Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 13, § 345.50 - Office Practices

(a) Each traffic violator school shall post its approved name and office hours at its primary business office, and any branch business office(s). The office(s) shall be open to the public during the posted hours. The person in charge of the office during the posted hours shall be knowledgeable concerning the operation of the traffic violator school, shall be authorized to provide information to the public concerning classes and fees charged by the traffic violator school, and shall be able to provide detailed information to any representative or contractor of the department or the court concerning the operation and business records of the traffic violator school.

(1) At a minimum, each office shall remain open during regular business hours.

(2) Regular business hours are defined as being from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

(b) If the office is located in a free standing building, a storefront, or a residence, the traffic violator school name shall be posted on the front of the building. If the office is located in a multi-business building, the traffic violator school name shall be posted in an area common to all of the businesses and on, adjacent to, or over the entry door to the traffic violator school office. Any sign shall contain lettering of sufficient size to be clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet for an outdoor sign and ten feet for an indoor sign. The department may make exceptions to sign requirements to accommodate unique circumstances.

(c) Each traffic violator school's business office or place of business, including any branch or classroom location, shall meet the following structural requirements:

(1) The space the traffic violator school's business office or place of business is authorized to occupy shall be more than 50 feet from the nearest building wall of another traffic violator school.

(2) All other structural requirements specified in Vehicle Code section 11202(a)(1).

(d) Each traffic violator school shall maintain a telephone at its primary business office and at any branch business office(s). The following conditions shall be met by each traffic violator school:

(1) The telephone shall be answered with the approved traffic violator school name.

(2) Each traffic violator school shall have separate telephone numbers. No two or more traffic violator schools shall share the same telephone number. The telephone number used by a traffic violator school shall not be shared with any other business, unless approved by the department.

(3) All telephone numbers published in the department's list of traffic violator schools included on the Occupational Licensing Lookup (OLL) pursuant to Vehicle Code section 11205(a) shall be operational and answered during the posted office hours.

(4) If an automated telephone system or an answering service is used during business hours and the service or system is unable to answer questions regarding the traffic violator school, a referral number shall be provided to the caller. The referral number shall be operational and answered during the posted office hours and shall be answered by a person with the knowledge described in subsection (a).

(5) If the traffic violator school is unable to accommodate any prospective student, the prospective student shall be referred to the OLL to select another traffic violator school. No traffic violator school shall refer a student to any specific traffic violator school.

(6) Answering machines shall be utilized only during non-business hours or during a closure of the office. If the closure exceeds one business day, the duration of the closure shall be included in the message.

(7) No traffic violator school may use California 900/976 numbers or any for-profit telephone lines.

(8) If an answering service is used to answer the telephone numbers on the OLL, the traffic violator school shall provide one direct number which is operational and answered during the posted office hours for use by the department for contacting the traffic violator school.

(9) No traffic violator school shall regionalize a telephone number to prohibit calls from outside of a defined calling area.

(10) Any traffic violator school representative who discusses enrollment with any potential student shall provide the following information to the prospective student:

(A) The total fee for the course.

(B) What form(s) of payment are acceptable.

(C) Any fees charged for canceling or rescheduling a class.

(11) Any traffic violator school representative who enrolls students in scheduled classes shall obtain sufficient information to notify the students of class cancellations pursuant to Section 345.41 of this Article. If a student cannot be contacted by telephone, the representative shall obtain a mailing address for the student.

(e) Each traffic violator school shall post licenses as follows:

(1) Owner licenses shall be posted in the primary business office in a location conspicuous to the public.

(2) Operator licenses shall be posted in the primary business office in a location conspicuous to the public, except for public school providers in accordance with Vehicle Code section 11202.

(3) Photocopies of the owner and operator licenses shall be similarly posted at each branch business office.

(f) Each traffic violator school shall maintain on file in the primary business office the current license of each instructor, including a copy of the temporary permit if no permanent license has been issued.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 13, § 345.50

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1651, 11202(a)(2) and 11219, Vehicle Code. Reference: Sections 320, 1671, 11202, 11205 and 11215(a), Vehicle Code.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1651, 11202(a)(2) and 11219, Vehicle Code. Reference: Sections 320, 1671, 11202, 11205 and 11215(a), Vehicle Code.

1. Renumbering of former section 345.50 to section 345.47 and new section filed 10-26-94; operative 11-25-94 (Register 94, No. 43). For prior history, see Register 93, No. 30.
2. Amendment of subsections (a), (c)(10) and (d)(1)-(2) filed 6-14-2010; operative 7-14-2010 (Register 2010, No. 25).
3. Amendment of section and Note filed 7-12-2012; operative 8-11-2012 (Register 2012, No. 28).
4. Amendment of subsection (a)(1), repealer of subsections (a)(1)(A)-(B), new subsections (a)(2) and (c)-(c)(2) and subsection relettering filed 6-27-2022; operative 7/1/2022 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2022, No. 26). Filing deadline specified in Government Code section 11349.3(a) extended 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-40-20 and an additional 60 calendar days pursuant to Executive Order N-71-20.
5. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (d)(3), (d)(5) and (d)(8) filed 6-3-2024 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2024, No. 23).