than three inches in height, and shall consist of red letters on a white background. (b) This section does not apply to electricity sold as a motor vehicle fuel.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13482. Section 13482.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to sell or distribute engine oil or lubricant unless both of the following are met: (1) The product conforms to a minimum of one active API classification pursuant to the latest revision of SAE J183 “Engine Oil Performance and Engine Service Classification,” a minimum of one active sequence of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) “European Oil Sequences specification,” or a minimum of one active OEM specification. (2) The API classification or ACEA sequence or OEM specification and SAE J300 viscosity grade is conspicuously marked on each container or, if provided in bulk, properly described in product transfer documents. (b) It is unlawful for any person to sell or distribute axle and manual transmission lubricant unless it conforms to an SAE J306 viscosity grade.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13483. Section 13483.

The provisions of this article as to size of letters shall not apply to signs or labels at the inlet end of any underground storage tank, which letters may be of any convenient size but such letters shall be plainly visible while such underground storage tank is being filled.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13484. Section 13484.

Whenever any pump, receptacle, or other container is maintained or used to serve more than one driveway, the signs or labels required by this chapter shall be placed upon both sides of such pump, receptacle, or other container so that one set of signs or labels shall be clearly visible from each such driveway. Wherever any pump, receptacle, or other container is maintained or used to serve only one driveway, the signs or labels required by this chapter shall be upon the side of such pump, receptacle, or other container adjacent to such driveway.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13485. Section 13485.

Small hand measures used for delivery of motor vehicle fuels or lubricants, and filled in the presence of the customer, need not be labeled in accordance with this chapter if the receptacle, container, or pump from which motor vehicle fuels or lubricants are drawn or poured into the hand measures is properly labeled as required by this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13486. Section 13486.

(a) It is unlawful, at any place of business where motor vehicle fuels or lubricants are sold, for any person to do either of the following: (1) Deliver into a storage tank or container any motor vehicle fuel or lubricant other than the product identified on the label attached to the storage tank or container. (2) Sell by means of, or through, a pump or other device, any motor vehicle fuel or lubricant other than the product identified on the required label, tag, or sign attached to the pump or other device. (b) This section does not prohibit the delivery of motor vehicle fuel into a storage tank labeled with the authorized rebrand as provided in Article 14 (commencing with Section 13560).

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13489. Section 13489.

The use of pumps or other devices which are capable of withdrawing gasoline from each of two tanks containing different qualities of the same petroleum product and dispensing them as a single combined product shall be authorized when the department determines that all of the following conditions exist: (a) The device mechanism accurately measures the quantities of the gasoline being simultaneously withdrawn from each of the two tanks and the quantity dispensed. (b) The device mechanism accurately and visibly records and displays the resulting combined quality, the total quantity, the price per gallon or liter for the particular quality combination being dispensed, and the total price of the quantity of gasoline dispensed at the particular sale. (c) The device has a locking selector mechanism which prevents the changing of the proportion of the two qualities being combined during the dispensing of the desired quantity. The provisions of this section shall not supersede any other provisions in this chapter, except that they shall supersede the provisions of Sections 13442, 13443, 13480, 13483, 13486, 13487, and 13488 to the extent necessary to authorize the operation of a blending type of pump connected to two tanks containing two different products, or two different grades of the same product, which, when blended together in different proportions, will produce gasolines of different octane rating, each blend of which shall meet the specifications for gasoline as required by this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 13490. Section 13490.

The use of pumps or other devices which are capable of withdrawing gasoline from one tank and motor oil, or a premixture of gasoline and motor oil in a known ratio, from another tank, and dispensing them as a single combined product, or of withdrawing gasoline alone from the tank containing gasoline and of withdrawing a premixture of gasoline and motor oil alone from the tank containing a premixture of gasoline and motor oil shall be authorized when the department determines that all the following conditions exist: (a) The device mechanism accurately measures the quantities being simultaneously withdrawn for dispensing as a combined product from each of the two tanks when the combined product is dispensed, the quantity being dispensed from the gasoline tank when gasoline alone is dispensed, or the quantity being dispensed from the tank containing a premixture of gasoline and motor oil when the premixture alone is dispensed. (b) The device mechanism accurately and visibly records and displays: (1) the ratio of gasoline to motor oil or premixture, the quantity of each ingredient being dispensed, the price per gallon or liter for the gasoline being dispensed, and the price per quart or liter for any motor oil or premixture being dispensed or (2) the ratio of gasoline to motor oil or premixture and the price per gallon or liter for the product being dispensed. (c) The device mechanism prevents the changing of the ratio of gasoline to motor oil or premixture during dispensing. The provisions of this section shall supersede Sections 13442, 13443, 13480, 13483, 13486, 13487, and 13488 to the extent necessary to authorize the operation of the above-described blending type of pump connected to two tanks, one containing motor oil, or a premixture of motor oil and gasoline in a known ratio, and the other gasoline, provided that the motor oil shall in its separate state meet the specifications for motor oil as required by Section 13460 and that the gasoline shall in its separate state meet the specifications for gasoline as required by Section 13440.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026