(a) Any physician and surgeon or any doctor of podiatric medicine, as the case may be, who as a sole proprietor, or in a partnership, group, or professional corporation, desires to practice under any name that would otherwise be a violation of Section 2285 may practice under that name if the proprietor, partnership, group, or corporation obtains and maintains in current status a fictitious-name permit issued by the Division of Licensing, or, in the case of doctors of podiatric medicine, the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, under the provisions of this section.

(b) The division or the board shall issue a fictitious-name permit authorizing the holder thereof to use the name specified in the permit in connection with his, her, or its practice if the division or the board finds to its satisfaction that:

(1) The applicant or applicants or shareholders of the professional corporation hold valid and current licenses as physicians and surgeons or doctors of podiatric medicine, as the case may be.

(2) The professional practice of the applicant or applicants is wholly owned and entirely controlled by the applicant or applicants.

(3) The name under which the applicant or applicants propose to practice is not deceptive, misleading, or confusing.

(c) Each permit shall be accompanied by a notice that shall be displayed in a location readily visible to patients and staff. The notice shall be displayed at each place of business identified in the permit.

(d) This section shall not apply to licensees who contract with, are employed by, or are on the staff of, any clinic licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code or any medical school approved by the division or a faculty practice plan connected with that medical school.

(e) Fictitious-name permits issued under this section shall be subject to Article 19 (commencing with Section 2421) pertaining to renewal of licenses.

(f) The division or the board may revoke or suspend any permit issued if it finds that the holder or holders of the permit are not in compliance with the provisions of this section or any regulations adopted pursuant to this section. A proceeding to revoke or suspend a fictitious-name permit shall be conducted in accordance with Section 2230.

(g) A fictitious-name permit issued to any licensee in a sole practice is automatically revoked in the event the licensee’s certificate to practice medicine or podiatric medicine is revoked.

(h) The division or the board may delegate to the executive director, or to another official of the board, its authority to review and approve applications for fictitious-name permits and to issue those permits.

(i) The California Board of Podiatric Medicine shall administer and enforce this section as to doctors of podiatric medicine and shall adopt and administer regulations specifying appropriate podiatric medical name designations.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 775, Sec. 76. (SB 798) Effective January 1, 2018.)