LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeHealth and Safety CodeDiv. 26Pt. 4Ch. 3Art. 1§ 41701 Smoke Emission Visibility Limits

§ 41701 Smoke Emission Visibility Limits

Health and Safety Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 41701 Smoke Emission Visibility Limits

Key Takeaways

  • •You can't release dark or thick smoke into the air for more than 3 minutes in an hour.
  • •The smoke should not be as dark as or darker than 'No. 2' on the Ringelmann Chart (a tool to measure smoke darkness).
  • •If the smoke is so thick that you can't see through it as well as you could with 'No. 2' smoke, that's also not allowed.
  • •This rule is about keeping the air clean and clear.

Example

A factory is burning waste and releasing dark smoke into the air.

If the factory releases smoke as dark as 'No. 2' on the Ringelmann Chart for more than 3 minutes in an hour, it's breaking the law. The factory needs to make sure its smoke is lighter and doesn't last too long.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 41701 Smoke Emission Visibility Limits

Except as otherwise provided in Section 41704, or Article 2 (commencing with Section 41800) of this chapter other than Section 41812, or Article 2 (commencing with Section 42350) of Chapter 4, no person shall discharge into the atmosphere from any source whatsoever any air contaminant, other than uncombined water vapor, for a period or periods aggregating more than three minutes in any one hour which is: (a)  As dark or darker in shade as that designated as No. 2 on the Ringelmann Chart, as published by the United States Bureau of Mines, or (b)  Of such opacity as to obscure an observer’s view to a degree equal to or greater than does smoke described in subdivision (a). (Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 644.)

Last verified: January 24, 2026

Key Terms

no. 2releaseringelmann chartin californiaunited states bureauvisibilityopacity

Related Statutes

  • § 41701.5 Diesel Pile-Driving Smoke Limits
  • § 41812 Agricultural Waste Burning Permits
  • § 11107.1 Cyanide And Chemical Sales
  • § 128175 State Agency Project Hearings
  • § 41700 Air Pollution Prohibition

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Health and Safety Code. Section 41701.
View Official Source