LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeBusiness and Professions CodeDiv. 8Ch. 2Art. 14§ 18859 Licensee Criminal Background Checks

§ 18859 Licensee Criminal Background Checks

Business and Professions Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 18859 Licensee Criminal Background Checks

Key Takeaways

  • •The commission can check if someone applying for a license or who already has one has been arrested or convicted of a crime.
  • •If you have a crime on your record, the commission might say no to your application or punish you if the crime is related to the job you want the license for.
  • •You might have to give your fingerprints so they can check your criminal record in California and with the FBI.

Example

If you want to be a security guard and you have a past crime for stealing, the commission might not give you the license because stealing is related to the job.

The commission checks your past crimes. If the crime is related to the job you want, they can say no to your application.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18859 Licensee Criminal Background Checks

(a) The commission shall have the authority to obtain and review criminal history information to determine whether an applicant or licensee has been convicted of any offense or has been arrested for any offense for which disposition is still pending. A conviction, or a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to an offense, may be cause to deny an application or take disciplinary action against a licensee dependent on the relevancy of the offense to the licensed activity. (b) The commission may require applicants to submit two sets of fingerprints which shall be furnished to the Department of Justice. Upon the request of the commission, the Department of Justice shall submit one set of the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain a copy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s record and shall retain one set to search the California criminal history system. (Added by renumbering Section 18868 by Stats. 2015, Ch. 316, Sec. 14. (SB 469) Effective January 1, 2016.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

criminal history informationconvictiondisciplinary actionfingerprintsDepartment of Justice

Related Statutes

  • § 18848 Unlicensed Fighter Management Prohibited
  • § 18850 Revoking Licenses For Fighting Under Suspension
  • § 18854 Official Enforcement Failure Penalty
  • § 18858 Fake Contest Prohibition
  • § 10101 Disciplinary Action Time Limits

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Business and Professions Code. Section 18859.
View Official Source