Note: Lobbying entities (Firms, Employers, Lobbyists and Payment to Influence filers) who file their quarterly reports either electronically or online are not required to file paper versions of those reports with the Secretary of State's office. However, registration forms must be filed both electronically and on paper.
All lobbying forms are listed below followed by a compendium that briefly explains each form. If you click on a form number in either the list or compendium, you will go to a PDF version of that form with instructions for its completion.
To view and complete these forms online, which can be printed upon completion, signed, and delivered to the Secretary of State's office when there is no requirement to file electronically or online, you must use a PDF reader.
The free Adobe Acrobat reader plug-in does not permit you to save a completed form for later use. In order to save the completed fillable PDF form for later use, you must purchase and install the full Adobe Pro software or an equivalent product that has form data saving and editing capability.
Other products with form data saving and editing capability:
- For Windows 2000 and later users, PDF-XChange Viewer is available as a free download.
- For Mac users, Forumulate is available as a free download.
On the Fair Political Practices Commission's website you can find the Political Reform Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Information Manual.
Lobbying Forms
The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) maintains the following comprehensive list of every FPPC form with brief explanations of who must file the form: FPPC Forms List
| 601 | 602 | 603 | 604 | 605 | 606 | 607 | 615 | 625 |
| 630 | 635 | 635-C | 640 | 645 | 690 | PRD-1 |
Lobbying Form Details
| Form 601: | Lobbying Firm Registration Statement |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm or individual contract lobbyist |
| Purpose: | Registration form for lobbying firm (or individual contract lobbyist) which is filed upon qualifying as a firm. This form is also used to renew an existing lobbying firm's registration on a biennial basis. |
| When to File: | Must register within 10 days of qualifying as a lobbying firm. Renewal of existing registration is due between November 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year. This registration is valid for the complete two-year cycle of such session. |
| Form 602: | Lobbying Firm Activity |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm, lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition |
| Purpose: | Authorization form filed by each person (or entity) who employs or contracts with a lobbying firm. This form serves as an attachment to Form 601, and is filed by the applicable lobbying firm. Form 602 also contains a schedule which describes by category the nature and interest of the client of the firm. |
| When to File: | Like Form 601, this registration attachment is valid for the length of the State Legislative session during which it is filed. |
| Note: | Form 602 must be filed by a firm for its client, prior to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action on behalf of that client. |
| Form 603: | Lobbyist Employer Or Lobbying Coalition Registration Statement |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Registered lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition |
| Purpose: | Registration statement filed by a lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition upon qualifying as an employer or coalition. This form is also used to renew an existing registration on a biennial basis. |
| When to File: | Must register within 10 days of qualifying as a lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition. Renewal of an existing registration is due between November 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year. This registration is valid for the complete two-year cycle of such session. |
| Form 604: | Lobbyist Certification Statement |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Individual who qualifies as a lobbyist (including an individual contract lobbyist) |
| Purpose: | Initial certification statement filed by any individual who qualifies as a lobbyist. It is also used as a renewal of a previous lobbyist certification. This form includes verification as to whether the lobbyist has attended a required course within the previous 12 months on ethical issues and laws relating to lobbying. When submitted as a paper filing, this form is an attachment to either the firm's Form 601 or the employer's Form 603. If the form is filed electronically, it is filed separately by the lobbyist. |
| When to File: | A lobbyist must complete an original certification statement and provide it to his/her lobbyist employer or lobbying firm to be included as part of the employer's or firm's registration. Registration documents must be submitted within 10 days of the entities qualifying as employers or firms. Employers and firms already registered that add a new lobbyist must file within 20 days a registration amendment using Form 605 (noted below) and attach the Form 604 for the new lobbyist. Certification of an existing lobbyist must be renewed between November 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year. |
| Form 605: | Amendment To Registration, Lobbying Firm, Lobbyist Employer, Lobbying Coalition |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm, lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition |
| Purpose: | Standard amendment form which is used to amend any previously-filed registration information. It is used to add or delete both lobbyists and clients to an existing registration. It is also used to change name, address, and responsible officer information, as well as any other pertinent information found on Forms Form 601, Form 602, Form 603 or Form 604. |
| When to File: | An existing lobbying firm adding a new client must file Form 605 (in concert with Form 602) prior to attempting to influence legislative or administrative action on behalf of that client. All other changes to registration documents already on file must be filed within 20 days of the effective date of such changes. |
| Form 606: | Notice Of Termination |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm, registered lobbyist employer, lobbying coalition or lobbyist |
| Purpose: | Termination form used by the filer who has ceased all lobbying activity and now wishes to terminate a filed registration (or certification) statement. A client of a firm (non-registered employer) does not use this form to cease lobbying activity. Instead it is deleted by the associated firm, which files a Form 605. |
| When to File: | Within 20 days after ceasing all lobbying activity. |
| Note: | A final quarterly disclosure statement must be filed for the quarter in which the date of termination is effective. |
| Form 607: | Notice Of Withdrawal |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm or lobbyist |
| Purpose: | This form is used to withdraw the filed registration statement of a firm which has never met the statutory definition of a lobbying firm. It also is filed by a lobbyist who has never met the statutory definition of a lobbyist. Submittal of this form relieves the filer of any duty to file any previously-required quarterly disclosure statements. |
| When to File: | Upon withdrawal. This form nullifies the filed registration of a lobbying firm or the filed certification of a lobbyist. |
| Form 615: | Lobbyist Report |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbyist |
| Purpose: | Quarterly disclosure statement completed by the in-house lobbyist of a lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, or lobbying coalition. It is not filed on its own, but rather, for paper filers, it is an attachment to either Form 625 (Report of Lobbying Firm) or Form 635 (Report of Lobbyist Employer/Lobbying Coalition). Electronic or online filers file these as separate documents. |
| Period Covered: | Three-month calendar quarter, of which 8 periods occur in a 2-year legislative cycle. This form must be completed even if there is no activity in a specific quarter. |
| Form 625: | Report Of Lobbying Firm |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm (including individual contract lobbyist) |
| Purpose: | Quarterly disclosure statement filed by a lobbying firm for each calendar quarter. If the firm employs one or more in-house lobbyists, then, for paper filers, a separate Form 615 (Lobbyist Report) must be attached for each lobbyist. Electronic or online filers file these as separate documents. |
| Period Covered: | Three-month calendar quarter, of which 8 periods occur in a 2-year legislative cycle. Must be filed even if there is no activity in a specific quarter. |
| Form 630: | Payments Made To Lobbying Coalitions |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm or lobbyist employer |
| Purpose: | An attachment to the quarterly disclosure report filed by a lobbying firm or lobbyist employer which makes payments to a lobbying coalition. This attachment itemizes such payments. |
| Period Covered: | Same period as the specific quarterly disclosure document to which Form 630 serves as an attached schedule. |
| Form 635: | Report Of Lobbyist Employer And Report Of Lobbying Coalition |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Registered lobbyist employer or lobbying coalition |
| Purpose: | Quarterly disclosure statement filed by a lobbyist employer or a lobbying coalition. For employers and lobbying coalitions filing on paper, a separate Form 615 must be completed for each in-house lobbyist and attached to the Form 635. Electronic or online filers file these as separate documents. This form is also used as a quarterly disclosure statement for a client of a firm which has no in-house lobbyist (also referred to as a non-registered employer). |
| Period Covered: | Three-month calendar quarter, of which 8 periods occur in a 2-year legislative cycle. Must be filed even if there is no activity in a specific quarter. |
| Form 635-C: | Payments Received By Lobbying Coalitions |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying coalition |
| Purpose: | An attachment filed with Form 635 (Report of a Lobbying Coalition) which discloses all payments received from the members of a coalition. |
| Period Covered: | Same period as the specific quarterly disclosure document to which Form 635-C serves as an attached schedule. |
| Note: | Form 630 discloses payments made by a firm and/or employer to a coalition, while Form 635-C shows payments received from members of the coalition. Both Forms Form 630 and Form 635-C are attachments rather than separately filed forms. |
| Form 640: | Other Payments to Influence Reporting (Use for activity on or after 7/1/2016) |
|---|---|
| Filer: | A lobbyist employer, including a state or local government agency, or a $5,000 filer. |
| Purpose: | Effective July 1, 2016, lobbyist employers and $5,000 filers must complete Attachment Form 640 - Reporting of Other Payments to Influence Legislative or Administrative Action. The Form 640 is filed as an attachment to either Form 635 (lobbyist employers) or Form 645 ($5,000 filers). Through June 30, 2016, state or local governmental agencies that qualify as lobbyist employers or $5,000 filers must complete Attachment Form 640 - Reporting of Other Payments to Influence Legislative or Administrative Action. The Form 640 is filed as an attachment to either Form 635 (lobbyist employers) or Form 645 ($5,000 filers). This attachment replaces Section D of Form 635, and Section B of Form 645 (both labeled "Other Payments to Influence Legislative or Administrative Action"). It is filed in conjunction with either Form 635 (if a lobbyist employer) or Form 645 (if a $5,000 filer). |
| Period Covered: | Same period as the specific quarterly disclosure statement to which Form 640 serves as an attached schedule. |
| Form 645: | Report Of Person Spending $5,000 Or More To Influence Legislative Or Administrative Action |
|---|---|
| Filer: | $5,000 filer (person who does not employ a lobbyist or contract with a lobbying firm, but who makes payments to influence legislative or administrative action in aggregation of $5,000 or more in any calendar quarter) |
| Purpose: | Quarterly disclosure document filed by a $5,000 filer. The $5,000 filer does not submit either a registration or termination statement, and is only required to file Form 645 in those calendar quarters which $5,000 or more is spent to influence legislative or administrative action. Form 645 must be filed electronically. |
| Period Covered: | Every 3-month calendar quarter in which the $5,000 criteria is met to influence administrative or legislative action. |
| Form 690: | Amendment To Lobbying Disclosure Report |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Lobbying firm, lobbyist employer, lobbying coalition, $5,000 filer or lobbyist |
| Purpose: | This form is used by the filer to amend any information previously submitted on a quarterly disclosure report (Forms Form 615, Form 625, Form 635 or Form 645). Any amendment to the registration statement should be made on Form 605 rather than Form 690. Amendments must be filed by the same method (paper or electronic) as the original form. |
| Period Covered: | The same period as the filed quarterly disclosure report which is being amended. |
| Form PRD-1: | Request For Waiver Of Liability |
|---|---|
| Filer: | Filer who has been fined by the Secretary of State for any late campaign or lobbying statement. |
| Purpose: | A request for waiver of liability must be submitted on a Form PRD-1 (PDF). The Secretary of State will consider a request to waive liability for late filing fines when we can conclude both that the late filing was not willful and that imposing the liability will not further the purposes of the Political Reform Act. (See Government Code section 91013.) This form must be filed under penalty of perjury within 30 days of receiving a liability notification. |
| Period Covered: | The same period as the filed quarterly disclosure report which has been fined. |
