CHAPTER 5. Hunting and Fishing Guides [2535. - 2546.]

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC 5.

in effect

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2535. Section 2535.

As used in this chapter, “guide” means any person who is engaged in the business of packing or guiding, or who, for a fee, assists another person in taking or attempting to take any bird, mammal, fish, amphibian, or reptile. “Guide” also includes any person who, for profit, transports other persons, their equipment, or both to or from a hunting or fishing area.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2536. Section 2536.

(a) It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of guiding or packing, or to act as a guide for any consideration or compensation whatever, without first having secured a guide license from the department. (b) An employee of a licensee who acts as a guide only in connection with, and within the scope of, his or her employment is exempt from the requirement of subdivision (a) if all of the following conditions are met: (1) If the employment is subject to and the person is reported to the carrier of the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. (2) If the person is subject and reported to the state and federal taxing authorities for withholding of income tax. (3) If the person is reported to the department, on forms provided by the department, as an employee of the guide prior to any contact with any person being guided, and a registration fee has been paid. The base fee for an employee guide registration for the 2004 license year shall be thirty-three dollars ($33), which shall be adjusted annually thereafter pursuant to Section 713. (c) A person who is licensed in another state to provide guide services for the purposes of fishing is exempt from the requirements of subdivision (a) if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The state in which the person is licensed grants a similar exemption to licensed guides who are residents of this state. (2) Evidence of a valid guide license is provided to the department upon request. (3) The person is engaged in the business of guiding only in conjunction with and during the term of a multistate fishing tournament approved by the appropriate agency in each of the affected states. (4) The tournament sponsor provides to the department any information or documents necessary to administer and enforce this paragraph, as determined by the department, including, but not limited to, the identities of all guides participating in the tournament, verification of another state’s license exemption, and information sufficient to determine the validity of another state’s guide licenses. (5) The tournament sponsor pays the department an amount, determined by the department, to be sufficient to cover the department’s cost to administer and enforce this subdivision. (6) The net proceeds of the tournament are used for resource management projects or habitat improvement projects, or both. (d) The commission shall adjust the amount of the fees specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), as necessary, to fully recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission relating to those licenses.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2537. Section 2537.

A person operating under a commercial passenger fishing boat license issued pursuant to Section 7920 is not required to obtain a guide license.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2538. Section 2538.

An application for a guide license shall be on a form furnished by the department on request. The application shall show all of the following: (a) The name, date of birth, physical description, age, address, and telephone number, if any, of the applicant. (b) The area or areas of the state in which the applicant proposes to operate. (c) The type of guiding or packing in which the applicant proposes to engage. (d) The experience which qualifies the applicant for the type of guiding or packing he or she proposes to conduct. (e) The type and amount of the equipment, vehicles, animals, and other property the applicant proposes to use in his or her operations. (f) Any other information that the department or the commission may require.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2539. Section 2539.

If the licensee operates with pack or riding animals in any area in which a grazing permit is required, the license is not valid unless the holder thereof has a valid grazing permit for the area. A licensee shall not guide clients on any lands under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of the Interior or Department of Agriculture where permits are required without first obtaining the permit from that federal agency.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2540. Section 2540.

(a) The base fee for a guide license issued to a resident is one hundred fifty dollars ($150). (b) The base fee for a guide license issued to a nonresident is three hundred fifty dollars ($350). (c) A guide license is valid for the license year beginning on February 1 and ending on January 31 of the succeeding year or, if issued after the beginning of the license year, for the remainder of that license year. (d) The base fees specified in this section are applicable to the 2004 license year, and shall be adjusted annually thereafter pursuant to Section 713. (e) The commission shall adjust the amount of the fees specified in subdivisions (a), (b), and (d), as necessary, to fully recover, but not exceed, all reasonable administrative and implementation costs of the department and the commission relating to those licenses.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2541. Section 2541.

Each applicant for a guide license shall submit proof of having obtained a surety bond in the amount of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000), conditioned on faithful performance of the guide and the guide’s agents or employees in fulfilling their responsibilities to their clients. No guide license shall be issued to any applicant who does not submit proof of having a bond that is valid for the term of the license.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2542. Section 2542.

The commission shall adopt regulations governing the conduct and qualifications of guides to ensure the safety and welfare of persons engaging the services of a guide, and may adopt regulations governing the procedures for applications for guide licenses. The qualifications shall include, but not be limited to, knowledge of basic first aid and rescue operations.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2543. Section 2543.

The commission may require licensed guides to maintain and submit records of their operations. The records may be examined at any time by representatives of the department. It is unlawful for any licensed guide to fail to maintain or submit any required records or to refuse to allow the examination of the records upon the request of a department representative.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2544. Section 2544.

The department may refuse to issue a guide license to an applicant upon a showing of any of the following: (a) The applicant has failed to fulfill his responsibilities to a client. (b) The applicant has violated this code or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or has knowingly permitted a client or another member of a party being guided to violate this code or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto and the applicant had the authority and means to prevent the violation.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2545. Section 2545.

An applicant denied a guide license by the department may request a hearing before the commission and the commission shall determine whether or not the license shall be issued.

Cal. Fish and Game Code - FGC § 2546. Section 2546.

The commission may revoke a guide license or the privilege to guide upon a showing of any of the following: (a) The licensee has been convicted of a violation of this code or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto. (b) The licensee has knowingly permitted a client or other member of the party being guided to violate this code or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto and that the licensee had the authority and means to prevent the violation. (c) The licensee has failed to fulfill his or her responsibilities to a client.

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