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HomeBusiness and Professions CodeDiv. 8Ch. 5Art. 11§ 19942 License Fee Violations Penalties

§ 19942 License Fee Violations Penalties

Business and Professions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 19942 License Fee Violations Penalties

Key Takeaways

  • •You must pay the license fee required by law. If you don't pay, lie about it, or try to avoid paying, you can go to jail or pay a fine up to $5,000.
  • •If you break any other rule in this law that doesn’t have its own punishment, you can still get in trouble and be charged with a misdemeanor.

Example

You own a small business and are required to pay a yearly license fee to the city. You decide not to pay the fee and hide your business income to avoid it.

This is breaking the law. You could be punished with jail time, a fine up to $5,000, or both.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 19942 License Fee Violations Penalties

(a) Any person who willfully fails to report, pay, or truthfully account for and pay over any license fee imposed by this chapter, or who willfully attempts in any manner to evade or defeat the license fee or payment thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail, by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both that imprisonment and fine. (b) Any person who willfully violates any of the provisions of this chapter for which a penalty is not expressly provided, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Added by renumbering Section 19933 by Stats. 2002, Ch. 738, Sec. 99. Effective January 1, 2003.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

license feewillfully fails to reportwillfully attempts to evade or defeatmisdemeanor

Related Statutes

  • § 19940 Excluded Gamblers Trespass Penalty
  • § 19944 Obstructing Department Duties
  • § 12512 Purchaser Quantity Representation Liability
  • § 17924 Fictitious Business Name Publication
  • § 17930 False Statement Penalty

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Business and Professions Code. Section 19942.
View Official Source