2023 California Code › Business and Professions Code - BPC › DIVISION 4 - REAL ESTATE › PART 1 - LICENSING OF PERSONS › CHAPTER 6.5 - Real Estate Recovery Program › Section 10471.1.

10471.1. (a) The claimant shall serve a copy of the notice prescribed in subdivision (e) together with a copy of the application upon the judgment debtor by personal service, by certified mail, or by publication, as set forth in subdivision (b).
(b) If the judgment debtor holds an unexpired and unrevoked license issued by the department, service of the notice and a copy of the application may be made by certified mail addressed to the judgment debtor at the latest business or residence address on file with the department. If the judgment debtor does not hold an unexpired and unrevoked license issued by the department and personal service cannot be effected through the exercise of reasonable diligence, the claimant shall serve the judgment debtor by one publication of the notice in each of two successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the judgment debtor was last known to reside.
(c) If the application is served upon the judgment debtor by certified mail, service is complete five days after mailing if the place of address is within the State of California, 10 days after mailing if the place of address is outside the State of California but within the United States, and 20 days after mailing if the place of address is outside the United States. Personal service is complete on the date of service. Service by publication is complete upon completion of the second week of publication.
(d) If a judgment debtor wishes to contest payment of an application by the commissioner, the debtor shall mail or deliver a written response to the application addressed to the department at its headquarters office within 30 days after service of the notice and application, and shall mail or deliver a copy of the response to the claimant. If a judgment debtor fails to mail or deliver a timely response, the debtor shall have waived their right to present objections to payment.
(e) The notice served upon the judgment debtor shall include the following statement:
“NOTICE: Based upon a judgment entered against you in favor of (name of claimant), application for payment from the Consumer Recovery Account of the Real Estate Fund is being made to the Department of Real Estate.
“If payment is made from the Consumer Recovery Account, all licenses and license rights that you have under the Real Estate Law will be automatically suspended on the date of payment and cannot be reinstated until the Consumer Recovery Account has been reimbursed for the amount paid plus interest at the prevailing rate.
“If you wish to contest payment by the Real Estate Commissioner, you must file a written response to the application addressed to the Department of Real Estate at ___________ within 30 days after mailing, delivery, or publication of this notice and mail or deliver a copy of that response to the claimant. If you fail to do so, you will have waived your right to present your objections to payment.”
(f) If a judgment debtor fails to mail or deliver a written response to the application with the department within 30 days after personal service, mailing, or final publication of the notice, the judgment debtor shall not thereafter be entitled to notice of any action taken or proposed to be taken by the commissioner with respect to the application.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 431, Sec. 29. (SB 800) Effective January 1, 2022.)