California · Business and Professions Code - BPC

BPC §17530: It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association, or any employee or agent therefor, to make or disseminate any statement or assertion of fact in a newspaper, circular, circular or for

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is unlawful to publish or distribute false statements about real estate characteristics with intent to mislead, except publishers and printers lack liability unless they have an ownership or agent interest in the property.

Read the full statutory text

It is unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or association, or any employee or agent therefor, to make or disseminate any statement or assertion of fact in a newspaper, circular, circular or form letter, or other publication published or circulated, including over the Internet, in any language in this state, concerning the extent, location, ownership, title, or other characteristic, quality, or attribute of any real estate located in this state or elsewhere, which is known to be untrue and which is made or disseminated with the intention of misleading. Nothing in this section shall be construed to hold the publisher of any newspaper, or any job printer, liable for any publication herein referred to unless the publisher or printer has an interest, either as owner or agent, in the real estate so advertised.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.