(a) A real estate broker, prior to the use of any proposed advertisement in connection with the conduct of activities described in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131 and Section 10131.1, may submit a true copy thereof to the Bureau of Real Estate for approval. The submission shall be accompanied by a fee of not more than forty dollars ($40). The commissioner shall by regulation prescribe the amount of the fee. If disapproval of the proposed advertisement is not communicated by the bureau to the broker within 15 calendar days after receipt of the copy of the proposed advertisement by the bureau, the proposed advertisement shall be deemed approved, but the bureau shall not be precluded from disapproving a later publication or other use of the same or similar advertising.

The commissioner shall adopt regulations pertaining to the submittal and clearance of that advertising and establishing criteria for approval to ensure that the public will be protected against false or misleading representations.

Except as provided in subdivision (b), “advertisement” includes dissemination in any newspaper, circular, form letter, brochure or similar publication, display, sign, radio broadcast or telecast, which concerns (1) the use, terms, rates, conditions, or the amount of any loan or sale referred to in subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 10131 or Section 10131.1 or (2) the security, solvency, or stability of any person carrying on the activities described in those sections.

(b) “Advertisement” does not include a letter or brochure that meets both of the following criteria:

(1) It is restricted in distribution to other real estate brokers and to persons for whom the broker has previously acted as an agent in arranging a loan secured by real property or in the purchase, sale, or exchange of a deed of trust or real property sales contract.

(2) It is restricted in content to the identification and a description of the terms of loans, mortgages, deeds of trust, real property sales contracts, or any combination thereof offered for funding or purchase through the broker as agent.

(c) Subdivision (a) is not applicable to advertising that is used exclusively in connection with an offering authorized by permit issued pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Corporate Securities Law of 1968 (Division 1 (commencing with Section 25000) of Title 4 of the Corporations Code).

(d) All advertising approvals shall be for a period of five years after the date of approval. The approval period applies to all advertising, including that which was previously submitted on a mandatory basis.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 25. (AB 1317) Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)