The following is a list of businesses, organizations, and facilities that are considered Essential Businesses under the March 21, 2020 Los Angeles County Safer At Home Health Order (Order), and may remain open to the public.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and may be updated periodically. New updates will be reflected in blue.
Essential Businesses are required to practice the following infection control precautions:
- Practice social distancing by requiring patrons, visitors, and employees to be separated by six (6) feet to the extent feasible.
- Provide access to handwashing facilities with soap and water or hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Post a sign in a conspicuous place at the public entry to the venue instructing members of the public to not enter if they are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, e.g. fever, cough.
- Adhere to communicable disease control recommendations provided by Public Health.
Essential Businesses may be experiencing changes in customer behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, Essential Business retailers across the country are implementing various strategies to address high demand and changes in customer behavior. Learn more about general safety practices as well as tips to help address panic buying and hoarding by downloading our factsheet.
List of Essential Businesses
Animal Care Services
- Animal Shelters
- Veterinary Clinics
- Animal Control Offices
- Pest Control
- In-house Pet Sitters- only if necessary for a worker of Essential Business, Essential Infrastructure, or Healthcare Operation
- Doggy Day Care – only if necessary for a worker at an Essential Business, Essential
- Infrastructure, or Healthcare Operation
- Animal Boarding Facilities
- Animal Feed Stores and Pet Stores
- Workers providing care to zoos, aquariums, wildlife parks, nature preserves, game farms
Childcare Services
- Childcare must be carried out in stable groups of 12 or fewer (“stable” means the same 12 or fewer children are in the same group each day)
- Children shall not change from one group to another
- If more than one group of children is cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room.
- Groups shall not mix with each other
- Childcare providers shall remain solely with one group of children
Communications and Media Services
- Cable TV companies
- Internet Service Providers
- Telephone (cellular and landline companies, such as AT&T, Verizon)
- Broadcasting companies and stations, including television, radio, magazine, and Podcasts
Construction Services
- Public Works Construction
- Construction of commercial, office, and institutional buildings, and housing (in particular affordable housing or housing for individuals experiencing homelessness)
- Architecture Services
- Engineering Services
Education Sector
Energy and Utility Services
- Gas stations
- Chemical Plant
- Electricians
- Plumbers
- Exterminators
- Custodial/janitorial workers
- Handyman services
- HVAC installers Carpenters
- Landscapers, gardeners
- Solid waste services, including recycling services
- Tree maintenance, vegetation services
- Laundromats, dry cleaners, laundry service providers
- Moving Services
- Pool Services
- Property Managers
Food and Agricultural Services
- Grocery Stores
- Supermarkets
- Convenience Stores
- Certified Farmers’ Markets
- Farm and Produce Stands
- Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services, necessities of life for disadvantaged
- Food cultivation, including farming, livestock, and fishing
- Food Preparation Facilities
- Food Banks and Food Pantries
- Food Delivery Services
- Restaurants/businesses that prepare food but only for carry-out/delivery or drive-thru
Financial Services
- Banks
- Credit Unions
- Financial Institutions
- Insurance Companies
- Pawn Shops that provide loans
Healthcare Operations and Public Health Services
- Hospitals, clinics
- Laboratories,
- Pharmacies
- Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies
- Other licensed healthcare facilities
- Healthcare suppliers
- Home healthcare service providers
- Mental Health providers
- Cannabis Dispensaries with a medicinal cannabis license
- Medical or scientific research companies, and/or ancillary healthcare services
- Manufacturers, Distributors and servicers of medical devices, diagnostics, and equipment
Hotel and Lodging
- Hotels and Motels
- Shared Rental units and similar facilities
Manufacturing Services
- Businesses that provide parts and services for Essential Infrastructure
- Businesses that supply office or computer products needed by people who work from home
- Businesses that supply other Essential Businesses with support or supplies necessary to operate
Professional Services
- Law Firms
- Accounting Firms and Services
- Real Estate and Inspection Services, only for the purpose of title work and closing; open houses and showings are restricted to one family/party at a time or appointment only.
- Funeral services, including funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries
Retail Stores
- Hardware Stores
- Appliance Stores
- Nurseries
- Building material store
- Pool Stores
- Camping, Outdoor Goods Stores
- Wineries, Breweries, and Tap Rooms – only to operate non-public production and retail sale at essential business.
- Essential businesses located in indoor malls and shopping centers only if they can be accessed from exterior of mall.
Services for Vulnerable Populations
- Home-based care for seniors, adults, disabled persons, or children
- Residential care facilities and shelters for seniors, adults, disabled persons, and children
- Food Banks and Food Pantries
- Homeless service providers, shelters
Transportation and Logistics Services
- Airlines and operators of commercial aircraft
- Taxis
- Private Transportation Providers
- Motor carriers
- Automotive repair shops and supply stores
- Courier, package delivery, mail services and mail management companies. This includes business providing PO boxes
List of Non-Essential Businesses
- Bars and nightclubs
- Movie theatres, drive-in theatres
- Live performance venues, concert halls, arenas and stadiums
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Wineries, breweries, and tap rooms (portions that offer beverage consumption)
- Personal grooming centers such as nail or hair salons
- Golf courses, tennis, volleyball and basketball courts
- Smoke or tobacco shops
- Clothing stores
- Car wash businesses
- Car sales (except car repairs within car dealerships)
- Indoor malls and shopping centers (except for Essential Businesses that can be accessed from the exterior of the indoor mall)
- Indoor and outdoor children’s playgrounds (except for those located within childcare centers)
- Flea markets and swap meets
- Florist shops
- Balloon shops
- Art supplies
- Furniture stores
- Gun and ammunition shops (except to sell (a) ammunition to security guard companies; (b) to persons who have already lawfully purchased a firearm; (c) to persons who possess a valid California Firearms Safety certificate (CFS), per order of the Sheriff)
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have questions about Essential Businesses and Activities authorized under the County’s “Safer at Home” Order, you may contact L.A. County’s Business and Worker Disaster Help Center at (833) 238‐4450. If you would like to report a complaint or have a compliance concern, you may contact the Department of Public Health’s environmental health reporting line at (888) 700‐9995.
