Appliance Labeling - - CA Business And Professions

Section § 22410

This section defines key terms for a particular chapter. An 'appliance' refers to specific new electronic or mechanical devices used at home or in cars, costing $50 or more. A 'manufacturer' includes anyone involved in making or branding such appliances, along with their representatives or distributors who sell these items to retailers.

The following terms, as used in this chapter, have the meaning expressed in this section:

(a) “Appliance” means any new television, radio, audio or video recorder, or playback device normally used or sold for use in the home or in a private motor vehicle, or any new refrigerator, freezer, range, oven, washer, dryer, dishwasher, room air conditioner, or sewing machine normally used or sold for use in the home, or any new typewriter, adding machine, calculator, or other similar machine, or any electrically operated tool, any of which appliances have a manufacturer’s invoice sale value of fifty dollars ($50) or more.

(b) “Manufacturer” means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal relationship which is involved in the manufacture, assembly, or production of an appliance or whose brand name appears on any appliance. The term “manufacturer” also means any agent, representative or distributor of a manufacturer who sells, transfers, or exchanges an appliance to or with a retailer.

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(Added by Stats. 1975, Ch. 923.)

Section § 22411

In California, manufacturers cannot sell appliances unless each one has a unique serial number that is permanently marked on it. This marking must be done in a reliable way such as being stamped or etched into the appliance or made visible with a label that sticks permanently. Additionally, the manufacturer must include in the warranty or instruction manual, or on a separate card, a place where the buyer can write down the appliance's model and serial numbers. The manufacturer must also explain where to find these numbers on the appliance and encourage buyers to keep a record of them.

No manufacturer shall sell any appliance in this state unless such appliance has been permanently marked with a serial number unique to that appliance. A marking that is required to be permanent shall be molded, die-stamped, or paint-stenciled or stamped or etched on metal that is permanently secured or indelibly stamped on pressure sensitive labels secured by adhesive that is adequate and suitable for permanent application.

Every manufacturer of an appliance to be sold within this state shall provide on the first page of the warranty or instruction manual, or on a separate card, a description of the appliance providing a space thereon for recording the model number and serial number, the description of the location of such numbers on the appliance, and instructions to the final purchaser of the appliance to record and retain such numbers.

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(Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 44.)

Section § 22411.2

This law says that the rules in Section 22411 do not apply to radios that are originally installed in a new car by the manufacturer or dealer, or to radios that a dealer installs to replace those original radios.

The provisions of Section 22411 shall not apply to factory or dealer installed radios installed in a new motor vehicle or to radios installed in a motor vehicle by a dealer to replace such factory or dealer installed radios.

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(Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 44.)