California · Civil Code

CIV §1718: (a) As used in this section: (1) “Farm machinery” means all tools and equipment used in relation to the operation of a farm.

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Farm machinery repair shops must provide itemized invoices describing labor and parts on a per-job basis, and must obtain customer consent before charging amounts exceeding a written estimate.

Read the full statutory text
(a) As used in this section: (1) “Farm machinery” means all tools and equipment used in relation to the operation of a farm. (2) “Farm machinery repair shop” means a business which, for compensation, engages in the operation, on or off its premises, of repairing farm machinery. (3) “Per-job basis” means each act of maintenance or repair which is performed on farm machinery. (b) All work done by a farm machinery repair shop, including all warranty work, shall be recorded on an invoice, which shall describe all service work done and parts supplied. If more than one act of maintenance or repair is performed by a farm machinery repair shop, the invoice shall be written in such a way that the labor cost per hour and total labor cost, as well as the specific parts used and their cost, shall be recorded on a per-job basis. However, where work is done on an agreed total-cost-per-job basis, or the work includes an agreed total cost for component unit replacement, the invoice shall describe the work done on such basis and the total cost for such work. (c) Each farm machinery repair shop shall give to each customer, upon request, a written estimated price for labor and parts necessary, on a per-job basis. It shall not charge for work done or parts supplied in excess of the estimated price without the consent of the customer, which shall be obtained at some time after it is determined that the estimated price is insufficient and before the work not included in the estimate is done, or the parts not included in the estimate are supplied. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a farm machinery repair shop to give a written estimated price if the shop does not agree to perform the requested repair. (d) Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

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