California · Food and Agricultural Code - FAC

FAC §21051.3: (a) Any person who moves or transports any animal without inspection, as required by this chapter, is liable to the director for a civil penalty in the amount of the expenses incurred by the director

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

A person who transports animals without required inspection must pay the director a civil penalty covering investigation and prosecution costs, with a hearing process available to dispute liability.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Any person who moves or transports any animal without inspection, as required by this chapter, is liable to the director for a civil penalty in the amount of the expenses incurred by the director to investigate and prosecute the violation and, if the violation involved the unlawful taking of animals, the expenses incurred by the director to recover and return the animal or animals to their owner. (b) If the director finds that a violation of subdivision (a) has occurred, he or she shall calculate the amount of the civil penalty and make demand for payment within 30 days thereof. The respondent may deny liability in whole or in part, in which case the director shall set the matter for hearing before a hearing officer of the department or, at the director’s discretion, pursuant to Section 11502 of the Government Code. The hearing procedure under this subdivision shall be conducted pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (c) The respondent may petition for judicial review of the director’s determination to assess a civil penalty pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure by filing an action within 30 days of the date of service of the director’s decision. (d) The civil penalty in this section is in addition to any other civil or criminal penalties provided by law. (e) Any funds collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the Department of Food and Agriculture Fund.

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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.