California stock epinephrine law
California issues a statewide standing order for schools and childcare.
Last checked 2026-08-14. Every row below links to its own source.
Statewide standing order
Yes[YES]
Signed by the State Public Health Officer; renews annually. Covers TK-12 LEAs, LEA-operated childcare, and private schools. Caution: the CDPH FAQ still describes auto-injectors only and appears to lag SB 568 — verify before relying on it for nasal spray.
CDPH statewide standing order
How to get it in California
Two documents: a prescription in your organization's name, and a standing order saying when trained staff may use it.
- If you are a school
- the California standing order covers you. Register with the health department instead of finding your own prescriber.
- If you are a childcare program
- the California standing order covers you. Register with the health department instead of finding your own prescriber.
- If you are a camp, gym, restaurant or workplace
- the California standing order does not cover you, so you will need your own prescriber to sign one.
The CDPH standing-order FAQ still describes auto-injectors only and appears to lag SB 568, so it may not supply nasal spray even though California law permits it.
Free medication, if you are a K-12 school
California permits nasal spray for undesignated stock use, so neffyinSchools applies here as well as EPIPEN4SCHOOLS. See both programs.
Then the devices
Buy standard auto-injectors through your usual pharmacy or medical supplier, which is what most organizations do.
Every status for California
Nasal spray allowed for stock use
Yes[YES]'Epinephrine delivery system', effective Jan 1, 2026.
Childcare
Required[REQUIRED]Required for LEA-operated or contracted childcare including CSPP and Head Start. Non-LEA licensed childcare is separately governed by AB 2317 (Elijah's Law), which makes policy adoption voluntary until 2028.
Other public places
Permitted[PERMITTED]This page is a starting point, not legal advice.
Laws change frequently and we may not have caught the latest amendment in California. Confirm with your state department of health or education, your district's counsel, or your medical director before relying on it.
Report an update
If something here is wrong or out of date, tell us. We'd rather hear it from you than have a school nurse act on a stale row.
Source: allergyrescuekit.com/free-epinephrine/ca · verified 2026-08-14