Cal. BPC § 4161 — California Code / Code bpc / Division 2 / Chapter 9 / Article 11 / Section 4161
Section 4161
Status: in_force

(a) A person located outside this state that (1) ships, sells, mails, warehouses, distributes, or delivers dangerous drugs or dangerous devices into this state or (2) sells, brokers, warehouses, or distributes dangerous drugs or devices within this state shall be considered a nonresident wholesaler or a nonresident third-party logistics provider.

(b) A nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider shall be licensed by the board prior to shipping, selling, mailing, warehousing, distributing, or delivering dangerous drugs or dangerous devices to a site located in this state or selling, brokering, warehousing, or distributing dangerous drugs or devices within this state.

(c) (1) A separate license shall be required for each place of business owned or operated by a nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider from or through which dangerous drugs or dangerous devices are shipped, sold, mailed, warehoused, distributed, or delivered to a site located in this state or sold, brokered, warehoused, or distributed within this state. Each place of business may only be issued a single license by the board, except as provided in paragraph (2). A license shall be renewed annually and shall not be transferable.

(2) A nonresident wholesaler and a nonresident third-party logistics provider under common ownership may be licensed at the same place of business provided that all of the following requirements are satisfied:

(A) The wholesaler and the third-party logistics provider each separately maintain the records required under Section 4081.

(B) Dangerous drugs and dangerous devices owned by the wholesaler are not commingled with the dangerous drugs and dangerous devices handled by the third-party logistics provider.

(C) Any individual acting as a designated representative for the wholesaler is not concurrently acting as a designated representative-3PL on behalf of the third-party logistics provider. Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed to prohibit an individual from concurrently holding a license to act as a designated representative and to act as a designated representative-3PL.

(D) The wholesaler has its own designated representative-in-charge responsible for the operations of the wholesaler and the third-party logistics provider has its own responsible manager responsible for the operations of the third-party logistics provider. The same individual shall not concurrently serve as the responsible manager and the designated representative-in-charge for a wholesaler and a third-party logistics provider licensed at the same place of business.

(E) The third-party logistics provider does not handle the prescription drugs or prescription devices owned by a prescriber.

(F) The third-party logistics provider is not a reverse third-party logistics provider.

(G) The wholesaler is not acting as a reverse distributor.

(d) The following information shall be reported, in writing, to the board at the time of initial application for licensure by a nonresident wholesaler or a nonresident third-party logistics provider, on renewal of a nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider license, or within 30 days of a change in that information:

(1) Its agent for service of process in this state.

(2) Its principal corporate officers, as specified by the board, if any.

(3) Its general partners, as specified by the board, if any.

(4) Its owners if the applicant is not a corporation or partnership.

(e) A report containing the information in subdivision (d) shall be made within 30 days of any change of ownership, office, corporate officer, or partner.

(f) A nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider shall comply with all directions and requests for information from the regulatory or licensing agency of the state in which it is licensed, as well as with all requests for information made by the board.

(g) A nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider shall maintain records of dangerous drugs and dangerous devices sold, traded, transferred, warehoused, or distributed to persons in this state or within this state, so that the records are in a readily retrievable form.

(h) A nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider shall at all times maintain a valid, unexpired license, permit, or registration to conduct the business of the wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider in compliance with the laws of the state in which it is a resident. An application for a nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider license in this state shall include a license verification from the licensing authority in the applicant’s state of residence. The board may waive the home state licensure requirement for a nonresident third-party logistics provider if the board inspects the location and finds it to be in compliance with this article and any regulations adopted by the board or the applicant provides evidence of its accreditation by the Drug Distributor Accreditation program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The nonresident third-party logistics provider shall reimburse the board for all actual and necessary costs incurred by the board in conducting an inspection of the location, pursuant to subdivision (v) of Section 4400.

(i) (1) The board shall not issue or renew a nonresident wholesaler license until the nonresident wholesaler identifies a designated representative-in-charge and notifies the board in writing of the identity and license number of the designated representative-in-charge.

(2) The board shall not issue or renew a nonresident third-party logistics provider license until the nonresident third-party logistics provider identifies a responsible manager and notifies the board in writing of the identity and license number of the designated representative-3PL who will be the responsible manager.

(j) The designated representative-in-charge shall be responsible for the compliance of the nonresident wholesaler with state and federal laws governing wholesalers. The responsible manager shall be responsible for the compliance of the nonresident third-party logistics provider’s place of business with state and federal laws governing third-party logistics providers. A nonresident wholesaler or nonresident third-party logistics provider shall identify and notify the board of a new designated representative-in-charge or responsible manager within 30 days of the date that the prior designated representative-in-charge or responsible manager ceases to be the designated representative-in-charge or responsible manager.

(k) The board may issue a temporary license, upon conditions and for periods of time as the board determines to be in the public interest. When needed to protect public safety, a temporary license may be issued for a period not to exceed 180 days, subject to terms and conditions that the board deems necessary. If the board determines that a temporary license was issued by mistake or denies the application for a permanent license, the temporary license shall terminate upon either personal service of the notice of termination upon the licenseholder or service by certified mail, return receipt requested, at the licenseholder’s address of record with the board, whichever occurs first. Neither for purposes of retaining a temporary license, nor for purposes of any disciplinary or license denial proceeding before the board, shall the temporary licenseholder be deemed to have a vested property right or interest in the license.

(l) The registration fee shall be the fee specified in subdivision (f) of Section 4400.

(m) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.