Executive Order prohibiting price gouging of at-home COVID test kits

On January 8, 2022 the Governor issued a statewide Executive Order (N-2-22) prohibiting price gouging in the sale of at-home COVID testing kits. It is operative through March 31, 2022. It generally prohibits anyone who sold at-home testing kits as of December 1, 2021 from increasing prices by greater than 10 percent. Anyone selling testing kits who did not sell them as of December 1, 2021 is prohibited from charging 50 percent greater than what they paid for the kit themselves. Violating the Executive Order is a misdemeanor violation of Government Code section 8665, which is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both. This would also constitute a violation of the Unfair Competition Law. Please report illegal price gouging in San Mateo County to our Consumer & Environmental Unit.  A complaint form can be obtained by calling (650) 363-4651.  State and spell your name and address on the recording and a complaint form will be mailed to you.  You can also fill out the consumer complaint form.  Completed complaint forms should be emailed to smda@smcgov.org, sent by US mail to San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, 400 County Center, 3rd Floor, Redwood City, CA 94063 or delivered to our office.