Title BPC, California Bus. & Prof. Code

A “franchisor” is a person who grants or has granted a franchise. (Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1355, Sec. 1. Effective October 1, 1980. Operative January 1, 1981, by Sec. 6 of Ch. 1355.)

“Area franchise” means any contract or agreement between a franchisor and a subfranchisor whereby the subfranchisor is granted the right, for consideration given in whole or in part for such right, to sell or negotiate the sale of franchises in the name or on behalf of the franch…

A “subfranchisor” is a person to whom an area franchise is granted. (Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1355, Sec. 1. Effective October 1, 1980. Operative January 1, 1981, by Sec. 6 of Ch. 1355.)

“Franchise” includes “area franchise.” (Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1355, Sec. 1. Effective October 1, 1980. Operative January 1, 1981, by Sec. 6 of Ch. 1355.)

“Franchise fee” means any fee or charge that a franchisee or subfranchisor is required to pay or agrees to pay for the right to enter into a business under a franchise agreement, including, but not limited to, any payment for goods and services. However, the following shall not b…

“Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, a joint venture, an association, a joint stock company, a trust or an unincorporated organization. (Amended by Stats. 1994, Ch. 1010, Sec. 25. Effective January 1, 1995.)

The regulations, releases, guidelines, and interpretive opinions of the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation under the Franchise Investment Law (Division 5 (commencing with Section 31000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code) regarding whether or not an agreement co…

Any condition, stipulation or provision purporting to bind any person to waive compliance with any provision of this law is contrary to public policy and void. (Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1355, Sec. 1. Effective October 1, 1980. Operative January 1, 1981, by Sec. 6 of Ch. 1355.)

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply: (a) “Adjust” and “adjusting” includes the following acts, either singly or in combination with others: adapting or manipulation of the ophthalmic device to fit the face of the consumer, pursuant and incidental t…

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to an individual who is acting under the direct responsibility and supervision of a physician and surgeon or optometrist, pursuant to Section 2544, in any setting where optometry or ophthalmology is practiced. (Repealed and added by …

(a) Each application made pursuant to this chapter shall be verified under oath by the person required to sign the application and shall designate the name, address, and direct business telephone number of the applicant’s employee who will be responsible for handling customer inq…

(a) A citation issued for an order of abatement in accordance with Sections 1399.275 and 1399.277 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations shall be posted on the front of the place of business of the dispensing optician. The citation shall remain posted until the violati…

Each certificate of registration shall be at all times displayed in a conspicuous place at the certified place of business. The certificate shall not be transferable, but on application to the board there may be registered a change of address of the certificate. (Amended by Stats…

(a) A registered spectacle lens dispenser may fit and adjust spectacle lenses and frames or take facial measurements in any of the following locations: (1) A health facility as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code for a person admitted to that facility or an empl…

(a) The board shall deny any application for registration under this chapter if any person licensed as a physician and surgeon, for whom the applicant, in accordance with Section 2564.90, proposes to fill any prescription, has any proprietary interest, or has designated or arrang…

(a) Registrations shall expire at midnight on the last day of the month in which the license was issued during the second year of a two-year term if not renewed. (b) Except as otherwise provided by Section 114, any registration under this chapter may be renewed at any time within…

Each registrant shall conspicuously and prominently display at each registered location the following consumer information: “Eye doctors are required to provide patients with a copy of their ophthalmic lens prescriptions as follows: Spectacle prescriptions: Release upon completio…

Certificates issued under this chapter may in the discretion of the board be suspended or revoked or subjected to terms and conditions of probation for violating or attempting to violate this chapter, Chapter 5.4 (commencing with Section 2540) or any regulation adopted under this…

(a) In the discretion of the board, a certificate issued under this chapter may be suspended or revoked if an individual certificate holder or persons having any proprietary interest who will engage in dispensing operations, have been convicted of a crime substantially related to…

The board may take action against any registrant who is charged with unprofessional conduct and may deny an application for a registration if the applicant has committed unprofessional conduct. In addition to other provisions of this article, unprofessional conduct includes, but …

(a) In addition to the board’s authority to deny an application for registration pursuant to Section 2555.5, the board, in its sole discretion, may issue a probationary registration to an applicant subject to terms and conditions, including, but not limited to, any of the followi…

(a) Except as authorized by Section 655, it is unlawful for a registered dispensing optician or a person who engages in the business of, or holds himself or herself out to be, a dispensing optician to do any of the following: to advertise the furnishing of, or to furnish, the ser…

All licensed optometrists and registered dispensing opticians who are in a colocated setting shall report the business relationship to the California State Board of Optometry, as determined by the board. The California State Board of Optometry shall have the authority to inspect …

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, subsequent to the effective date of this section and until January 1, 2019, any individual, corporation, or firm operating as a registered dispensing optician under this chapter before the effective date of this section, or an employee of such a…

Any person who holds himself out as a “dispensing optician” or “registered dispensing optician” or who uses any other term or letters indicating or implying that he is registered and holds a certificate under the terms of this law without having at the time of so doing a valid, u…

This chapter shall not affect any person licensed as an optometrist under Chapter 7 of Division II of this code, or any physician and surgeon licensed under Chapter 5 of Division II of this code. Such exemption shall not apply to any optometrist or physician and surgeon exclusive…

A certificate issued to a registered spectacle or contact lens dispenser may in the discretion of the board be suspended or revoked for violating or attempting to violate any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted under this chapter, or for incompetence, gross neglig…

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not less than 10 days nor more than one year, or by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) nor m…

A registered dispensing optician shall not dispense a spectacle lens or contact lens prescription unless the prescription meets the requirements of Section 2541.1 or 2541.2, as applicable. A registered dispensing optician shall not dispense a spectacle lens prescription after the…

Any individual, corporation, or firm operating as a registered dispensing optician under this chapter who demonstrates a willful disregard for the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Added by Stats. 2021, Ch. 630, Sec. 57. (AB 1534) Effective January 1, 2022.)…

Whenever any person has engaged, or is about to engage, in any acts or practices which constitute, or will constitute, a violation of any provision of this chapter, or Chapter 5.4 (commencing with Section 2540), the superior court in and for the county wherein the acts or practic…

(a) “Unlawful detainer assistant” means any individual who for compensation renders assistance or advice in the prosecution or defense of an unlawful detainer claim or action, including any bankruptcy petition that may affect the unlawful detainer claim or action. (b) “Unlawful d…

This chapter does not apply to any person engaged in any of the following occupations, provided that the person does not also perform the duties of a legal document assistant in addition to those occupations: (a) Any government employee who is acting in the course of their employ…

This chapter does not sanction, authorize, or encourage the practice of law by nonlawyers. Registration under this chapter, or an exemption from registration, does not immunize any person from prosecution or liability pursuant to Section 6125, 6126, 6126.5, or 6127. (Repealed and…

A legal document assistant may not provide service to a client who requires assistance that exceeds the definition of self-help service in subdivision (d) of Section 6400, and shall inform the client that the client requires the services of an attorney. (Repealed and added by Sta…

This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2030, and as of that date is repealed. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 341, Sec. 1. (AB 690) Effective January 1, 2024. Repealed as of January 1, 2030, by its own provisions. Note: Repeal affects Chapter 5.5, comprising Secti…

(a) No person shall engage in business as a service agency unless the person is registered by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture pursuant to this chapter and unless the current registration fee and any penalty has been paid. (b) Applications for registration shall be in writin…

Before the issuance of its registration or in order to maintain its current registration, a service agency shall do all of the following: (a) (1) Possess, or have available for use, standards and testing equipment necessary to meet the minimum testing requirements contained in th…

Commencing January 1, 2001, a service agency shall use suitable and sufficient standards that are permanently and uniquely identified, and have a current certificate of accuracy provided by the department or by a laboratory certified pursuant to Section 12314, in the determinatio…

(a) The provisions of this chapter apply to any franchise when either the franchisee is domiciled in this state or the franchised business is or has been operated in this state. (b) Any provision of a franchise agreement requiring the franchisee to waive the provisions of this ch…

An individual shall not fit and adjust contact lenses, including plano contact lenses unless either of the following applies: (a) The individual is a duly registered contact lens dispenser as provided in Section 2561. (b) The individual is an unregistered individual who performs …

An individual shall apply for registration as a registered contact lens dispenser on forms prescribed by the board. The board shall register an individual as a registered contact lens dispenser upon satisfactory proof that the individual has passed the contact lens registry exami…

Upon satisfactory completion of the fitting of contact lenses, but in no event more than 60 days after receipt of the prescription, a registered contact lens dispenser shall direct the person named in the prescription to return to the prescribing physician and surgeon or optometr…

The provisions of this article shall not apply to an assistant fitting contact lenses while acting under the direct responsibility and supervision of a physician and surgeon or optometrist who engages in the practice of fitting contact lenses for his or her patients under Section…

A registered contact lens dispenser fitting contact lenses shall maintain accessible handwashing facilities on the premises and those facilities shall be used before each fitting of contact lenses. For purposes of this section, “accessible handwashing facilities” means a clean an…

A registered contact lens dispenser shall comply with the applicable provisions of Section 2541.2. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 788, Sec. 10. (SB 776) Effective January 1, 2026.)