State Contribution Limits and Voluntary Expenditure Ceilings

Candidates running for a state office and committees that make contributions to state candidates are limited in the amount of contributions they may accept from a single source. Effective January 1, 2021, a state campaign contribution limit will by default apply to city and county candidates when the city or county has not enacted laws addressing contribution limits on such candidates. The contribution limits are different depending on the office, the committee and the contributor.

Contributions from affiliated entities are aggregated for purposes of the limits. And if a candidate for state office is currently a state officeholder, contributions to the candidate’s future election must be cumulated with contributions to his or her officeholder account for purposes of the limits. 

• State committees (including political parties and PACs) may receive contributions in excess of the limits identified below as long as the contributions are not used to make contributions to state candidates.
  
  
• Contributions to ballot measure committees (including those controlled by a candidate) are not limited. 
  
  
• Contributions raised for a legal defense fund are not subject to limits, but the amount raised must be reasonably necessary to cover attorney's fees and other legal costs related to the proceeding for which the fund is created.
  
  
• Contribution limits do not apply to a committee established by a state officeholder who is the target of a recall to oppose the qualification of the recall measure, and if the recall petition qualifies, the recall election. 

The charts below show the current limits per contributor, per election, for state offices and committees as well as for local candidate committees subject to 85301 (d). The primary, general, special, and special run-off elections are considered separate elections. Contribution limits to candidates apply to each election. Contribution limits to officeholders and other committees apply on a calendar year basis. 

Effective January 1, 2021, a state campaign contribution limit will by default apply to city and county candidates when the city or county has not already enacted laws addressing contribution limits on such candidates. In addition to state laws, contribution limits are also imposed in many California cities, counties and districts. Contact your city or county about contribution limits for local offices. Local ordinances are posted on the local campaign ordinances page. All information should be verified with the elections agency within the local jurisdiction. 

*Effective January 1, 2021, a state campaign contribution limit will by default apply to city and county candidates when the city or county has not already enacted a contribution limit on such candidates.

*State committees (including political parties and PACs) may receive contributions in excess of the limits identified above as long as the contributions are NOT used for state candidate contributions. (Regulation 18534)

A state candidate or state officeholder may not contribute more than $5,500 to a committee controlled by another state candidate or state officeholder (including a state or local election committee or officeholder account). This limit applies on a per election basis and includes, in the aggregate, contributions made from the candidate's or officeholder's personal funds and from campaign funds. This limit does not apply to a committee controlled by a state candidate to oppose his or her recall, a candidate-controlled ballot measure committee or a candidate's legal defense fund.

State candidates may voluntarily accept expenditure limits for elections. They must declare on the Candidate Intention Statement (Form 501) whether they accept the voluntary expenditure ceiling established for each election. Candidates who accept the ceiling are designated in either the state ballot pamphlet (statewide candidates) or the voter information portion of the sample ballot (Senate and Assembly candidates) and may purchase space in the sample ballot to place a 250-word statement.  The voluntary expenditure ceilings are effective for elections held between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. 

Person – An individual, proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, syndicate, business trust, company, corporation, limited liability company, association, committee and any other organization or group of persons acting in concert.

Small Contributor Committee – Any committee that meets all of the following: 1) has been in existence for at least six months; 2) receives contributions from 100 or more persons; 3) no one person has contributed more than $200 per calendar year; and 4) the committee makes contributions to five or more candidates. 

Political Party Committee – The state central committee or county central committee of an organization that meets the requirements for recognition as a political party outlined in Section 5100 of the Elections Code.

Statewide Except the Governor – The office of Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, Controller, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and member of the State Board of Equalization.

Archived Contribution Limit & Voluntary Expenditure Ceiling Charts