Bus. & Prof. Code, § 146 · Chapter 1.5. Unlicensed Activity Enforcement
Bus. & Prof. Code, § 146
Text — As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a violation of any code section listed in subdivision (c) is an infraction subject to the procedures described in Sections 19.6 and 19.7 of the Penal Code when either of the following applies:
(1) A complaint or a written notice to appear in court pursuant to Chapter 5C (commencing with Section 853.5) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code is filed in court charging the offense as an infraction unless the defendant, at the time they are arraigned, after being advised of their rights, elects to have the case proceed as a misdemeanor.
(2) The court, with the consent of the defendant and the prosecution, determines that the offense is an infraction in which event the case shall proceed as if the defendant has been arraigned on an infraction complaint.
(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply to a violation of the code sections listed in subdivision (c) if the defendant has had their license, registration, or certificate previously revoked or suspended.
(c) The following sections require registration, licensure, certification, or other authorization in order to engage in certain businesses or professions regulated by this code:
(1) Section 2474.
(2) Sections 2052 and 2054.
(3) Section 2570.3.
(4) Section 2630.
(5) Section 2903.
(6) Section 3575.
(7) Section 3660.
(8) Sections 3760 and 3761.
(9) Section 4080.
(10) Section 4825.
(11) Section 4935.
(12) Section 4980.
(13) Section 4989.50.
(14) Section 4996.
(15) Section 4999.30.
(16) Section 5536.
(17) Section 6530 or 6532.
(18) Section 6704.
(19) Section 6980.10.
(20) Section 7317.
(21) Section 7502 or 7592.
(22) Section 7520.
(23) Section 7574.10.
(24) Section 7574.12.
(25) Section 7582.
(26) Section 7617 or 7641.
(27) Subdivision (a) of Section 7872.
(28) Section 8016.
(29) Section 8505.
(30) Section 8725.
(31) Section 9681.
(32) Section 9840.
(33) Subdivision (c) of Section 9891.24.
(34) Section 19049.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a violation of any of the sections listed in subdivision (c), which is an infraction, is punishable by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) and not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). No portion of the minimum fine may be suspended by the court unless as a condition of that suspension the defendant is required to submit proof of a current valid license, registration, or certificate for the profession or vocation that was the basis for their conviction.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 484, Sec. 2. (SB 1454) Effective January 1, 2025.
Source of truth
- Edition
- As published in the Legislative Counsel's database, tables dated October 18, 2026 (pubinfo_2025.zip)
- Official file
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=146.
- Text hash
- sha256 2641af88ffbabd45e291084158738f0198fe42689a15532174af00101ef8a62d
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- compose_ca.py 2026-10-22: the Legislative Counsel's CAML content files read by a tokenizer (caml_readers.reader_a); an independent xml.etree reading (caml_readers.reader_b) agrees on every section
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Business and Professions Code
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2052Printed as Sections 2052 and 2054
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2054Printed as Sections 2052 and 2054
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2474Printed as Section 2474
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2570.3Printed as Section 2570.3
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2630Printed as Section 2630
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 2903Printed as Section 2903
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 3575Printed as Section 3575
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 3660Printed as Section 3660
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 3760Printed as Sections 3760 and 3761
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 3761Printed as Sections 3760 and 3761
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4080Printed as Section 4080
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4825Printed as Section 4825
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4935Printed as Section 4935
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4980Printed as Section 4980
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4989.50Printed as Section 4989.50
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4996Printed as Section 4996
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 4999.30Printed as Section 4999.30
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 5536Printed as Section 5536
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6530Printed as Section 6530 or 6532
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6532Printed as Section 6530 or 6532
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6704Printed as Section 6704
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6980.10Printed as Section 6980.10
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7317Printed as Section 7317
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7502Printed as Section 7502 or 7592
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7520Printed as Section 7520
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7574.10Printed as Section 7574.10
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7574.12Printed as Section 7574.12
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7582Printed as Section 7582
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7592Printed as Section 7502 or 7592
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7617Printed as Section 7617 or 7641
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7641Printed as Section 7617 or 7641
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7872Printed as Section 7872
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 8016Printed as Section 8016
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 8505Printed as Section 8505
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 8725Printed as Section 8725
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 9840Printed as Section 9840
- Bus. & Prof. Code, § 19049Printed as Section 19049
Cited by 2 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Bus. & Prof. Code, § 146. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Business and Professions Code
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