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HomeBusiness and Professions CodeDiv. 3Ch. 9Art. 7§ 7120 Contractor Payment Fraud Discipline

§ 7120 Contractor Payment Fraud Discipline

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

§ 7120 Contractor Payment Fraud Discipline

Key Takeaways

  • •If you're a contractor and you have the money, you must pay for materials or services you used for a job.
  • •If you lie about owing money or pretend a bill isn't real just to avoid paying, you can get in trouble.
  • •Doing this on purpose to cheat someone or delay payment is against the rules.

Example

A contractor hires a plumber to fix pipes in a house he's building. The plumber finishes the job and sends a bill for $1,000. The contractor gets paid $5,000 from the homeowner for the work but tells the plumber, 'I never got your bill, so I don’t owe you anything.'

The contractor is lying to avoid paying the plumber even though he has the money. This is breaking the law because he’s pretending the bill isn’t real just to cheat the plumber.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 7120 Contractor Payment Fraud Discipline

Wilful or deliberate failure by any licensee or agent or officer thereof, to pay any moneys, when due for any materials or services rendered in connection with his operations as a contractor, when he has the capacity to pay or when he has received sufficient funds therefor as payment for the particular construction work, project, or operation for which the services or materials were rendered or purchased constitutes a cause for disciplinary action, as does the false denial of any such amount due or the validity of the claim thereof with intent to secure for himself, his employer, or other person, any discount upon such indebtedness or with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud the person to whom such indebtedness is due. (Added by Stats. 1939, Ch. 37.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

contractclaimfraudemployeeemployerlicensevalidityconnection

Related Statutes

  • § 7108.6 Contractor Dump Truck Payments
  • § 7114.1 Licensee Discipline For False Certifications
  • § 7116 Willful Fraudulent Acts Cause Injury
  • § 7124.6 Public Complaint Disclosure Rules
  • § 8653 Pest Control Payment Violations

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Business and Professions Code. Section 7120.
View Official Source