ARTICLE 2. Remedies [66499.32. - 66499.36.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 2.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66499.32. Section 66499.32.

(a) Any deed of conveyance, sale or contract to sell real property which has been divided, or which has resulted from a division, in violation of the provisions of this division, or of the provisions of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division, is voidable at the sole option of the grantee, buyer or person contracting to purchase, his heirs, personal representative, or trustee in insolvency or bankruptcy within one year after the date of discovery of the violation of the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant to the provisions of this division, but the deed of conveyance, sale or contract to sell is binding upon any successor in interest of the grantee, buyer or person contracting to purchase, other than those above enumerated, and upon the grantor, vendor, or person contracting to sell, or his assignee, heir or devisee. (b) Any grantee, or his successor in interest, of real property which has been divided, or which has resulted from a division, in violation of the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto, may, within one year of the date of discovery of such violation, bring an action in the superior court to recover any damages he has suffered by reason of such division of property. The action may be brought against the person who divided the property in violation of the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto and against any successors in interest who have actual or constructive knowledge of such division of property. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the conveyance of any parcel of real property identified in a certificate of compliance filed pursuant to Section 66499.35 or identified in a recorded final map or parcel map, from and after the date of recording. The provisions of this section shall not limit or affect in any way the rights of a grantee or his successor in interest under any other provision of law.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66499.33. Section 66499.33.

This division does not bar any legal, equitable or summary remedy to which any aggrieved local agency or other public agency, or any person, firm, or corporation may otherwise be entitled, and any such local agency or other public agency, or such person, firm, or corporation may file a suit in the superior court of the county in which any real property attempted to be subdivided or sold, leased, or financed in violation of this division or local ordinance enacted pursuant thereto is located, to restrain or enjoin any attempted or proposed subdivision or sale, lease, or financing in violation of this division or local ordinance enacted pursuant thereto.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66499.34. Section 66499.34.

No local agency shall issue any permit or grant any approval necessary to develop any real property which has been divided, or which has resulted from a division, in violation of the provisions of this division or of the provisions of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division if it finds that development of such real property is contrary to the public health or the public safety. The authority to deny such a permit or such approval shall apply whether the applicant therefor was the owner of record at the time of such violation or whether the applicant therefor is either the current owner of record or a vendee of the current owner of record pursuant to a contract of sale of the real property with, or without, actual or constructive knowledge of the violation at the time of the acquisition of his or her interest in such real property. If a city or a county issues a permit or grants approval for the development of any such real property, it may impose only those conditions that would have been applicable to the division of the property at the time the applicant acquired his or her interest in such real property, and which has been established at such time by this division or local ordinance enacted pursuant thereto, except that where the applicant was the owner of record at the time of the initial violation of the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto who, by a grant of the real property created a parcel or parcels in violation of this division or local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto, and such person is the current owner of record of one or more of the parcels which were created as a result of the grant in violation of the division or local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto, then the local agency may impose such conditions as would be applicable to a current division of the property, and except that if a conditional certificate of compliance has been filed for record under the provisions of subdivision (b) of Section 66499.35, only such conditions stipulated in that certificate shall be applicable. The issuance of a permit or grant of approval for development of real property, or with respect to improvements that have been completed prior to the time a permit or grant of approval for development was required by local ordinances in effect at the time of the improvement, or with respect to improvements that have been completed in reliance upon a permit or grant of approval for development, shall constitute “real property which has been approved for development,” for the purposes of subdivision (c) of Section 66499.35, and upon request by the person owning the real property or a vendee of such person pursuant to a contract of sale, the local agency shall issue a certificate of compliance for the affected real property.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66499.35. Section 66499.35.

(a) Any person owning real property or a vendee of that person pursuant to a contract of sale of the real property may request, and a local agency shall determine, whether the real property complies with the provisions of this division and of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division. If a local agency determines that the real property complies, the city or the county shall cause a certificate of compliance to be filed for record with the recorder of the county in which the real property is located. The certificate of compliance shall identify the real property and shall state that the division of the real property complies with applicable provisions of this division and of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division. The local agency may impose a reasonable fee to cover the cost of issuing and recording the certificate of compliance. (b) If a local agency determines that the real property does not comply with the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division, it shall issue a conditional certificate of compliance. A local agency may, as a condition to granting a conditional certificate of compliance, impose any conditions that would have been applicable to the division of the property at the time the applicant acquired his or her interest therein, and that had been established at that time by this division or local ordinance enacted pursuant to this division, except that where the applicant was the owner of record at the time of the initial violation of the provisions of this division or of the local ordinances who by a grant of the real property created a parcel or parcels in violation of this division or local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division, and the person is the current owner of record of one or more of the parcels which were created as a result of the grant in violation of this division or those local ordinances, then the local agency may impose any conditions that would be applicable to a current division of the property. Upon making the determination and establishing the conditions, the city or county shall cause a conditional certificate of compliance to be filed for record with the recorder of the county in which the real property is located. The certificate shall serve as notice to the property owner or vendee who has applied for the certificate pursuant to this section, a grantee of the property owner, or any subsequent transferee or assignee of the property that the fulfillment and implementation of these conditions shall be required prior to subsequent issuance of a permit or other grant of approval for development of the property. Compliance with these conditions shall not be required until the time that a permit or other grant of approval for development of the property is issued by the local agency. (c) A certificate of compliance shall be issued for any real property that has been approved for development pursuant to Section 66499.34. (d) A recorded final map, parcel map, official map, or an approved certificate of exception shall constitute a certificate of compliance with respect to the parcels of real property described therein. (e) An official map prepared pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 66499.52 shall constitute a certificate of compliance with respect to the parcels of real property described therein and may be filed for record, whether or not the parcels are contiguous, so long as the parcels are within the same section or, with the approval of the city engineer or county surveyor, within contiguous sections of land. (f) (1) Each certificate of compliance or conditional certificate of compliance shall include information the local agency deems necessary, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (A) Name or names of owners of the parcel. (B) Assessor parcel number or numbers of the parcel. (C) The number of parcels for which the certificate of compliance or conditional certificate of compliance is being issued and recorded. (D) Legal description of the parcel or parcels for which the certificate of compliance or conditional certificate of compliance is being issued and recorded. (E) A notice stating as follows: This certificate relates only to issues of compliance or noncompliance with the Subdivision Map Act and local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto. The parcel described herein may be sold, leased, or financed without further compliance with the Subdivision Map Act or any local ordinance enacted pursuant thereto. Development of the parcel may require issuance of a permit or permits, or other grant or grants of approval. (F) Any conditions to be fulfilled and implemented prior to subsequent issuance of a permit or other grant of approval for development of the property, as specified in the conditional certificate of compliance. (2) Local agencies may process applications for certificates of compliance or conditional certificates of compliance concurrently and may record a single certificate of compliance or a single conditional certificate of compliance for multiple parcels. Where a single certificate of compliance or conditional certificate of compliance is certifying multiple parcels, each as to compliance with the provisions of this division and with local ordinances enacted pursuant thereto, the single certificate of compliance or conditional certificate of compliance shall clearly identify, and distinguish between, the descriptions of each parcel.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66499.36. Section 66499.36.

Whenever a local agency has knowledge that real property has been divided in violation of the provisions of this division or of local ordinances enacted pursuant to this division, it shall cause to be mailed by certified mail to the then current owner of record of the property a notice of intention to record a notice of violation, describing the real property in detail, naming the owners thereof, and stating that an opportunity will be given to the owner to present evidence. The notice shall specify a time, date, and place for a meeting at which the owner may present evidence to the legislative body or advisory agency why the notice should not be recorded. The notice shall also contain a description of the violations and an explanation as to why the subject parcel is not lawful under subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 66412.6. The meeting shall take place no sooner than 30 days and no later than 60 days from date of mailing. If, within 15 days of receipt of the notice, the owner of the real property fails to inform the local agency of his or her objection to recording the notice of violation, the legislative body or advisory agency shall record the notice of violation with the county recorder. If, after the owner has presented evidence, it is determined that there has been no violation, the local agency shall mail a clearance letter to the then current owner of record. If, however, after the owner has presented evidence, the legislative body or advisory agency determines that the property has in fact been illegally divided, the legislative body or advisory agency shall record the notice of violation with the county recorder. The notice of violation, when recorded, shall be deemed to be constructive notice of the violation to all successors in interest in such property. The county recorder shall index the names of the fee owners in the general index.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026