California Business and Professions Code 2538.20 – It is unlawful for an individual to engage in the practice of fitting …
It is unlawful for an individual to engage in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids, or to display a sign or in any other way to advertise or hold themselves out as being so engaged without having first obtained a license from the board under the provisions of this article. Nothing in this article shall prohibit a corporation, partnership, trust, association, or other like organization maintaining an established business address from engaging in the business of fitting or selling, or offering for sale, hearing aids at retail without a license, provided that any and all fitting or selling of hearing aids is conducted by the individuals who are licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article. A person whose license as a hearing aid dispenser has been suspended or revoked shall not be the proprietor of a business that engages in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids nor shall that person be a partner, shareholder, member, or fiduciary in a partnership, corporation, association, or trust that maintains or operates that business, during the period of the suspension or revocation. This restriction shall not apply to stock ownership in a corporation that is listed on a stock exchange regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission if the stock is acquired in a transaction conducted through that stock exchange.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 510, Sec. 8. (SB 887) Effective January 1, 2024.)
Terms Used In California Business and Professions Code 2538.20
- Board: means the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. See California Business and Professions Code 2530.2
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Hearing aid dispenser: as used in this article , means a person engaged in the practice of fitting or selling hearing aids to an individual with impaired hearing. See California Business and Professions Code 2538.14
- license: means license, certificate, registration, or other means to engage in a business or profession regulated by this code or referred to in Section 1000 or 3600. See California Business and Professions Code 23.7
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, or other organization or combination thereof, except that only individuals can be licensed under this chapter. See California Business and Professions Code 2530.2
- Practice of fitting or selling hearing aids: as used in this article , means those practices used for the purpose of selection and adaptation of hearing aids, including direct observation of the ear, testing of hearing in connection with the fitting and selling of hearing aids, taking of ear mold impressions, fitting or sale of hearing aids, and any necessary postfitting counseling. See California Business and Professions Code 2538.11