County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Custodian of Records
12440 Imperial Highway,
Suite 522
Norwalk, CA 90650
Phone: (562) 345-3404
Fax: (562) 406-2484
Answer: It is a certified letter from the Department of Public Health – Custodian of Records that allows mortuaries or families to ship a decedent’s remains to another country. The letter certifies that the remains pose no known communicable disease risk to the residents of the recipient country.
Links: Body Shipment/Port of Entry (POE) Letter
Answer: No, all POE documents are certified and, therefore, must be picked up in person with an original Death Certificate and a check (made payable to County of Los Angeles) for $10.00 for each document.
Answer: Yes. You can obtain Environmental Health inspection reports for the previous 5 years for currently active facilities, including Restaurants/Food Markets, Apartment Buildings, Condominiums, Swimming Pools, Food Truck, Camps, and Cannabis Facilities by accessing this link: ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH - HOUSING AND FOOD FACILITY INSPECTION RECORDS.
Answer: No. Requests for information (e.g., questions about a specific Public Health matter) are not subject to the CPRA and should instead be directed to DPH’s Infoline at (833) 540-0473 to be forwarded to the appropriate staff member for a response.
Answer: The Custodian of Records will respond to a Public Record Request within 10 days from the receipt of the request. The time needed to provide records may be extended depending on the type of record sought. Remember, if you are seeking Environmental Health Inspection Reports, please visit ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH - HOUSING AND FOOD FACILITY INSPECTION RECORDS. You can search for the records by facility name or address.
Answer: To request that the Custodian of Records certify copies of records you have obtained from the Department of Public Health via a CPRA request, please email the Custodian of Records at phicor@ph.lacounty.gov or call the our office at (562) 345-3404. Your certification request will need to identify the exact records that need certification. Please allow 48 hours for the Custodian of Records to process your request for certified copies. There is a $9 fee for each page of records certified. The Custodian of Records only accepts payment by check with a valid, government issued ID or by money order.
Answer: We accept subpoenas addressed to the Department of Public Health as a Subpoena duces tecem, Criminal Subpoena, Personal Appearance for Custodian of Records, and Person Most Knowledgeable.
Answer: The Evidence Code allows 15-20 days for the opposing party to object; thereafter, most records can reasonably be produced within 15-30 days. Some records may take longer and will be discussed individually with the requestor.
Answer: You are required to accept a personal subpoena related to your employment with the Department of Public Health. If you have questions or need records for the appearance, call the Custodian of Records for instructions at (323) 914-7806. See Department of Public Health Policy 341.
Answer: A personal appearance subpoena must be served on the person named on the subpoena along with a check (made payable to the County of Los Angeles) for $275.00 for each subpoena. See Subpoena Fee Schedule.
Links: Subpoena Fee Schedule
