Is kratom legal in California?
RestrictedYes, with limits. Kratom is legal in California, but state or local rules restrict how, where, or in what form it can be sold. In our five-category system that is "Restricted": legal with limits on sale, form, or age.
What the current California rules actually say.
California treats kratom and 7-OH as unapproved food additives, which bars retail sale and manufacture in-state. This is an administrative retail restriction, not a controlled-substance or possession ban. A long list of cities and counties had already banned it before the state acted.
- Legal status
- Retail sale and manufacture restricted statewide
- Possession
- Not criminalized
- Enforcement
- ABC action against licensed retailers since Feb 2026
- Local rules
- Bans in San Diego, LA County, San Mateo County and more
Recent and upcoming dates
- Jul 2026Fountain Valley voted 4-1 to ban products above 2% 7-OH in the alkaloid fraction, following similar Orange County ordinances in Newport Beach and Dana Point.
- Apr 21, 2026San Mateo County passed a unanimous 5-0 ordinance banning sales in unincorporated areas, the first Bay Area county to do so. Violations carry fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
- Apr 2026Los Alamitos enacted a partial ban.
- Feb 9, 2026The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began enforcement against licensed in-state retailers.
- Nov 2025Los Angeles County banned sales.
Show earlier updates (2)
- Oct 24, 2025CDPH declared kratom and 7-OH unapproved food additives under the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law.
- Since 2016San Diego, Oceanside, Newport Beach, Anaheim, and Jurupa Valley bans predate the statewide restriction.
Full legal detail
What to watch: AB 1088 would create a state-level framework regulating kratom and 7-OH for ages 21 and up. It remains pending in the Senate Health Committee.
California restricts in-state retail sales of kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine. On October 24, 2025, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) declared kratom and 7-OH to be unapproved food additives under the Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law, restricting their sale and manufacture statewide. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) began enforcement against licensed in-state retailers on February 9, 2026. This is an administrative retail-sale restriction, not a controlled-substance or possession ban. AB 1088 (a state-level KCPA-style framework regulating kratom and 7-OH for ages 21+) remains pending in the Senate Health Committee. CDPH also filed legal action against a kratom manufacturer in 2026.
Local exceptions: Pre-existing local bans remain in place and predate the statewide prohibition: San Diego (since 2016), Oceanside, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Jurupa Valley. Los Angeles County banned sales in November 2025. Los Alamitos enacted a partial ban in April 2026. San Mateo County passed a unanimous 5-0 ordinance on April 21, 2026 prohibiting sales in unincorporated areas, the first Bay Area county to do so, with violations carrying fines up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail. In July 2026, the Fountain Valley City Council voted 4-1 to ban kratom and other products containing more than 2% 7-OH in the alkaloid fraction, following similar Orange County ordinances in Newport Beach and Dana Point. The 2% threshold targets concentrated and semi-synthetic 7-OH products rather than natural leaf.
Does Hudson Valley Botanicals ship to California?
Yes, except localities with their own bans, including San Diego, Oceanside, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Jurupa Valley, Los Angeles County, and San Mateo County. Orders to the rest of California ship normally.
Every order is checked against our live shipping-restriction list at checkout, which we update as state and local rules change. Every pouch we ship is lab tested by an independent ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, with the certificate of analysis published in our public archive and searchable by the batch number on the pouch.
Common questions, answered straight.
Is kratom legal in California?
Yes, with limits. Kratom is legal in California, but state or local rules restrict how, where, or in what form it can be sold. Status category: Restricted, meaning legal with limits on sale, form, or age.
Can I order kratom online in California?
Yes, except localities with their own bans, including San Diego, Oceanside, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Jurupa Valley, Los Angeles County, and San Mateo County. Orders to the rest of California ship normally. Checkout verifies every address against our current restriction list automatically.
Are there local kratom bans in California?
Yes. Bans in San Diego, LA County, San Mateo County and more
How current is this page?
The California status on this page was last reviewed July 20, 2026. It is generated from the same continuously reviewed dataset that powers our interactive 50-state legality map, and it changes when the data changes.
This page is regulatory information, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current status with the California legislature or your local authority before purchasing. Customers are responsible for knowing the rules where they live. Kratom products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
