ARTICLE 4. Licenses [7503. - 7503.14.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 4.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503. Section 7503.

An application for a repossession agency license shall be made in writing to, and filed with, the bureau in the form that may be required by the director and shall be accompanied by the original license fee prescribed by this chapter. The director may require the submission of any other pertinent information, evidence, statements, or documents. Every application for a repossession agency license shall be signed by the applicant and state, among other things that may be required, the name of the applicant and the name under which the applicant will do business, the location by number and street and city of the office of the business for which the license is sought, and the usual business hours the business will maintain. An applicant who declares as true any material matter pursuant to this section that he or she knows to be false is guilty of a misdemeanor. The residence address, residence telephone number, and driver’s license number of each licensee, principal owner of each licensee, and any applicant for a license, if requested, shall be confidential pursuant to the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code) and shall not be released to the public. No license shall be issued in any fictitious name which may be confused with or which is similar to any federal, state, county, or municipal governmental function or agency, or in any name which may tend to describe any business function or enterprise not actually engaged in by the applicant, or in any name which is the same as or so similar to that of any existing licensee as would tend to deceive the public, or in any name which would otherwise tend to be deceptive or misleading. The application form shall contain a statement informing the applicant that a false or dishonest answer to a question may be grounds for denial or subsequent suspension or revocation of a repossession agency license.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.1. Section 7503.1.

(a) Each individual applicant for examination and each manager, partner of a partnership, and officer of a corporation shall submit with the application, one personal identification form provided by the chief upon which shall appear a photograph taken within one year immediately preceding the date of the filing of the application together with two legible sets of fingerprints, one set of which shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes of a background check, and a personal description of each person respectively. (b) The bureau may impose a fee not to exceed three dollars ($3) for processing classifiable fingerprint cards submitted by applicants, excluding those submitted into an electronic fingerprint system using electronic fingerprint technology.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.2. Section 7503.2.

If the applicant for license is an individual, the application shall state the full residence address of the applicant and that the applicant is to be personally and actively in charge of the business for which the license is sought, or if any other qualified certificate holder is to be actively in charge of such business, the application shall so state and set forth the name of the person. The application shall also state whether the applicant has ever used an alias. The application shall be subscribed and verified by the applicant and, if any other person is to be actively in charge of the business, the application shall also be subscribed and verified by that person.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.3. Section 7503.3.

If the applicants for license are copartners, the application shall state the true names and addresses of all partners and the name of the partner to be actively in charge of the business for which the license is sought. If a qualified certificate holder other than a partner is to be actively in charge of the business then the application shall state the name and address of that person. The application shall be subscribed and verified by all of the partners and, if any other person is to be actively in charge of the business, the application shall also be subscribed and verified by that person. The application shall also state whether any of the partners has ever used an alias.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.4. Section 7503.4.

(a) If the applicant for a license is a corporation, the application shall state the true names and complete residence addresses of all officers. The application shall also state the name and address of the person to be actively in charge of the business for which the license is sought. The application shall be subscribed and verified by a duly authorized officer of the applicant and by the qualified certificate holder thereof. The application shall also state whether any of the officers has ever used an alias. (b) If the applicant for a license is a limited liability company, the application shall state the true names and complete residence addresses of all owners and the name and address of the owner to be actively in charge of the business for which the license is sought. If a qualified certificate holder, other than an owner, is to be actively in charge of the business, then the application shall state the name and address of that person. The application shall be subscribed and verified by each owner and, if any other person is to be actively in charge of the business, the application shall also be subscribed and verified by that person. The application shall also state whether any of the owners has ever used an alias. (c) Nothing in this chapter permits a domestic or foreign limited liability company to be licensed as a repossession agency.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.05. Section 7503.05.

(a) The bureau shall require each applicant as a repossession agency licensee, qualified certificate holder, or registrant, as defined in Sections 7500.1 and 7500.2, to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check. (b) Pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code, the bureau shall submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information for each individual applicant, if the applicant is an individual, each partner described in Section 7503.3, if the applicant is a partnership, each officer and owner described in Section 7503.4, if the applicant is a corporation or limited liability company, and each qualified certificate holder described in Section 7500.1. (c) The Department of Justice shall provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.5. Section 7503.5.

If the director determines that the applicant, if an individual, or if the applicant is a person other than an individual, that its manager and any of its officers and partners have committed any of the following acts, the director may deny the license: (a) Committed any act, which, if committed by a licensee, would be a ground for the suspension or revocation of a license under this chapter. (b) Committed any act constituting dishonesty or fraud. (c) Been refused a license under this chapter or had a license revoked. (d) Been an officer, partner, or manager of any person who has been refused a license under this chapter or whose license has been revoked. (e) Committed, or aided and abetted the commission of, any act for which a license is required by this chapter while unlicensed. (f) Knowingly made any false statement in his or her application. (g) Committed any act or crime constituting grounds for denial of licensure under Section 480. The denial shall be in writing and shall describe the basis for the denial. The denial shall inform the applicant that if he or she desires a hearing to contest the denial, the hearing shall be requested of the director, in writing, within 30 days of the issuance of the denial. When a hearing is held under this section, it shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.6. Section 7503.6.

No license may be issued to any applicant pending final disposition of any disciplinary action by the director previously filed against the person or applicant or against any partner or officer.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.7. Section 7503.7.

The form and content of the license shall be determined by the director in accordance with Section 164.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.8. Section 7503.8.

Each repossession agency license or duplicate license, together with current renewal license, if any, shall at all times be conspicuously displayed at the place of business on record with the bureau.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.9. Section 7503.9.

(a) Except as provided in this section, a repossession agency license issued under this chapter is not assignable. (b) A repossession agency may apply to the chief for consent and, upon receipt of the consent and payment of the processing fee authorized by Section 7511, may assign a license to another business entity as long as the direct and indirect owners of the assignor own all of the assignee immediately after the assignment.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.10. Section 7503.10.

(a) An original repossession agency license shall expire one year following the date of issuance, unless renewed as provided in this chapter. (b) A renewal repossession agency license shall expire two years following the date of renewal, unless renewed as provided in this chapter. (c) At least 60 days prior to the expiration of the license, the bureau shall mail to the licensee a renewal form prescribed by the director. To renew an unexpired license, the licensee shall complete and mail the renewal form to the bureau, pay any and all fines assessed pursuant to Section 7501.7 and resolved in accordance with the provisions of that section, and pay the renewal fee prescribed by this chapter. (d) Upon the issuance of the initial license or renewal license, the bureau shall issue to the licensee a suitable pocket identification card which includes a photograph of the licensee. The photograph shall be of a size prescribed by the bureau. The card shall contain the name of the licensee’s company.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.11. Section 7503.11.

An expired license may be reinstated within one year of the date of expiration upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter, application by the licensee, and payment of any and all fines assessed pursuant to Section 7501.7 and not resolved in accordance with the provisions of that section and payment of the reinstatement fee provided by this chapter. Reinstatement of an expired license shall not prohibit the bringing of disciplinary proceedings for any act committed in violation of this chapter during the period the license is expired.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.12. Section 7503.12.

A suspended repossession agency license is subject to expiration and shall be renewed as provided in this article, but renewal of the license does not entitle the licensee, while the license remains suspended and until it is reinstated, to engage in the licensed activity, or in any other activity or conduct in violation of the order or judgment by which the license was suspended.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.13. Section 7503.13.

A revoked repossession agency license is subject to expiration as provided in this article, but it may not be renewed. If it is reinstated after its expiration, the licensee, as a condition precedent to its reinstatement, shall pay a reinstatement fee in an amount equal to the renewal fee in effect on the last regular renewal date before the date on which it is reinstated, plus the delinquency fee, if any, accrued at the time of its revocation.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7503.14. Section 7503.14.

(a) A repossession agency license which is not renewed within 10 years after its expiration shall not be renewed, restored, reinstated, or reissued thereafter. (b) The holder of the repossession agency license may obtain a new license only upon compliance with all of the provisions of this chapter relating to the issuance of an original license.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026