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Amusement rides

Temporary (portable) amusement rides (TAR)

In 1969, the Amusement Rides Safety Law, see Labor Code Section 7900 et seq., took effect in California for the first time, providing for the inspection of Temporary Amusement Rides (TAR). Shortly thereafter, Title 8 regulations were adopted by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to enforce the statute. The TAR regulations are located in the General Industry Safety Orders under Article 35, Amusement rides, sections 3900-3920.

The TAR Safety Inspection Program is administered by the division’s Elevator, Ride, and Tramway Unit. Each year all owners of temporary amusement rides who intend to operate within the state of California are required to submit by March 1 an application form (115KB, pdf) doc for a permit to operate, an itinerary form (56KB, pdf) doc indicating where they will be operating during the current ride season, and a ride list form (36KB, pdf) doc listing the rides they will operate for the season. For information about the TAR Program please read the TAR circular letters.

Permanent Amusement Rides (PAR)

In 2000, a new law took effect in California (AB 850), establishing the Permanent Amusement Ride (PAR) Safety Inspection Program. See Labor Code Section 7920 et seq.

Like the TAR Safety Inspection Program, the PAR Safety Inspection Program is administered by the Elevator, Ride, and Tramway Unit. Establishment of this new program represented a significant expansion of the division's jurisdiction. As a result, the Division now is responsible for conducting safety inspections of all amusement rides operated in California.

The division and the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board have developed regulations to implement the PAR Program. These regulations are of two kinds: 1) Administrative (Adopted by the division, operative 10-30-2001); and 2) Technical (Adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, operative 7/12/2003.) Ride owners and operators should make themselves familiar and must comply with both sets of regulations.

Information about course approvals, QSI certification and owner's certificates of compliance related to the new PAR program is available.

Two amusement ride district offices have been established, one in Southern California (Anaheim) and one in Northern California (Sacramento). The office in Anaheim carries out the responsibilities of the new PAR Program in Southern California. The office in Sacramento carries out the responsibilities of the new PAR Program in Northern California and the TAR Program for the entire state. To contact these amusement ride offices for more information on the amusement ride programs, to file a complaint, or to report an accident, see the information below: