CHAPTER 1.8. Acquisition and Disposition of Salvageable Personal Property for Charitable Purposes [148. - 148.9.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 1.8.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148. Section 148.

As used in this chapter: (a) “Solicit” or any of its derivatives means to request directly or indirectly the giving of any kind of salvageable personal property on the plea or representation, express or implied, to the person requested that the property or any proceeds to be derived therefrom are to be devoted to charitable uses. The word shall extend to such requests made by any of the following means, whether or not the person making the request is given anything as a result: 1. Orally or in writing, by telephone or otherwise. 2. By distribution, circulation, mailing, posting, or publishing of any handbill, advertisement, or publication. 3. By means of any box or receptacle, upon any public street, sidewalk or way, or in any public park or in any publicly owned or controlled place; or by means of any box or receptacle in any place immediately abutting upon any public sidewalk or way, or in any place of business open to the public, or in any room, hallway, corridor, lobby, or entranceway, or other place open or accessible to the public. 4. By making of any announcement through the press, radio, telephone, television, or telegraph concerning an appeal, assemblage, athletic or sports event, bazaar, benefit, campaign, contest, dance, drive, entertainment, exhibition, exposition, party, performance, picnic, sale, or social gathering, which the public is requested to patronize. (b) “Salvageable personal property” means any type of corporeal personalty, new or used, but not including money or evidences of debt.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.1. Section 148.1.

None of the provisions of this chapter shall apply to the activities of any organization or association of persons or any person engaged by or under its authority, in soliciting donations of salvageable personal property solely from members of the organization or in selling salvageable personal property obtained from the organization’s members by that soliciting, or the soliciting and sale of salvageable personal property by fraternal, social, political, or service organizations for occasional rummage sales or bazaars where the activity does not constitute a major part of the organization’s activities and is not conducted as a permanent or continuous operation. Nor shall the provisions of this chapter apply to an association which is exempt under Section 23701d or 23701f of the Revenue and Taxation Code if the membership of the association is comprised of persons with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities and the primary purpose of the association is to provide services to persons with those disabilities.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.2. Section 148.2.

Any organization qualified under Section 148.3 to solicit donations of salvageable personal property, or to sell salvageable personal property obtained by soliciting, shall: (a) maintain separate bank accounts and separate books and records for such solicitations or sales, and shall not commingle any proceeds of such solicitations or sales with any other assets; and (b) fully comply with the provisions of the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act (Article 7 of Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 12580) of the Government Code).

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.3. Section 148.3.

It shall be unlawful for any association of persons to engage, directly or indirectly, in soliciting donations of salvageable personal property, or in selling salvageable personal property obtained by soliciting, except an association which is exempt under Section 23701d or 23701f of the Revenue and Taxation Code from any tax imposed by the Bank and Corporations Tax Law.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.4. Section 148.4.

It shall be unlawful for any organization qualified under Section 148.3 to solicit donations of salvageable personal property, to contract with or otherwise engage any independent contractor to perform the work of soliciting such donations or selling any personal property donated. All soliciting shall be done by the officers of the organization or agents appointed by or under the authority of such officers.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.5. Section 148.5.

It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in soliciting donations of salvageable personal property except as an officer or agent of an organization meeting the requirements of Section 148.3, and who has been appointed in the manner prescribed by this chapter.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.6. Section 148.6.

Every organization qualified under Section 148.3 to solicit donations of salvageable personal property, shall furnish each officer or agent engaged to work as a solicitor with an identification card stating the name and address of the solicitor, the name of the organization for whom he is soliciting, that he has been appointed by the organization to act as a solicitor, and the signature of the person by whom he was so appointed. The identification card must be exhibited on the demand of any person solicited or of any peace officer. Any such organization receiving the proceeds from any sale of salvageable personal property obtained by soliciting, shall see that each purchaser of such property is given a receipt stating the price paid for the property sold. Every such organization shall keep accurate books and records setting out the proceeds of such sales and the amounts devoted directly to charitable uses, which books and records shall be open to the inspection of any peace officer.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.8. Section 148.8.

The violation of any provision of this chapter by any person or organization is a misdemeanor. Any person who solicits a donation of salvageable personal property, and uses any device purporting to be an identification card and which is not furnished in accordance with the provisions of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 148.9. Section 148.9.

The enactment of this chapter shall in no way limit or infringe upon the powers of counties and cities to impose additional requirements for the privilege of soliciting and selling salvageable personal property within their jurisdictions.

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