(a) A certificate of registration shall be accompanied by a bond of five thousand dollars ($5,000) which is executed by a corporate surety qualified to do business in this state and conditioned upon compliance with the provisions of this chapter and all laws governing the transmittal of confidential documentary information under the code sections specified in Section 22450. The total aggregate liability on the bond shall be limited to five thousand dollars ($5,000). The bond may be terminated pursuant to the provisions of Section 995.440 and Article 13 (commencing with Section 996.310) of Chapter 2 of Title 14 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(1) The county clerk shall, upon filing the bond, deliver the bond forthwith to the county recorder for recording. The recording fee specified in § 27361 of the Government Code shall be paid by the registered professional photocopier. The fee may be paid to the county clerk, who shall transmit it to the recorder.

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(2) The fee for filing, canceling, revoking, or withdrawing the bond is seven dollars ($7).

(3) The county recorder shall record the bond and any notice of cancellation, revocation, or withdrawal of the bond, and shall thereafter mail the instrument, unless specified to the contrary, to the person named in the instrument and, if no person is named, to the party leaving it for recording. The recording fee specified in § 27361 of the Government Code for the notice of cancellation, revocation, or withdrawal of the bond shall be paid to the county clerk, who shall transmit it to the county recorder.

(b) In lieu of the bond required by subdivision (a), a registrant may deposit five thousand dollars ($5,000) in cash with the county clerk.

(c) If the certificate is revoked, the bond or cash deposit shall be returned to the bonding party or depositor subject to the provisions of subdivision (d) and the right of a person to recover against the bond or cash deposit under Section 22459.

(d) The county clerk may retain a cash deposit until the expiration of three years from the date the registrant has ceased to do business, or three years from the expiration or revocation date of the registration, in order to ensure there are no outstanding claims against the deposit. A judge of a superior court may order the return of the deposit prior to the expiration of three years upon evidence satisfactory to the judge that there are no outstanding claims against the deposit.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 784, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2003.)