General

How do I request a copy of a document?

To request a copy of a document filed with the Political Reform Division, email prdcopies@sos.ca.gov and include the form number, Filer ID, entity name, filing date, and/or period covered.

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How do I make an in-person appointment at the Political Reform Division?

To request an in-person appointment at the Political Reform Division, email prd@sos.ca.gov or call (916) 653-6224.

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Digital Signature Filing

How do I know if my filing was received?

After successful receipt, an email will be sent back to you stating “CA SOS, Political Reform Division has received your filing.” One confirmation email will be sent for each valid attachment, typically between 5-60 minutes after it has been received. If you do not receive a confirmation email within that timeframe, check your junk mail.

If you are attaching multiple files to one email, please make sure that you receive a confirmation email for each individual file. The file name will be included in the body of the confirmation emails.

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How can I submit my “paper” filing by email?

Before filing, please thoroughly read the instructions:
Digital Signature Filing Instructions for Campaign Filings
Digital Signature Filing Instructions for Lobbying Filings

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Do I still need to file electronically or online?

**IMPORTANT: This guidance does not remove the online filing requirement pursuant to GC 84605 (Political Reform Act) to file electronically with the Secretary of State. If you are required to file electronically or online, emailing your filing does not fulfill your obligation.

Filing via email, with a verified digital signature, may only satisfy your requirement to file a paper filing with original ink signature.

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Can I mail in or drop off my paper statement instead?

PRD will continue to accept paper filings when submitted to the Secretary of State. Filing by email is not mandatory, but an option to fulfill your paper filing obligation.

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How do I receive my committee ID number?

If you have submitted an initial statement of organization to obtain a filer ID/FPPC number (Form 410 or Form 400), please allow 7-10 days for processing. Once complete, the committee will be sent an email confirmation. Committees who have been issued an ID number may find it by using the Cal-Access Search at https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/.

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How do I receive my lobbying ID number?

If you have submitted an initial lobbying registration statement to obtain a filer ID/FPPC number, please allow two weeks for processing. Registration is complete once all necessary documents and payments are received and processed.

Once complete, the lobbying entity will be sent an email confirmation letter to the address provided on the registration form. Lobbying entities who have been issued an ID number may find it by using the Cal-Access Search at https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/.

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Does the confirmation email mean my statement was successfully filed?

The confirmation email does not indicate that the filing has been approved, filed, and/or rejected. PRD staff will review emailed statements in the order they are received, and, if necessary, send correspondence by email to the filer.

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When will my filing be processed?

All statements will be reviewed and processed in the order they are received; please allow 7-10 days for processing. Increased processing times may occur at different times throughout the year based on the number and type of forms received by our office.

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How do I sign my document with a verified digital signature?

Please review the FPPC’s digital signature requirements before submitting filings by email. Statements received with scanned copies or images of signatures do not meet the requirements for filing.

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What if my digital signature is deemed not verified during review?

If your digital signature is not able to be verified by our staff, your filing may be rejected. Rejections and requests for corrections will be communicated to the filer by CA SOS Staff when necessary.

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Can I send a ZIP File?

Yes, our server will accept and extract individual PDFs from within a ZIP attachment. Before creating the ZIP file, please follow the guidelines for each individual PDF:​​​
Digital Signature Filing Instructions for Campaign Filings
Digital Signature Filing Instructions for Lobbying Filings

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Can I pay for my Lobbying registration with a credit card?

Yes, you can arrange to pay for your lobbying registration by credit card by sending an email to prdlobbying@sos.ca.gov.

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How can I submit my lobbyist photo for the lobbying directory?

Please include all digitally signed forms, as well as the lobbyist photos and receipt of payment, in a single PDF attachment as your submission. If you forgot to include a photo with your registration documents, you can submit it as a separate PDF document with reference to the prior filing in the file name.

Example: A Lobbying Firm, amending their registration to add five lobbyists, would submit a Form 605 (amendment to registration), five Form 604s (one for each lobbyist), each lobbyist’s photo that includes the information on the attached photo tag and the receipt of the lobbying registration payment ($100 per lobbyist if registering during the first year of the legislative session).

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How can I update the email address for my filing ID?

All changes to registration, including the update or addition of an email address, must be submitted by amendment of the appropriate registration form.

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How can I obtain a copy of my filing?

To obtain a copy of your filed statement you may send a detailed email request to prdcopyrequest@sos.ca.gov.

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I have questions about my emailed filing, who can I contact?

Questions about specific forms can be directed to the appropriate staff:

Forms/Filings	Mailbox Description	Email Address
Form 410 - Initial, Amendment, and Terminations	Form 410 Inquiries	form410@sos.ca.gov
Forms 400, 401, 402, 425, 450, 460, 470 Short, 470 Summary, and 511	Slate Mailers, Officeholder and Candidate Campaign Statement, Campaign Disclosures, and Paid Spokesperson Report	prdcampaign@sos.ca.gov
Form 501 - Candidate Intention Statement	Form 501 Inquiries	form501@sos.ca.gov
Forms 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, and 607. For filers not meeting the $2,500 threshold - 615, 625, 630, 635, 635-C, 640, 645, and 690	Lobbying Requests	prdlobbying@sos.ca.gov
Form 461 - Major Donor and Independent Expenditure Committee Campaign Statement - Initial and Amendments	Major Donor/IE Inquiries	form461@sos.ca.gov
PRD – 1	Waiver Requests	prdwaivers@sos.ca.gov
Form 409	Limited Liability Company Statement of Members	form409@sos.ca.gov

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Electronic Filing

General

What is Cal-Online?

The primary purpose of the Political Reform Act is the disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures, and payments made for lobbying state government. Until recently, disclosure was a paper-driven process that provided limited public access to campaign and lobbying reports. Since 2000, qualified campaign and lobbying entities have filed electronic versions of their reports for display on CAL-ACCESS. The filers have had to contract with certified private vendors for software applications to assemble and transmit their reports. Cal-Online offers filers another, no-charge filing alternative. Via the Internet, filers access the Cal-Online web site, enter their identification number and password, select the appropriate disclosure form, and enter the required data. Filers wanting campaign and lobbying-related services extending beyond basic reporting requirements have the option of contracting with the private service providers for a variety of fees. The electronic and online filing requirements are spelled out in the Online Disclosure Act, Government Code Section 84600 et. seq.

Cal-Online, the web-based alternative filing system, is available for use by state-level campaign and lobbying filers. The system is not designed to accommodate local candidates and committees. In the campaign category, the system may be used by candidate-controlled committees, ballot measure committees, political action committees (PACs), political party committees, small contributor committees, major donors, and slate mailer organizations. Those who previously filed electronically utilizing the services of a private vendor may carry over their previously assigned identification number and password.

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What is electronic filing?

Although there are many views of what is considered an electronic transmission, the Secretary of State considers a document to have been electronically filed if it successfully comes in through the available port using a TCP/IP method of uploading into the specified filing server. The filed document must be in the Secretary of State’s current version of the Cal Format. You can find a copy of the current version of the format at the California Electronic Filing Format (CAL) Version 2.20.

Note: The following methods are not considered nor accepted as electronic filing with our office: fax, email, floppy diskettes or CDs.

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Where on your web site can I look up my ID number?

Once an I.D. number has been issued, you can look it up on the CAL-ACCESS. Simply start by clicking in the CAL-ACCESS “search field” at the upper left-hand portion of the screen, type in the name you would like to look up and click “go”. Search results will display with name(s) and ID number(s).

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Who should I contact if I have a question or concern?

You should always first contact the electronic filing vendor that provides you with your filing software. If your filing vendor cannot assist you with your questions or concerns, you should next contact the Secretary of State. Depending on the nature of your question, Secretary of State staff will determine who can best respond to your needs. Please call the Political Reform Division at (916) 653-6224 and explain your problem. Your question will then be assigned to the appropriate person.

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Who should I contact if my electronic filing is being rejected?

If your vendor is not able to correct your filing, please call the Cal-Online Help Desk at 1-877-745-3453.

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Campaign

What is the dollar amount or threshold that would trigger the duty to electronically file campaign statements?

If a filer has raised or spent a cumulative amount of $25,000 or more, electronic filing is required. Receipts include monetary and non-monetary contributions as well as loans received. Expenditures include loans made, accrued expenses, and all cash payments.

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What is the aggregation or accumulation period for determining the $25,000 electronic filing threshold?

State major donor and independent expenditure committees must file electronically if they make expenditures of $25,000 or more in a calendar year. All other state filers must file electronically if they receive contributions or payments of $25,000 or more or make expenditures of $25,000 or more after January 1, 2000.

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What campaign entities are subject to electronic filing requirements?

Providing that the $25,000 campaign electronic thresholds specified below are met, the following entities are subject to electronic filing requirements:

• All statewide, legislative, Board of Equalization, appellate court, supreme court, superior court, PERS Board candidates and officeholders and State Teachers’ Retirement Board candidates and officeholders, as well as their controlled committees, including committees primarily formed to support or oppose such candidates or officeholders
• All state measure committees that are primarily formed to support or oppose a state initiative, referendum or recall
• All state political action committees or general purpose recipient committees, including party committees
• All state major donor and state independent expenditure committees
• All state slate mailer organizations and
• Any person who makes a payment of $50,000 or more for an issue-advocacy communication that identifies a candidate for an elective state or statewide office but does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of that candidate.

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What campaign statements and reports are required to be filed electronically?

Once a filer has met the filing threshold that mandates electronic filing, all subsequent reports for that filer must be filed electronically and on paper, regardless of the amount or level of activity in any future report. Reports filed pursuant to Chapter 4, Title 9 of the Government Code are covered by this electronic filing requirement.

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If a filer is subject to electronic filing, will paper copies still be required to be filed with the Secretary of State as well as appropriate local filing officials?

State filers are required to file the original and one copy with the Secretary of State; local filings are not required. However, requirements for local filings apply for state candidates who also have a local committee.

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Are all controlled committees of a state candidate or officeholder included or aggregated together (rather than cumulated individually) to determine whether the candidate has met the electronic filing dollar threshold for cumulative receipts or expenditures?

Yes. All disclosure statements for all committees controlled by the same person are aggregated together. The electronic qualifying threshold is determined by adding all cumulative receipts or all cumulative expenditures across all controlled committees.

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Are all controlled committees of a state candidate or officeholder subject to electronic filing?

Yes. Once a state candidate or state officeholder is subject to electronic filing, all their controlled committees must file electronically regardless of the purpose or level of activity. A state officeholder who runs for a local office, or a local officeholder who runs for a state office, must file all applicable state and local controlled committee reports electronically with the Secretary of State’s Political Reform Division.

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Once a filer has met the qualifying activity threshold, would a filer ever be required to electronically file any statements or amendments retroactively?

No. But all future reports, and amendments to those future reports, must be filed electronically.

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Since state major donors and state independent expenditure committees do not file pre-election statements, what is the first electronic filing deadline for such filers?

Whatever report takes the aggregate total of the filer’s activity to $25,000 or more in a calendar year must be filed electronically, such as a late contribution or independent expenditure report, the special quarterly report, or a semiannual statement.

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If I do not meet the qualifying activity threshold, can I electronically file campaign statements with the Secretary of State on a voluntary basis at any time?

Yes. Any filer who is required to file disclosure statements or reports with the Secretary of State may voluntarily file these statements electronically. However, once a candidate or committee files electronically, the filer will incur ongoing electronic filing requirements and must file all subsequent reports electronically pursuant to Government Code Section 84605 (c) & (d). This law prevents non-mandated electronic state filers from selecting which disclosure statements and reports to electronically file and which to withhold from public disclosure on the web. Selectively filing late contribution reports, for example, could be misleading and defeat the purpose of full and accurate disclosure.

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When is the electronic report for contributions received of $5,000 or more filed?

This electronic-only report must be filed within 10 business days of receiving $5,000 or more, beyond or before the beginning of the 90-day state election cycle. This report only applies to state or statewide candidates/officeholders and state ballot measure committees that have met the $25,000 electronic filing threshold.

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When is the 90-day election-cycle electronic report for contributions received of $1,000 or more filed?

This electronic-only report must be filed within 24 hours of receiving contributions of $1,000 or more during the 90 days before a state election.

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When is the 90-day election-cycle electronic report disclosing the making of independent expenditures of $1,000 or more filed?

This electronic-only report must be filed within 24 hours of making independent expenditures of $1,000 or more to support or oppose a candidate for elective state/statewide office or a state ballot measure during the 90 days before a state election. This report only applies to state committees that have met the $25,000 electronic filing threshold.

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When is the online issue advocacy report filed?

This online-only report must be filed within 48 hours of making a payment of $50,000 or more for an issue-advocacy communication that clearly identifies a candidate for an elective state or statewide office but does not expressly advocate the election or defeat of that candidate. This report only applies to persons who make issue advocacy communications of $50,000 or more within 45 days of a state election. This report is filed by logging onto the Secretary of State web site and completing the form and submitting it online.

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How are payments to a spokesperson, who appears in advertisements for ballot measures, disclosed?

A committee that pays an individual $5,000 or more to appear in an advertisement which supports or opposes a ballot measure or its qualification must file a Form 511 - Paid Spokesperson Report within 10 days of the expenditure. This report is filed by any recipient or major donor committee and shall identify the state or local measure, including the name, number or letter, and jurisdiction of the measure supported or opposed in the advertisement, the date of the expenditure, the name of the individual who was paid $5,000 or more to appear in the advertisement, and the amount of the expenditure.

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Lobbying

As a lobbying entity, how do I know if I have a requirement to electronically file my lobbying reports?

Entities including lobbying firms, lobbyist employers, lobbyists, lobbying coalitions, and all other persons, including placement agents, who spend $2,500 or more to influence legislation or state agency administrative action and meet the threshold requirements listed below are required to file their disclosure reports electronically. Registration documents must still be filed both electronically and on paper.

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What specific lobbying reports am I required to file electronically?

Once a filer reaches the $2,500 threshold that triggers electronic filing, all subsequent filings are required to be filed electronically. These reports include those filed by lobbyist employers, lobbying coalitions, lobbying firms, and persons spending $5,000 or more to influence legislative or administrative action.

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If I am required to file electronically, am I still required to file paper copies with the Secretary of State? Are both the original and one paper copy still required to be filed?

If you are a qualified lobbying e-filer whose payments made or received exceed $2,500 in a calendar quarter, you need only file the required quarterly disclosure reports electronically or online. However, all lobbying registration documents must still be filed both electronically and by paper with an original and one copy.

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Once I have met the qualifying activity threshold, would I ever be required to electronically file any reports retroactively?

No, but all future reports and amendments must be filed electronically.

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If I do not meet the qualifying activity threshold, can I electronically file lobbying reports with the Secretary of State on a voluntary basis at any time?

Yes. You may voluntarily file electronic lobbying reports through an approved electronic filing vendor or online at any time. You will need to get a logon password and ID from the Secretary of State to electronically file. Apply for these credentials using the form on the Electronic Filing Password Request page. However, once you file electronically, all subsequent reports must be filed electronically.

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What is my first deadline to file electronically?

If you have met the $2,500 activity threshold, the report is due 30 days after the close of the quarter in which the qualifying activity occurred. Filing deadline dates are April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31. If the date falls on a holiday or weekend, the filing is due the next business day.

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Do lobbyists incur separate electronic filing obligations?

No. Lobbyists file their required Form 615 as an attachment to either a Form 635 – Report of Lobbyist Employer/Lobbying Coalition or a Form 625 – Report of Lobbying Firm. See Government Code 86114 (a) (4) and Government Code 86116 (e). When a lobbyist employer or lobbying firm is required to file electronically, any attachments such as Form 615 must also be filed electronically.

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Do the clients of a lobbying firm incur separate electronic filing obligations?

When a lobbying firm incurs electronic filing obligations, the clients of such a firm do not automatically incur separate electronic filing obligations. Rather, the client must qualify on its own by meeting the dollar activity threshold for that quarter before incurring separate electronic filing obligations apart from the firm. Once qualified, the electronic filing obligation is ongoing.

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Must a lobbying firm or employer count contributions previously disclosed on their major donor or sponsored PAC campaign statement toward the qualifying dollar threshold for purposes of determining the firm’s or employer’s electronic filing duties?

It depends on whether the information has already been reported on a campaign statement on file with the Secretary of State. If a lobbying firm or lobbyist employer is a major donor or has a sponsored committee, and if all the campaign contributions made by the lobbying firm or lobbyist employer were already disclosed, then the total amount of the campaign contributions previously disclosed are not required to be itemized on the lobbying firm’s or lobbyist employer’s quarterly report and, therefore, don’t trigger electronic filing requirements. Conversely, contributions which have not previously been reported, and which are required to be itemized on the lobbying report are still counted toward the qualifying dollar or activity threshold for electronic filing.

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If a firm or employer does not meet the $2,500 threshold for electronic filing, are reports still required to be filed on paper?

Yes, absolutely.

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Request for Waiver of Liability

If I submit a request for waiver of liability of late filing fines, will the fine assessed on the committee be removed from the list of outstanding fines published on the Secretary of State’s website?

No. The fine will not be removed from the list while awaiting the determination of the waiver request.

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If I notify the Secretary of State’s office that I am working with the FPPC regarding an enforcement action for the same late filing conduct, will the fine assessed on the committee be removed from the list of outstanding fines published on the Secretary of State’s website?

No. The fine will not be removed from the list while awaiting the resolution of the enforcement action.

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