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HomeFish and Game CodeDiv. 2Ch. 3Art. 2§ 1050 License And Permit Issuance

§ 1050 License And Permit Issuance

Fish and Game Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 1050 License And Permit Issuance

This law tells who can make and give out licenses, permits, tags, reservations, and other similar permissions, and how the fees for them are set.

Key Takeaways

  • •The department creates the actual license or permit; the commission decides its design and rules.
  • •Fees can be set by the commission unless the department already has fee‑setting power for that program.
  • •Fees must cover the real costs of running the program and must be fully recovered within five years.
  • •An extra application fee (up to $7.50) can be charged and is not refundable.

Example

A person wants to get a fishing license from the state.

The department prepares the license, but the commission decides what the license looks like and can set the fee unless the department already has the power to set the fee. The person also has to pay a small, non‑refundable application fee (no more than $7.50).

How to Calculate

Fee = Reasonable administrative and implementation costs needed to run the program

  1. Figure out the total cost the department or commission spends each year to run the program (staff time, paperwork, etc.).
  2. Decide how many licenses (or permits, tags, etc.) will be issued in that year.
  3. Divide the total cost by the number of licenses to get the fee per license.
  4. If the fee is being phased in, make sure the total collected reaches the full cost within five years.

The wildlife department spends $5,000 a year to process fishing licenses and expects to issue 200 licenses each year.

Result: Fee per fishing license = $5,000 ÷ 200 = $25.00

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 1050 License And Permit Issuance

(a) All licenses, permits, tags, reservations, and other entitlements authorized by this code shall be prepared and issued by the department. (b) The commission shall determine the form of all licenses, permits, tags, reservations, and other entitlements and the method of carrying and displaying all licenses, and may require and prescribe the form of applications therefor and the form of any contrivance to be used in connection therewith, except for those programs where the department has fee-setting authority, in which case the department shall retain that authority. (c) Whenever this code provides for a permit, license, tag, reservation, application, or other entitlement, the commission, in accordance with the provision, shall prescribe the terms and conditions under which the permit, license, tag, reservation, application, or other entitlement shall be issued, except for those programs where the department has fee-setting authority, in which case the department shall retain that authority. The department shall issue the permit, license, tag, reservation, application, or other entitlement in accordance therewith and with the applicable provisions of law. (d) Except for fees set by the department pursuant to subdivision (e), whenever this code does not specify whether a fee is to be collected, or does not specify the amount of a fee to be collected, or does not expressly prohibit the adjustment of statutorily imposed fees by the commission by reference to this section for the issuance of any license, tag, permit, application, reservation, or other entitlement, the commission may establish a fee or the amount thereof by regulation. The commission may also provide for the change in the amount of the fee in accordance with Section 713. Fees established by the commission shall be in an amount sufficient to recover all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and commission relating to the program with regard to which the fee is paid. The commission may establish a fee structure that provides for the phasing in of new fees leading up to full cost recovery for the department and commission, provided that full cost recovery is achieved within five years of the establishment of the fee. (e) The department may establish fees and may adjust statutorily imposed fees by regulation for the filings, permits, determinations, or other department actions described in Section 711.4, 1002, or 1609. The department also may provide for the change in the amount of the fee in accordance with Section 713. Fees established by the department shall be in an amount sufficient to recover all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department relating to the program with regard to which the fee is paid. The department may establish a fee structure that provides for the phasing in of new fees leading up to full cost recovery for the department, provided that full cost recovery is achieved within five years of the establishment of the fee. (f) Whenever this code provides for a license, tag, permit, reservation, or other entitlement, the commission or department, as applicable, may establish a nonrefundable application fee, not to exceed seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) sufficient to pay the department’s costs for issuing the license, tag, permit, reservation, or other entitlement and may adjust the application fee in accordance with Section 713. (Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 565, Sec. 5. (SB 1148) Effective January 1, 2013.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

authorityregulationreservationapplicationentitlementlicensecommissionaccordance

Related Statutes

  • § 1052 License Fraud Prohibitions
  • § 3031.2 Lifetime Hunting License Rules
  • § 1002.5 Scientific Research Permit Rules
  • § 1050.1 License And Fee Requirements
  • § 1050.3 Temporary Online Entitlement Documents

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Fish and Game Code. Section 1050.
View Official Source