L. pelta is found from the gulf of Alaska to Baja California. It lives throughout the intertidal zone but is most common above the middle intertidal. It resists desiccation reasonably well and so can survive where only spray from the waves reaches the rocks.

The shield limpet can occur on or under rocks,  on seaweeds and in tide pools.  One  restriction is  its need for some form of breakwater as it cannot withstand excessive surf action. These breakwaters could be boulders or seaweed, a favorite haunt of the shield limpet is among mussel beds.

Shield limpets under grass at high tide