LicensingApplication for License
Section § 28112
This section outlines what an applicant must do to apply for a license. The applicant needs to fill out a special form and submit it to the commissioner, signing it under penalty of perjury.
They have to pay fees totaling $400 and cover the cost of fingerprinting and a criminal history check. These fees are non-refundable if the application is denied or withdrawn.
Applicants must show they have a financial worth of at least $250,000 through audited financial statements, unless they are part of a larger company that meets specific SEC reporting rules. In that case, they can submit their parent company’s financial documents.
Section § 28114
This law outlines the process for conducting criminal background checks on individuals applying for certain licenses. The commissioner must send fingerprints and related info to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to check for criminal records or pending charges. The DOJ sends fingerprints to the FBI for a federal check and reviews the results before responding to the commissioner. The commissioner must also ask the DOJ to notify them of any future arrests of the license applicant. Applicants must pay a fee for this service.
Section § 28116
When someone applies for a financial license under Section 28112 and pays the necessary fees, the commissioner will investigate their background. This includes investigating key people like general partners or those who own or control at least 10% of the company, especially if they're responsible for the company's business activities in California.
If the company is a corporation or other complex structure, the investigation extends to principal officers like the president, CEO, or CFO, plus others responsible for the company's operations in the state.
For license applications under Section 28128, the focus is on evaluating new business locations, specifically looking into key individuals overseeing these sites. The commissioner will only consider new information not covered in previous applications and will grant the license if everything checks out.
"Principal officers" include those with direct oversight of the company's activities like the president, CEO, treasurer, and chief financial officer.
Section § 28117
Before getting a license, applicants must formally appoint the commissioner as their attorney to receive any legal papers in a noncriminal judicial or administrative case related to specific regulations. This means the commissioner can accept such documents on behalf of the applicant, as if served directly to them.
If papers are served, a copy must be left at the commissioner's office. However, it's only considered valid if the person serving the papers sends a notice and a copy to the applicant's last known address via registered or certified mail, and files an affidavit showing they followed this process, either by the specified date or by a deadline set by the court or administrative agency.
Section § 28118
Once an application is fully complete and includes information from the Department of Justice, the commissioner must either issue a license or explain in writing why the application was denied.
Section § 28120
If you're applying for a license and it gets denied, the whole process follows specific government rules. The commissioner can say no to your license for several reasons. These include lying on your application, being involved in crimes or fraud in the last ten years, not following rules, failing to meet important requirements, or having a history of legal or financial issues. The commissioner also needs to believe that you and the key people in your company are honest, responsible, and capable of running the business properly.
Section § 28122
If you're applying for a license and you don't respond to information requests from the commissioner, your application can be considered abandoned.
You have 60 days to reply to these requests, or else the application is deemed abandoned. Any fees you paid won't be refunded if this happens, but you can apply again with a new application and fee.
Section § 28124
This law states that a license will stay valid until the commissioner suspends or revokes it, or until the person holding the license gives it up willingly.