INFO PAGE

Know your language access rights

Learn about your language access rights for the City and County of San Francisco’s services and programs.

What are my rights?

San Francisco has a law called the Language Access Ordinance.  This law means you have the right to free language help when you access certain City services and programs, like:

  • Applications or forms for a City-run program or service
  • Notices about your rights to City benefits or services
  • Certain public service announcements
  • City complaint forms
  • Public meetings or hearings (if requested at least 48 hours in advance)
  • Help and information when interacting with City staff or seeking City services   

The City must translate vital information about the City department’s services or programs into the required languages: Chinese, Spanish, Filipino, and Vietnamese.

You can request a translation in your preferred language.  When you ask for a translation from a City department, you should get a reply within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays).

What if I don’t get information in my language from a City department?

You have the right to file a complaint if you didn’t get the help you needed.  

When you file a complaint, OCEIA will:

  • Communicate with the City department about the language access issue in the complaint
  • Ask you for more details about the complaint, if needed
  • Make recommendations to the City department to resolve the issue
  • Write a summary report of the investigation and publish it online (your name will not be included in the report) 

What else can happen after I submit a language access complaint? 

The City will work to:

  • Resolve the issue
  • Provide training and support for departments
  • Recommend policy changes

How do I complain about a language access issue?

You can submit a language access complaint with the City’s Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) in any of the following ways:

Online Form  

The form is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese. You can also request the complaint form in another language. 

Fill out the complaint form


Phone Call

Call OCEIA at 415-554-0600 to file a complaint in your preferred language. 


Community Organization

You can also contact a trusted community organization that can help you fill out and submit the complaint form.  Learn more about the Language Access Network of San Francisco.