Civil Code Ownership & Transfers
§4540
Penalties for Disclosure Violations
Chapter 4 · Ownership and Transfer of Interests · Transfer Disclosure
Text current as of 2026-07-07 · Last amended by AB 805, eff. 2014-01-01
The code says CIV §4540
Any person who willfully violates this article is liable to the purchaser of a separate interest that is subject to this section for actual damages occasioned thereby and, in addition, shall pay a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500). In an action to enforce this liability, the prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.)
How courts have read this
Editorial summaries — not the court’s words.