Title BPC — California Bus. & Prof. Code

(a) A real estate broker who engages in escrow activities for five or more transactions in a calendar year pursuant to the exemption from the Escrow Law contained in Section 17006 of the Financial Code, or whose escrow activities pursuant to that exemption equal or exceed one mil…

When a licensee prepares or has prepared an agreement authorizing or retaining that licensee to perform any of the acts for which he or she is required to hold a license, or when that licensee secures the signature of any person to any contract pertaining to those services or tra…

Any real estate broker who assists another or others, or whose real estate salespersons assist another or others, for a compensation, in filing an application for the purchase or lease of, or in locating or entering upon, lands owned by the state or federal government shall repor…

The commissioner may prescribe by regulation the information which shall be contained in contracts or other agreements by a real estate licensee to assist another or others in filing an application for the purchase or lease of, or in locating or entering upon, lands owned by the …

(a) (1) A real estate broker who accepts funds belonging to others in connection with a transaction subject to this part shall deposit all those funds that are not immediately placed into a neutral escrow depository or into the hands of the broker’s principal, into a trust fund a…

Any real estate broker who contracts for or collects an advance fee from any other person, hereinafter referred to as the “principal,” shall deposit any such amount or amounts, when collected in a trust account with a bank or other recognized depository. Such funds are trust fund…

(a) On or before January 1, 1993, the Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission shall develop, adopt, and publish a Commercial Property Owner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety for distribution to licensees for purposes of Section 2079.9 of the Civil Code and, upon request, to any me…

(a) Any printed or form agreement that initially establishes, or is intended to establish, or alters the terms of any agreement that previously established a right to compensation to be paid to a real estate licensee for the sale of residential real property containing not more t…

(a) Any licensee who negotiates, attempts to negotiate, arranges, attempts to arrange, or otherwise offers to perform a mortgage loan modification or other form of mortgage loan forbearance for a fee or other form of compensation paid by the borrower, shall provide the following …

(a) A licensed real estate broker shall retain for three years copies of all listings, deposit receipts, canceled checks, trust records, and other documents executed by the broker or obtained by the broker in connection with any transactions for which a real estate broker license…

(a) The Alfred E. Alquist Seismic Safety Commission shall develop, adopt, and publish a Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety for distribution to licensees for purposes of Section 2079.8 of the Civil Code and, upon request, to any member of the general public. (b) In revising th…

(a) Application for the real estate broker license examination shall be made in writing to the commissioner. The commissioner may prescribe the format and content of the broker examination application. The application for the broker examination shall include valid contact informa…

(a) In addition to satisfying the other requirements of this article, and except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), an applicant for an original real estate broker’s license shall demonstrate to the Real Estate Commissioner that they have held a real estate salesperson’s li…

(a) Application for the real estate salesperson license examination shall be made in writing to the commissioner. The commissioner may prescribe the format and content of the salesperson examination application. The application for the salesperson examination shall include valid …

(a) For purposes of this section, “member of the Armed Forces of the United States” includes the following persons and no others: all members of the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Space Force, the Marine Corps, the Merch…

The Department of Real Estate shall compile information on military, veteran, and spouse licensure into an annual report for the Legislature, which shall be submitted in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include all of the following: (a) The n…

(a) An applicant who is not a resident of this state shall be eligible for a real estate license provided (1) the applicant qualifies for licensure under this chapter, including Section 10162, and (2) the state or other jurisdiction that is the place of residence of the applicant…

(a) The commissioner may require any other proof he or she may deem advisable concerning the honesty and truthfulness of an applicant for a real estate license or license examination, or of the officers, directors, or persons owning 10 percent or more of the stock, of a corporati…

(a) Pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, the department shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information required by the Department of Justice for all of the following: (1) Original applicants for a salesperson licens…

In addition to the proof of honesty and truthfulness required of any applicant for a real estate license, the commissioner shall ascertain by written examination that the applicant, and in case of a corporation applicant for a real estate broker’s license that each officer, or ag…

(a) No person shall cheat on, subvert, or attempt to subvert a licensing examination given by the department. Cheating on, subverting, or attempting to subvert a licensing examination includes, but is not limited to, engaging in, soliciting, or procuring any of the following: (1)…

It is unlawful for any person with respect to any examination under this part to practice any deception or fraud with regard to his or her identity in connection with any examination, application, or request to be examined. Any person who willfully violates or knowingly participa…

(a) An applicant to take the examination for an original real estate broker license shall also submit evidence, satisfactory to the commissioner, of successful completion, at an accredited institution, of: (1) A three-unit semester course, or the quarter equivalent thereof, in ea…

(a) Licenses that were suspended pursuant to former Section 10153.4, as it read on December 31, 2025, and for which the current license status remains suspended due to former Section 10153.4, as that section read on December 31, 2025, shall be deemed expired. The expiration date …

As used in Sections 10151 and 10153.2, “an equivalent course of study” consists of courses at a private vocational school that have been found by the commissioner, upon consideration of an application for approval, to be equivalent in quality to the real estate courses offered by…

All real estate broker licenses issued by the commissioner shall be for a period of four years. Applicants shall qualify in the appropriate examination and satisfy all other requirements prior to issuance of the license. The four-year license may be renewed upon filing the requir…

All real estate salesperson licenses issued by the commissioner shall be for a period of four years. Applicants must qualify in the appropriate examination and satisfy all other requirements prior to issuance of the license. The four-year license may be renewed upon filing the re…

When an applicant for a real estate license fails the qualifying examination, the applicant may apply for reexamination by filing the appropriate application and fee. The application and fee for reexamination shall be filed and the reexamination taken within the two-year period f…

An application on the form prescribed by the commissioner for the renewal of a license, filed before midnight of the last day of the period for which a previous license was issued, accompanied by the applicable renewal fee and good faith evidence of compliance with the provisions…

The commissioner may issue a restricted license to a person: (a) Who is or has been licensed under this chapter and who has been found by the commissioner after a hearing to have violated provisions of Division 4 of this code where such violation would justify the suspension or r…

A restricted license issued pursuant to Section 10156.5 as the commissioner in their discretion finds advisable in the public interest may be restricted: (a) By term. (b) To employment by a particular real estate broker, if a salesperson. (c) By conditions to be observed in the e…

(a) A restricted license issued pursuant to Section 10156.5 does not confer any property right in the privileges to be exercised thereunder, and the holder of a restricted license does not have the right to the renewal of the license. (b) The commissioner may without hearing issu…

As one of the conditions to the issuance of a restricted license authorized by Section 10156.5 the commissioner may require the filing of surety bonds in such form and condition as he may require in respect to the restricted licensee for the protection of persons or classes of pe…

No real estate license gives authority to do any act specified in this chapter to any person, other than the person to whom the license is issued.

When a real estate license is issued to a corporation, if it desires any of its officers other than the officer designated by it pursuant to Section 10211, to act under its license as a real estate broker, it shall procure an additional license to retain each of those additional …

Each officer of a corporation through whom it is licensed to act as a real estate broker need not be a licensed real estate broker, but if not, is authorized only to act as such for and on behalf of the corporation as an officer. This does not preclude a designated corporate offi…

(a) The officer designated by a corporate broker licensee pursuant to Section 10211 shall be responsible for the supervision and control of the activities conducted on behalf of the corporation by its officers and employees as necessary to secure full compliance with the provisio…

(a) (1) Every person applying for a license under this chapter who desires to have the license issued under a fictitious business name shall file with the application a certified copy of their fictitious business name statement filed with the county clerk pursuant to Chapter 5 (c…

All of the following apply to use of a team name, as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 10159.7: (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 10140.6, advertising and solicitation materials that contain a team name, including print or electronic media and “f…

(a) For the purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply: (1) “Fictitious business name” means a professional identity or brand name under which activity requiring a real estate license is conducted and the use of which is subject to approval by the department …

When the holder of a real estate broker’s or salesperson’s license is required to relinquish his or her license to assume an office in local, state, or federal government, he or she may have it reinstated at any time within six months of termination of his or her service in offic…

(a) The commissioner shall specify the manner in which a responsible broker shall provide notice to the commissioner of an affiliation with a real estate licensee or by which a real estate licensee shall provide notice of a change of address or affiliation. (b) Whenever a respons…

(a) Every licensed real estate broker shall have and maintain a definite place of business in the State of California that serves as the broker’s office for the transaction of business. This office shall be the place where the broker’s license is displayed and where personal cons…

If the applicant for a real estate broker’s license maintains more than one place of business within the State he shall apply for and procure an additional license for each branch office so maintained by him. Every such application shall state the name of the person and the locat…

(a) A responsible broker or corporate designated broker officer may appoint a licensee as a manager of a branch office or division of the responsible broker’s or corporate designated broker officer’s real estate business and delegate to the appointed manager the responsibility to…

For a violation of Section 10161.8, 10162, 10163, or subdivision (b) of Section 10164, the commissioner may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the license of the real estate licensee in accordance with this part relating to hearings.

This article does not require the department to post or publish electronic mail addresses or telephone numbers collected pursuant to Section 10150, 10151, or 10162, and if released by the department, the information shall be released in a way that discourages its use in unauthori…

For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply: (a) “SAFE Act” means the federal Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-289). (b) (1) “Mortgage loan originator” means an individual who takes a residential mortgage loan …

(a) A real estate broker who acts pursuant to Section 10131.1 or subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 10131, and who makes, arranges, or services loans secured by real property containing one to four residential units, and any salesperson who acts in a similar capacity under the sup…

(a) A loan processor or underwriter who does not represent to the public, through advertising or other means of communicating or providing information, including the use of business cards, stationery, brochures, signs, rate lists, or other promotional items, that the individual c…