Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 31550. Section 31550.
No person shall, except with the prior approval of the commissioner, acquire control of a licensee.
CHAPTER 8. Acquisition of Control [31550. - 31552.]
Cal. Financial Code - FIN 8.
in effectCal. Financial Code - FIN § 31551. Section 31551.
If the commissioner finds, with respect to an application for approval to acquire control of a licensee:
(a)
That the applicant and the directors and officers of the applicant are of good character and sound financial standing;
(b)
That it is reasonable to believe that, if the applicant acquires control of the licensee, the applicant will comply with all applicable provisions of this division and of any regulation or order issued
under this division; and
(c)
That the applicant’s plans, if any, to make any major change in the business, corporate structure, or management of the licensee are not detrimental to the safety and soundness of the licensee or to the public convenience and advantage;
The commissioner shall approve the application. If, after notice and a hearing, the commissioner finds otherwise, he or she shall deny the application.
Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 31551.5. Section 31551.5.
(a)
For purposes of Section 31551, the commissioner may find:
(1)
That an applicant or a director or officer of an applicant is not of good character if such person has been convicted of, or has pleaded nolo contendere to, a crime involving fraud or dishonesty.
(2)
That an applicant’s plan to make a major change in the management of a licensee is detrimental to the safety and soundness of the licensee and to
the public convenience and advantage if the plan provides for a person who has been convicted of, or has pleaded nolo contendere to, a crime involving fraud or dishonesty to become a director or officer of the licensee.
(b)
Subdivision (a) shall not be deemed to be the only grounds upon which the commissioner may find, for purposes of Section 31551, that an applicant or a director or officer of an applicant is not of good character or that an applicant’s plan to make a major change in the management of a licensee is detrimental to the safety and soundness of a licensee or to the public convenience and advantage.
Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 31552. Section 31552.
The commissioner may, by such regulations or orders as he or she deems necessary and appropriate, either unconditionally or upon specified terms and conditions or for specified periods, exempt from the provisions of this chapter any person or transaction or class of persons or transactions, if he or she finds such action to be in the public interest and that the regulation of such persons or transactions is not necessary for the purposes of this division.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026