Section 7508.2.

The director may assess administrative fines for any of the following prohibited acts:

(a) Recovering collateral or making any money demand in lieu thereof, including, but not limited to, collateral registered under the Vehicle Code, that has been sold under a security agreement before a signed or telegraphic authorization has been received from the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, lessor, or repossession agency acting on behalf of the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, or lessor of the collateral. A telephonic assignment is acceptable if the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, lessor, or repossession agency acting on behalf of the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, or lessor is known to the licensee and a written authorization from the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, lessor, or repossession agency acting on behalf of the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, or lessor is received by the licensee within 10 working days or a request by the licensee for a written authorization from the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, lessor, or repossession agency acting on behalf of the legal owner, debtor, lienholder, or lessor is made in writing within 10 working days. Referrals of assignments from one licensee to another licensee are acceptable. The referral of an assignment shall be made under the same terms and conditions as in the original assignment. The fine shall be twenty-five dollars ($25) for each of the first five violations and one hundred dollars ($100) for each violation thereafter, per audit.

(b) Using collateral or personal effects, which have been recovered, for the personal benefit of a licensee, or officer, partner, manager, registrant, or employee of a licensee. The fine shall be twenty-five dollars ($25) for the first violation and one hundred dollars ($100) for each violation thereafter. This subdivision does not apply to personal effects disposed of pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 7507.9. Nothing in this subdivision prohibits the using or taking of personal property connected, adjoined, or affixed to the collateral through an unbroken sequence if that use or taking is reasonably necessary to effectuate the recovery in a safe manner or to protect the collateral or personal effects.

(c) Selling collateral recovered under the provisions of this chapter, except with written authorization from the legal owner or mortgagee thereof. The fine shall be one hundred dollars ($100) for the first violation and five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation thereafter, per audit.

(d) Failing to remit all money due clients within 10 working days after finalization of the sale of collateral. The licensee shall deposit all money received in the form of cash or negotiable instruments made payable to the licensee for money due clients from the sale of collateral that has been repossessed in a trust account within five working days, and the money shall be withdrawn only for remittance to the client and for the payment of amounts due the licensee. The fine shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first violation and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation thereafter. For purposes of this subdivision, "finalization of sale" means the time when the documents of title or ownership which permit transfer of title from the legal owner to the purchaser are received by the repossession agency.

(e) Failing to remit moneys collected in lieu of repossession or redemption to a client within 10 working days after receipt of the moneys. The fine shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first violation and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation thereafter.

(f) Failing to deliver to a client any negotiable instrument received by the licensee made payable to the client within 10 working days of receipt of the negotiable instrument. No licensee, manager, registrant, or employee of a licensee shall accept a negotiable instrument made payable to a client unless they have authorization from the client to accept the negotiable instrument. The fine shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for the first violation and one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation thereafter.

(g) Unlawfully entering any private building or secured area without the consent of the owner, or of the person in legal possession thereof, at the time of repossession. The fine shall be five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation.

(h) Committing unlawful assault or battery on another person. The fine shall be five hundred dollars ($500) for each violation.

(i) Falsification or alteration of an inventory. The fine shall be twenty-five dollars ($25) for each violation.

(j) Soliciting from the legal owner the recovery of specific collateral registered under the Vehicle Code or under the motor vehicle licensing laws of other states after the collateral has been seen or located on a public street or on public or private property without divulging the location of the vehicle. The fine shall be one hundred dollars ($100) for the first violation and two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each violation thereafter.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 532, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2005.)