Escrow Law: Regulations, Opinions, and Releases

The Escrow Law is contained in Division 6 (commencing with Section 17000) of the California Financial Code. The regulations are contained in Subchapter 9, Title 10, California Code of Regulations commencing with Section 1700 (10 C.C.R. § 1700, et seq.) and are available through the Official California Legislative Information website. The regulations for the Escrow Law are available through the Office of Administrative Law’s website. There are also other websites available which may provide this information or it may be purchased from various vendors. Public libraries may also have copies of the law and regulations.

Proposed Regulations

• PRO 13/13 – Notice of Public Hearing on November 4, 2021 (PDF)
  • Recording of Notice of Public Hearing on November 4, 2021
  • In the matter of the public hearing of: Proposed Escrow Regulations (PRO 13/13) Virtual Transcripts of Proceedings, Thursday, November 4, 2021 (PDF)
• PRO 13/13 – Modifications to Proposed Text
  Comment Period Ends: September 13, 2021
  • Notice of Modifications (PDF)
  • Proposed Modified Text (PDF)
  • View Comments on Modifications to Proposed Regulations: PRO 13/13
• PRO 13/13 – Notice of Public Hearing on March 1, 2021 (PDF)
  • Recording of Notice of Public Hearing on March 1, 2021
  • In the matter of the public hearing of: Proposed Escrow Regulations (PRO 13/13), Virtual Transcript of Proceedings, Monday, March 1, 2021 (PDF)
• PRO 13/13 – Escrow Regulation: Recordkeeping Updates & Annual Audit Report
  Comment Period Ends: February 19, 2021
  • Notice (PDF)
  • Initial Statement of Reasons (PDF)
  • Text (PDF)
  • View Comments on Proposed Rulemaking: PRO 13/13 – Escrow Regulation: Recordkeeping Updates & Annual Audit Report

Invitation for Comments

• PRO 13/13 – Escrow Law Annual and Closing Audit Regulations
  Comment Period Ends October 23, 2017
  • Second Invitation for Comments Notice (PDF)
  • Second Text of Proposed Changes under the Escrow Law (PDF)

• PRO 13/13 – Escrow Law Annual and Closing Audit Regulations
  Comment Period Ends October 12, 2015
  • Invitation for Comments Notice (PDF)
  • Invitation for Comments Text (PDF)

Approved Regulations

• PRO 13/12 – Escrow Law Surety Bond Regulation
• PRO 07/05 – Attorney General’s (AG’s) Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Requirement
• PRO 22/99 – Relates primarily to escrow transactions over the Internet by Internet escrow agents.
• PRO 12/01 – Establishment of factors to determine frequency of routine regulatory examinations of escrow agent Licensees and California Residential Mortgage Lending Act Licensees, and additional information required to be included in independent annual audit reports of escrow agents.
• PRO 02/01 – Recognizes Internet “click through” fees under specified circumstances and limited to Internet transactions involving personal property.
• PRO 20/99 – Forms and amount of fidelity bond.

Commissioner’s Releases

• Commissioner’s Releases on Escrow Law