(a) The director may issue to a registrant or person who acts in a capacity that requires a certificate of registration under this part, a citation that may contain an order to pay an administrative fine assessed by the office, if the person is in violation of this part or any regulations adopted to carry out its purposes.

(b) A citation shall be written and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a specific reference to the provision of law determined to have been violated.

(c) If appropriate, the citation may contain an order of abatement fixing a reasonable time for abatement of the violation.

(d) In no event shall an administrative fine assessed by the office by citation or order exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation. In assessing a fine, the office shall give due consideration to the appropriateness of the amount of the fine with respect to factors such as the gravity of the violation, the good faith of the person that committed the violation, and the history of previous violations.

(e) A citation or fine assessment issued pursuant to a citation shall inform the person cited that, if the person desires a hearing to contest the finding of a violation, he or she or one of its controlling persons must request a hearing by written notice to the office within 30 days of the date of issuance of the citation or assessment. Hearings shall be held pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. The citation or fine assessment shall also inform the person cited that failure to respond to the citation or fine assessment shall result in any order or administrative fine imposed becoming final, and that any order or administrative fine shall constitute an enforceable civil judgment in addition to any other penalty or remedy available pursuant to law.

(f) (1) If a registrant or person who acts in a capacity that requires a certificate of registration fails to pay a fine, penalty, or required installment payment on the fine or penalty by the date when it is due, the director shall charge that person interest and a penalty of the fine or installment payment amount. Interest shall be charged at the pooled money investment rate.

(2) Failure of a registrant or person who requires a certificate of registration to pay a fine or required installment payment on the fine within 30 days of the date ordered in the citation, unless the citation is being appealed, shall be cause for additional disciplinary action by the office.

(3) If a citation is not contested and a fine or fine payment is not paid within 30 days of the date ordered in the citation or other order of the director, the full amount of the unpaid balance of the assessed fine shall be added to any fee for renewal of a certificate of registration. A certificate of registration shall not be renewed prior to payment of the renewal fee and fine.

(4) The director may order the full amount of any fine to be immediately due and payable if any payment due on a fine is not received by the office within 30 days of its due date.

(5) Any fine, or interest thereon, not paid within 30 days of a final citation or order shall constitute a valid and enforceable civil judgment.

(6) A certified copy of the final order, or the citation with certification by the office that no request for hearing was received within 30 days of the date of issuance of the citation, shall be conclusive proof of the civil judgment, its terms, and its validity.

(g) A citation may be issued without the assessment of an administrative fine.

(h) Any administrative fine or penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall be in addition to any other criminal or civil penalty provided for by law.

(i) Administrative fines collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Real Estate Appraisers Regulation Fund.

(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 173, Sec. 3. (SB 237) Effective January 1, 2010.)