“Fee,” as used in this article, includes, but is not limited to, any application fee, license fee, permit fee, inspection fee, certification fee, registration fee, identification fee, analysis fee, certificate fee, or delinquent fee.
DefinitionsRefunds
Section § 11480
The term 'fee' in this context covers a wide range of charges you might need to pay for various official services or approvals. This can include costs for applications, licenses, permits, inspections, certifications, registrations, identification, analyses, certificates, or overdue payments.
application fee license fee permit fee
Section § 11481
This law allows the director to refund money that has been paid to the department for fees, assessments, or taxes. However, refunds can't be given for payments made as part of a settlement, judgment, or if the request is submitted more than four years after the payment. The funds to cover these refunds are automatically available from the accounts where the original payments were deposited.
(a)CA Food And Agriculture Code § 11481(a) The director may authorize the refund of any money that is received or collected by the department in the payment of any fee, assessment, or tax, except that the director shall not authorize a refund of any money received by the department pursuant to a settlement agreement, stipulated judgment, or similar document or if the refund request is submitted more than four years after the payment was made.
(b)CA Food And Agriculture Code § 11481(b) An amount equal to the amount of the refund is, notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, hereby continuously appropriated without regard to fiscal years, from the funds into which the fees were deposited, to the director to make the refunds.
refund authorization fees assessments
Section § 11482
You can get a refund from the department if you ask before they've done any work for you, like exams or inspections.
Also, if you paid too much, paid twice, made a payment mistake, or if there was an error by you or the department, you may be entitled to a refund.
A refund may be made in whole or in part in any of the following instances:
(a)CA Food And Agriculture Code § 11482(a) A refund of a fee is requested by the payer before any examination, review, inspection, or similar activity has been performed or services rendered by the department for the payer.
(b)CA Food And Agriculture Code § 11482(b) The payment of a fee, assessment, or tax represents an overpayment, payment in duplicate, payment in error in law, or payment through error of the payer or the department.
refund eligibility fee refund overpayment correction
Section § 11483
This law states that the fiscal officer of a department can issue a refund only after a director or their appointed person prepares a voucher. This voucher must include the necessary details justifying the refund and permission to pay it.
The fiscal officer of the department shall make payment of any refund pursuant to this article upon the submission to the fiscal officer of a voucher prepared by the director, or his or her designee, that sets forth the facts that pertain to the refund and authorizes its payment.
fiscal officer department refund voucher submission
Section § 11484
This law explains that if a refund is needed from money that was put in the State Treasury, the State Controller has to move that money from its current fund to the director to ensure the refund is paid after a claim is filed by the department.
If any money that is to be refunded has been deposited in the State Treasury, the Controller, upon receipt of a claim that is filed by the department, shall transfer that amount from the fund to which the money is credited to the director for payment of the refund.
refund procedure State Treasury Controller duties
Section § 11485
This law says if someone is due a refund under $50, the director can keep it to use for the same purpose as the original payment, unless the payment was a legal mistake. If it was a mistake, the director must give the money back.
If the director finds that the amount of any refund is less than fifty dollars ($50), the director may retain the amount for use for the same purpose for which the original payment was made, unless the payment was made in error in law, in which case the director shall refund the amount.
refund under $50 retain refund use for same purpose
