ARTICLE 8. Title Insurance Representatives [12418. - 12418.4.]

Cal. Insurance Code - INS 8.

in effect

Cal. Insurance Code - INS § 12418. Section 12418.

(a) No person shall be employed as a title marketing representative in this state unless the person holds a valid “certificate of registration” as a title marketing representative issued by the commissioner pursuant to Section 12418.1. (b) For purposes of this article, “title marketing representative” means a natural person employed by a title insurer, underwritten title company, or controlled escrow company whose primary duty is to market, offer, solicit, negotiate, or sell title insurance, as defined in Section 12340.1. A title marketing representative does not include a person whose primary duties directly involve the creation, production, or issuance of the title policy or the performance of escrow services. (c) If any person knowingly markets title insurance without having applied for or obtained a certificate of registration pursuant to Section 12418.1, the commissioner may issue a cease and desist order pursuant to Section 12921.8.

Cal. Insurance Code - INS § 12418.1. Section 12418.1.

(a) A certificate of registration as a title marketing representative shall be applied for and renewed by filing with the commissioner a written application. The application shall be on a form prescribed by the commissioner, and shall prescribe the disclosure of information that will aid the commissioner in determining whether the prerequisites for the certificate have been met. The applicant shall certify that the contents of the application are true and correct under penalty of perjury. (b) Each application for a certificate of registration shall contain the following information: (1) The residence address, the principal business address, and the mailing address of the applicant. (2) A statement, signed by an officer of the business by whom the applicant is or will be employed, certifying that the applicant will be provided training regarding Article 6 (commencing with Section 12404) within 60 days of the hiring date or date of application. (3) A statement, signed by the applicant, as to whether he or she has previously had a certificate of registration revoked, suspended, or otherwise limited under Section 12418.4. (c) Each application to obtain or renew a certificate of registration shall be accompanied by a filing fee in an amount determined by the department to be sufficient to defray the department’s actual costs of processing the application, not to exceed two hundred thirty-seven dollars ($237). An application shall not be deemed filed unless it has been delivered to the department accompanied by the proper filing fee. (d) The commissioner may decline to act on an incomplete or defective application until an amended application that completes the prescribed form has been filed with the department. In the event that the application is found to be defective or incomplete, the department shall notify the applicant and his or her employer in writing that the application needs to be modified and resubmitted within 15 days of receipt of this written notification. (e) An applicant submitting an application filed with the department for a certificate of registration as a title marketing representative may solicit, sell, or market title insurance, as defined in Section 12340.1, in the interim time period preceding the formal approval or rejection of the application, but shall be subject to the same compliance requirements as a holder of an approved certificate of registration. An applicant with a pending application shall be deemed to be operating on a provisional basis. (f) In the event that the title marketing representative’s employment with a title company is terminated, the title company formerly employing the title marketing representative shall notify the department within 30 days of the termination. If the title marketing representative becomes employed by another title company as a title marketing representative, the new employer shall notify the department of the title marketing representative’s new employment within 30 days of the commencement of that employment. (g) An applicant who has previously had a certificate of registration revoked, suspended, or otherwise limited under subdivision (d) of Section 12418.4 may not sell, solicit, or market title insurance during the interim period described in subdivision (e).

Cal. Insurance Code - INS § 12418.2. Section 12418.2.

(a) An applicant or holder of a certificate of registration as a title marketing representative is not required to pass a qualifying examination, and is exempt from prelicensing and continuing education requirements, except as specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 12418.1. (b) Upon the filing of an application for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of registration, the commissioner may conduct an investigation, during the interim period set forth in subdivision (e) of Section 12418.1, to determine if the applicant shall be granted the certificate of registration by virtue of prior conduct in the marketing of policies of title insurance and to verify the accuracy of the information submitted by the applicant to the department and may require the filing of any supplementary documents, affidavits, and statements that may be necessary to determine whether training specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 12418.1 has been, or will be, provided to the applicant within the time period set forth in Section 12418.1. Should the commissioner decline to approve the granting of a certificate of registration, the procedure set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 12418.4 shall apply.

Cal. Insurance Code - INS § 12418.3. Section 12418.3.

(a) Each certificate of registration issued under this article shall be for a three-year period beginning on the date the certificate is issued. (b) Not less than 60 days before a certificate of registration will expire, the commissioner may mail or use an electronic delivery method, including email or other similar electronic method, to deliver an application to renew the certificate to the latest email or mailing address appearing on the registrant’s records. It shall be the responsibility of the registrant to renew his or her certificate, whether or not a renewal notice is received. (c) The application for renewal of an expired certificate of registration may be filed after the expiration date and until the same month and day of the next succeeding year. In addition to the fee for a renewal application, a delinquent application fee in the amount of fifty-eight dollars ($58) shall be assessed for each application for renewal filed after the expiration date. Each registrant shall be subject to payment of delinquent application fees under this subdivision. The commissioner may waive the delinquent application fee, or accept a renewal filed after the date specified in this subdivision, if the registrant’s failure to comply is due to clerical or other inadvertent error on the part of the department.

Cal. Insurance Code - INS § 12418.4. Section 12418.4.

(a) Sections 1667, 1668, 1669, 1670, 1729, 1729.2, 1738, 1738.5, 1742, 1743, and Article 6 (commencing with Section 12404), shall apply to all applicants or holders of a certificate of registration issued pursuant to this article. (b) The department may revoke, suspend, restrict, or decline to issue a certificate of registration if it determines that the title marketing representative or applicant has violated provisions of Article 6 (commencing with Section 12404) pursuant to the due process and hearing requirements set forth in subdivision (c). (c) Except as provided in Section 1669, a certificate of registration shall not be denied, restricted, suspended, or revoked without a hearing conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (d) In addition to, or in lieu of, any other penalty that may be imposed under this article against a title marketing representative, the commissioner may bring an administrative action against a title marketing representative for any violation of the provisions of Article 6 (commencing with Section 12404). If a title marketing representative charged with a violation of Article 6 (commencing with Section 12404) is determined by the commissioner to have committed the violation, the commissioner may require the surrender of, temporarily suspend or revoke either permanently or temporarily the title marketing representative’s certificate of registration, and, in addition, may impose a monetary penalty. Any payment of a monetary penalty pursuant to a settlement or final adjudication shall be made from the title marketing representative’s personal funds and not by their employer either directly or through the title marketing representative. This article shall not preclude an action against a company that had actual knowledge of the violation by the title marketing representative. A title marketing representative who is issued a certificate of registration under this article may not engage in any activity that is otherwise prohibited through a separate entity controlled by the title marketing representative or by the company or entity that employs the title marketing representative. (e) A title marketing representative who has their certificate of registration revoked by the department shall not be permitted to reapply for another certificate of registration with the department for five years from the date of revocation.

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