(a)  (1)  Except as provided in subdivision (c), no person may own or operate an underground storage tank unless a permit for its operation has been issued by the local agency to the owner or operator of the tank, or a unified program facility permit has been issued by the local agency to the owner or operator of the unified program facility on which the tank is located.

(2)  If the operator is not the owner of the tank, or if the permit is issued to a person other than the owner or operator of the tank, the permittee shall ensure that both the owner and the operator of the tank are provided with a copy of the permit.

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(3)  If the permit is issued to a person other than the operator of the tank, that person shall do all of the following:

(A)  Enter into a written agreement with the operator of the tank to monitor the tank system as set forth in the permit.

(B)  Provide the operator with a copy or summary of Section 25299 in the form that the board specifies by regulation.

(C)  Notify the local agency of any change of operator.

(b)  Each local agency shall prepare a form that provides for the acceptance of the obligations of a transferred permit by any person who is to assume the ownership of an underground storage tank from the previous owner and is to be transferred the permit to operate the tank. That person shall complete the form accepting the obligations of the permit and submit the completed form to the local agency within 30 days from the date that the ownership of the underground storage tank is to be transferred. A local agency may review and modify, or terminate, the transfer of the permit to operate the underground storage tank, pursuant to the criteria specified in subdivision (a) of Section 25295, upon receiving the completed form.

(c)  Any person assuming ownership of an underground storage tank used for the storage of hazardous substances for which a valid operating permit has been issued shall have 30 days from the date of assumption of ownership to apply for an operating permit pursuant to Section 25286 or, if accepting a transferred permit, shall submit to the local agency the completed form accepting the obligations of the transferred permit, as specified in subdivision (b). During the period from the date of application until the permit is issued or refused, the person shall not be held to be in violation of this section.

(d)  A permit issued pursuant to this section shall apply and require compliance with all applicable regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 25299.3.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 999, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2003.)