CHAPTER 3. General Provisions [31150. - 31158.]

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP 3.

in effect

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31150. Section 31150.

Every franchisor or subfranchisor offering franchises for sale in this state shall at all times keep and maintain a complete set of books, records, and accounts of such sales.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31151. Section 31151.

The commissioner may accept and act upon the opinions, appraisements and reports of any engineers, appraisers, or other experts which may be presented by an applicant or any interested party, on any question of fact concerning or affecting the franchises proposed to be offered and sold. In lieu of, or in addition to, such opinions, appraisements, and reports, the commissioner may have any or all matters concerning or affecting such franchises investigated, appraised, passed upon and certified to him by engineers, appraisers or other experts selected by him.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31152. Section 31152.

Any document filed under this law or under the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 or a predecessor statute thereto may be incorporated by reference in a subsequent application filed under this law if it was filed within four years prior to the filing of such application, or is otherwise available in the files of the commissioner, to the extent that the document is currently accurate.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31153. Section 31153.

In any proceeding under this law, the burden of proving an exemption or an exception from a definition is upon the person claiming it.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31154. Section 31154.

(a) Neither (1) the fact that an application for registration under this law has been filed, nor (2) the fact that such registration has become effective constitutes a finding by the commissioner that any document filed under this law is true, complete or not misleading. Neither any such fact nor the fact that an exemption is available for a transaction means that the commissioner has passed in any way upon the merits or qualifications of, or recommended or given approval to, any person, franchise or transaction. (b) It is unlawful to make or cause to be made to any prospective purchaser or offeree any representation inconsistent with subdivision (a) of this section.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31155. Section 31155.

Every applicant for registration of an offer to sell franchises under this law, by other than a California corporation, California limited partnership, or California limited liability company, shall file with the commissioner, in such form as he or she by rule prescribed, an irrevocable consent appointing the commissioner or his or her successor in office to be his or her attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal suit, action or proceeding against him or her or his or her successor, executor or administrator, which arises under this law or any rule or order hereunder after the consent has been filed, with the same force and validity as if served personally on the person filing the consent. A person who has filed such a consent in connection with a previous registration under this law need not file another. Service may be made by leaving a copy of the process in the office of the commissioner but it is not effective unless (a) the plaintiff, who may be the commissioner in a suit, action, or proceeding instituted by him or her, forthwith sends notice of the service and a copy of the process by registered or certified mail to the defendant or respondent at his or her last address on file with the commissioner, and (b) the plaintiff’s affidavit of compliance with this section is filed in the case on or before the return day of the process, if any, or within such further time as the court allows.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31156. Section 31156.

No person shall publish in this state any advertisement offering a franchise subject to the registration requirements of this law unless a true copy of the advertisement has been filed in the office of the commissioner at least three business days prior to the first publication or such shorter period as the commissioner by rule or order may allow, or unless such advertisement has been exempted by rule of the commissioner.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31157. Section 31157.

No person shall publish any advertisement concerning any franchise in this state after the commissioner finds that the advertisement contains any statement that is false or misleading or omits to make any statement necessary in order to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and so notifies the person in writing. Such notification may be given summarily without notice of hearing. At any time after the issuance of a notification under this section, the person desiring to use the advertisement may in writing request that the order be rescinded. Upon the receipt of such a written request, the matter shall be set down for hearing to commence within 15 business days after such receipt unless the person making the request consents to a later date. After such hearing, which shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the commissioner shall determine whether to affirm and continue or to rescind such order, and the commissioner shall have all the powers granted under such act.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 31158. Section 31158.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the commissioner may by rule or order prescribe circumstances under which to accept electronic records or electronic signatures. This section does not require the commissioner to accept electronic records or electronic signatures. (b) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Electronic record” means an initial registration application, registration renewal statement, preeffective amendment, posteffective amendment, or material modification and any other record created, generated, sent, communicated, received, or stored by electronic means. “Electronic record” also includes, but is not limited to, all of the following: (A) An application, amendment, supplement, and exhibit, filed for any registration, order, license, consent, or other authority. (B) A financial statement, report, or advertising. (C) An order, license, consent, or other authority. (D) A notice of public hearing, accusation, and statement of issues in connection with any application, registration, order, license, consent, or other authority. (E) A proposed decision of a hearing officer and a decision of the commissioner. (F) The transcripts of a hearing. (G) A release, newsletter, interpretive opinion, determination, or specific ruling. (H) Correspondence between a party and the commissioner directly relating to any document listed in subparagraphs (A) to (G), inclusive. (2) “Electronic signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with an electronic record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the electronic record. (c) The Legislature finds and declares that the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has continuously implemented methods to accept records filed electronically, including broker-dealer and investment adviser applications, and is encouraged to continue to expand its use of electronic filings to the extent feasible, as budget, resources, and equipment are made available to accomplish that goal.

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