Lobbying Registration and Reporting

Do you have questions about what a lobbyist’s obligations are under the Political Reform Act?  The FPPC Lobbying Manual is a helpful guide that provides detailed information about registration, reporting and ethics training obligations. These obligations are also summarized below.

Registration is required within 10 days of when an individual, business or other organization first becomes a lobbyist, lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, or lobbying coalition under the Act. Registration is not required for $5,000 filers or for any lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition that only contracts with a lobbying firm and does not employ an in-house lobbyist.

A lobbying firm with a new client must amend its registration prior to lobbying on behalf of that client. All other amendments to registration must be made within 20 days of the change. Registration must be renewed between November 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year.

Reporting Other Payments to Influence

Effective July 1, 2016, lobbyist employers and $5,000 filers are required to provide more detailed disclosure of "other payments to influence legislative or administrative action" as outlined in the Fact Sheet on Other Payments to Influence.

Disclosure of lobbying activities and payments is done on a quarterly basis as follows:
 

Deadlines that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or official state holiday are extended to the next business day.

All lobbying registration and disclosure reports are filed with:

Secretary of State
Political Reform Division
P.O. Box 1467
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-1467
www.sos.ca.gov

You can access reports from lobbyists, lobbyist employers and lobbying firms on the Campaign Finance and Lobbying Activities page on the Secretary of State's website.

To learn more about Lobbyist Training, read the Training and Outreach page on Lobbyists