If a natural person while licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 1760), Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1800), or Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1831) of this part, Part 5 (commencing with Section 12140) of Division 2, or Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 14000) or Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 15000) of Division 5 enters the military service of the United States and is in that service at a time prescribed for the filing of a renewal application, the filing of that application is waived, and the license held by that licensee at the time of the licensee’s entry into military service shall remain in force during the period of that military service and until the end of the license year in which the licensee is released from that service, but not for less than six months after that release. During that period, the licensee may secure a license of the type held by the licensee upon entry into military service upon the filing of an application and paying the fee therefor without the necessity of taking an examination or paying a penalty.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 502, Sec. 1. (SB 240) Effective October 3, 2019.)