ARTICLE 2. Sale of Prison Goods Made Outside California [2880. - 2891.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 2.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2880. Section 2880.

To the extent and insofar as the same may be permitted under the provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the acts of Congress, all goods, wares, and merchandise manufactured, produced, or mined wholly or in part by prisoners (except prisoners on parole or probation) or manufactured, produced, or mined wholly or in part in any state prison, transported into the State of California and remaining herein for use, consumption, sale, or storage, shall upon arrival and delivery in this state be subject to the operation and effect of the laws of this state to the same extent and in the same manner as though those commodities had been manufactured, produced, or mined in this state by prisoners or in any state prison, and shall not be exempt therefrom by reason of being introduced in the original package or otherwise.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2881. Section 2881.

No person, firm, partnership, association or corporation within this State shall sell or offer, trade, consign, keep, expose or display for sale any goods, wares or merchandise manufactured, assembled, produced or mined in whole or in part by prisoners in any penitentiary, prison, reformatory or other establishment in which prison labor is employed, unless such prison-made goods, wares, or merchandise are plainly, legibly, conspicuously and indelibly branded, molded, embossed, stenciled or labeled with the words “Convict-made” in plain, bold letters followed by the name of such penitentiary, prison, reformatory or other establishment in which the goods, wares or merchandise were made.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2882. Section 2882.

It is hereby specifically provided that any article of prison-made goods, wares or merchandise, as described in the preceding section, may be labeled by the attachment of a label not smaller than four inches long and two inches wide, upon which is printed the words “Convict-made” in plain, bold letters followed by the name of such penitentiary, prison, reformatory, or other establishment in which the goods, wares or merchandise were made; provided, that in the judgment of officials charged with the enforcement of this article such prison-made goods, wares or merchandise can not be legibly, conspicuously and indelibly branded, molded, embossed, stenciled or labeled as provided in said preceding section.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2883. Section 2883.

The size and type of such stenciling or label must be consistent with the size and character of the merchandise to which such stenciling or label applies. The size, type and character of such stenciling or label will be subject to the approval of the officials of the State of California responsible for the enforcement of this article.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2884. Section 2884.

No person, firm, partnership, association or corporation within this state shall sell or offer, trade, consign, keep, expose, or display for sale any goods, wares or merchandise manufactured, assembled, produced, or mined in whole or in part by prisoners in any penitentiary, prison, reformatory, or other establishment in which prison labor is employed, unless those prison-made goods, wares, or merchandise have first been disinfected or sterilized in a plant located in California and licensed by the State Department of Health Services in accordance with any regulations of the State Department of Health Services now in force or which later may be made effective. It is hereby further provided that certificate of that disinfection or sterilization must accompany, be stamped on or attached to those goods, wares, or merchandise in a manner or form prescribed by the officials of the State of California responsible for the enforcement of this article.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2885. Section 2885.

No person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation within this State shall sell or offer, trade, consign, keep, expose or display for sale any goods, wares or merchandise manufactured, assembled, produced or mined in whole or in part by the prisoners in any penitentiary, prison, reformatory or other establishment in which prison labor is employed, unless such person, firm, partnership, association or corporation shall keep permanently and conspicuously displayed within the same inclosure and within 10 feet of the place where said prison-made goods, wares or merchandise are kept, exposed, displayed or offered for sale a suitable sign, at least 36 inches wide and 10 inches high, on which appear in legible letters not less than two inches high the following words: “Convict-made products on sale here.”

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2886. Section 2886.

Any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation within this State, when advertising in any periodical or publication any goods, wares or merchandise made in whole or in part by prisoners in any penitentiary, prison, reformatory or other establishment in which prison labor is employed, must insert the words “Convict-made,” in such advertisement in type or other letters conforming in size or shape to those used in the text of said periodical or publication.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2887. Section 2887.

Any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation violating the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) or more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than 30 days or more than six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2888. Section 2888.

The State Superintendent of Weights and Measures or any deputy or inspector authorized by him, shall have access to any premises or any records held by any person, firm, partnership, association or corporation containing any information pertaining to the prison-made goods, wares or merchandise referred to herein.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2889. Section 2889.

The enforcement of the provisions of this article shall be under the supervision of the State Superintendent of Weights and Measures.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2890. Section 2890.

The provisions of this article shall not apply to any goods, wares or merchandise manufactured in any penitentiary or prison of this State.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 2891. Section 2891.

No person or corporation may sell, expose for sale or offer for sale any goods, wares or merchandise manufactured, produced or mined wholly or in part by prisoners (except prisoners on parole or probation) or manufactured, produced or mined wholly or in part in any State prison the sale of which is not specifically sanctioned by law; and any person or corporation violating any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026