AB 98 Is Now in Effect: What Warehouse Operators and Executives Need to Do in 2026
As of today, California’s AB 98 “21st Century Warehouse Standards” is no longer a future planning item. It is an active entitlement and design constraint for any new or expanded “logistics use” development that falls under the law.
If you operate, expand, lease, or develop warehouses and distribution facilities in California, AB 98 impacts what gets approved, how sites are laid out, and what day-2 operating controls (like truck routing and signage) must be in place.
Below is a practical, operations-first view of what matters now, what is coming next, and how Big Joe Lift Trucks helps reduce risk while protecting throughput.
What AB 98 Covers (Operational Lens)
AB 98 establishes statewide minimum standards for new or expanded logistics-use developments—typically warehouse/distribution uses where goods movement relies heavily on truck traffic, loading bays, and related yard activity.
It targets impacts on “sensitive receptors” (e.g., residences, schools, daycare, parks used by children, hospitals) and drives requirements around:
Loading bay placement/orientation and site circulation
Buffers, screening, and setbacks when near sensitive receptors
Entry gate operations (including stacking/queuing considerations)
Signage and operational controls (including anti-idling compliance)
The Key Dates (Updated for January 2026)
January 1, 2026: The standards are live
AB 98’s design/build standards apply to proposed new or expanded logistics-use developments starting January 1, 2026. In other words: if you’re submitting or progressing entitlements now (unless you qualify for a specific exemption/grandfather provision), your facility needs to be AB 98-compliant by design.
Truck route adoption deadlines (this is where many teams are confused)
AB 98 also required cities/counties to update general plan circulation elements with designated truck routes—with different timing depending on geography. The 2025 “clean-up” bill SB 415 refined implementation details and, importantly, extended certain compliance dates for some jurisdictions outside the Warehouse Concentration Region.
At a practical level in 2026:
Warehouse Concentration Region (WCR) jurisdictions (Riverside/San Bernardino concentration area) have near-term truck-route obligations and are already moving on route mapping.
Outside WCR, many jurisdictions remain on a 2028 timeline, and some smaller jurisdictions may now have until 2030 depending on SB 415’s amendments.
What This Means for Operators and Executives in 2026
1) Entitlement risk is now a throughput risk
AB 98 can force design decisions that reduce operational flexibility—dock placement, truck court geometry, trailer staging, and even where employee/visitor parking ends up. Those choices directly impact:
Trailer turn-times and yard congestion
Door utilization
Internal travel distance and labor productivity
Projects that “pencil” financially can still lose performance if compliance is bolted on late.
2) The 900-foot trigger is the practical breakpoint
A major operational breakpoint is whether the project is within 900 feet of a sensitive receptor, which triggers added requirements (notably buffering/screening and other site constraints).
Executive takeaway: treat “900 feet” as an early feasibility gate—not an afterthought during plan check.
3) Truck routing is no longer “paperwork”
AB 98’s truck-route emphasis isn’t just a jurisdictional planning issue. Operators should expect truck routing plans, signage, and compliance mechanisms to become a standard part of the operating model—especially where local agencies are under pressure to show enforceability.
4) Inland Empire projects face heightened scrutiny
The WCR (Riverside/San Bernardino concentration area) is a focal point for implementation and public attention. If you’re developing or expanding there, expect a higher bar on circulation, buffering, and receptor impacts—and more time spent in entitlement review.
Where Big Joe Lift Trucks Helps (Practical AB 98 Readiness)
AB 98 lives at the intersection of facility design and day-to-day operations. Big Joe helps warehouse teams protect productivity while navigating compliance-driven layout constraints.
1) Layout + equipment co-design (so compliance doesn’t kill velocity)
When dock placement or yard circulation is constrained, internal flow must be engineered to maintain throughput. Big Joe helps you pressure-test:
Dock-to-staging paths and cross-traffic hotspots
Aisle widths and turning radii based on actual equipment
Rack layout aligned to pick density and replenishment flow
Pedestrian separation and visibility in high-traffic grocery/wholesale environments
Outcome: fewer redesign cycles, fewer “surprises” during implementation, and a building that still performs.
2) Electrification and fleet right-sizing for immediate ROI
In 2026, many operators are already moving away from propane and legacy batteries for cost, uptime, and compliance reasons. Big Joe specializes in electric and lithium-ion material handling solutions and helps operators:
Reduce fuel and maintenance costs
Simplify charging strategy and improve uptime
Match equipment to duty cycle (instead of overspending on capacity you don’t use)
When AB 98 increases site and build costs, equipment ROI becomes one of the most controllable levers you have.
3) Reducing internal congestion (the fastest safety and productivity win)
If external truck operations are tightening, internal movement needs to become more predictable. We help teams cut wasted motion by selecting the right mix of:
Integrated lithium pallet trucks
Walkie/rider solutions that replace manual pallet traffic
Stackers/forklifts matched to rack heights and pallet profiles
Less internal congestion means fewer near-misses, better labor efficiency, and more consistent door turns.
A 2026 AB 98 Executive Checklist
If you have a project in planning, entitlement, expansion, or lease renegotiation this year:
Map sensitive receptors and measure the 900-foot zone early (before design is “locked”).
Validate dock/yard geometry against compliance constraints—then model throughput impacts.
Treat truck routing as an operating system (carriers, signage, gate procedures), not a permit condition.
Right-size and electrify the fleet to offset cost increases and improve uptime.
Align racking/layout/equipment decisions so the building still hits productivity targets.
Bottom Line
AB 98 is active today (January 14, 2026). If you are developing or expanding logistics-use facilities in California, compliance now shapes entitlement risk, site layout, and long-term operating constraints.
Big Joe Lift Trucks helps warehouse operators and executives respond where it matters most: equipment, flow, safety, and electrification strategy—so compliance does not come at the expense of throughput.
Note: This article is informational and not legal advice. Consult qualified land use counsel for project-specific interpretation of AB 98 and SB 415.