Recent California regulations affecting small businesses
Page 4 of 8 • Last updated April 17, 2026
114 new California regulations affecting small businesses have been published in the past 30 days. These cover compliance updates from state agencies, regional authorities, and licensing boards — flagged here when they change a rule, fee, deadline, or eligibility threshold. Recent activity has clustered in Compliance, alongside cross-cutting administrative changes. Each listing links to the official notice so you can read the full text and respond if it touches your business.
- Department of Financial Protection and Innovation / Office of Administrative Law - Suspension of Action Regarding Underground Regulations - Venture Capital Demographic Data Survey FormApril 17, 2026
California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation suspended enforcement of a Venture Capital Demographic Data Survey form after the Office of Administrative Law challenged it as an underground regulation on March 30, 2026.
- Title 5 Education Audit Appeals Panel - Audit Guide for K–12 Local Education Agencies, Fiscal Year 2026–27April 17, 2026
Title 5 Education Audit Appeals Panel issues audit guide for K-12 local education agencies for fiscal year 2026-27; notice file number Z2026–0407–05.
- Department of Justice - Title 11, Sections 4500, 4510, 4511, 4512, 4520, 4521, 4522 - Gun Show InspectionsApril 17, 2026
Department of Justice adopts Title 11 regulations establishing gun show producer licensing requirements, vendor standards, and reporting procedures under California Penal Code section 27200 et seq.
- Division of Workers' Compensation - Title 08, Section 9792.23.8 - Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS)April 17, 2026 • Impact: medium
Division of Workers' Compensation updates the Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule (MTUS) under California Labor Code section 5307.27 to incorporate evidence-based medical treatment guidelines for workers' compensation claims.
- California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority - Title 04, Sections 10091.5, 10091.9 - GoGreen Home Energy Financing ProgramApril 17, 2026
California's GoGreen Home Energy Financing Program expands to cover disaster reconstruction for residential buildings and requires lender enrollment within 180 days of project completion.
- California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority - Title 04, Sections 10031-10036 - Sales and Use Tax Exclusion ProgramApril 17, 2026
CAEATFA Sales and Use Tax Exclusion Program amendments revise eligibility requirements, application procedures, regulatory agreements, and compliance standards for alternative energy and advanced transportation equipment under California Code of Reg…
- Department of Justice - OAL Determination of Underground Regulations - CFARS COE Cheat SheetApril 17, 2026
California Department of Justice must adopt formal rulemaking procedures for CFARS Certificate of Eligibility requirements rather than issuing them as underground memorandums, per OAL determination.
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Rulemaking Petition Decision - Title 15, Section 3043.3 - Milestone Completion Credit for Institution FirefightersApril 17, 2026
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation will amend Title 15, Section 3043.3 to grant institution firefighters two weeks of Milestone Completion Credit for every three months of firehouse assignment, and one week for support positions.
- Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation - Rulemaking Petition Decision - Title 15, Section 3076(b) - Sentence Recall AuthorityApril 17, 2026
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation denied a rulemaking petition to restore the Secretary's authority to recommend recall of life-without-parole sentences under Penal Code section 1172.1(a)(1), citing the matter as moot while pur…
- Department of Fish and Wildlife - Fish and Game Code Section 1653 Consistency Determination - Stoney Creek Stream Restoration ProjectApril 17, 2026
CDFW consistency determination for the Stoney Creek Stream Restoration Project in Lassen County would exempt the Lassen Land and Trails Trust from obtaining an incidental take permit or streambed alteration agreement if approved under Fish and Game …
- Board of Forestry and Fire Protection - Urban and Community Forestry Program Procedures, 2026 (Title 14)April 17, 2026
California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection updates Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program procedures to align with legislative changes, including cost-sharing waivers for disadvantaged communities and revised equipment and application appr…
- Department of Rehabilitation - Maintenance Support Regulations (Title 9)April 17, 2026
Department of Rehabilitation amends Title 9 regulations to eliminate categorical distinctions in maintenance support duration for vocational rehabilitation clients, requiring individualized assessment instead.
- Education Audit Appeals Panel - Audit Guide for K-12 Local Education Agencies, Fiscal Year 2026-27 (Title 5, Section 19810)April 17, 2026
California Education Audit Appeals Panel updates the 2026-27 Audit Guide for K-12 Local Education Agencies, revising compliance procedures for administrative costs, transportation reimbursement, pupil counts, and expanded learning opportunities unde…
- Department of Financial Protection and Innovation - Suspension of Action Regarding Underground Regulations - Venture Capital Demographic Data Survey FormApril 17, 2026
California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation suspends enforcement of the Venture Capital Demographic Data Survey Form pending regulatory challenges.
- California Horse Racing Board - Title 04, Sections 1596, 2057 - Transfer After Sale of Horse and Application of a Simulcast FacilityApril 17, 2026
California Horse Racing Board updates nonsubstantive form version dates and makes technical corrections to regulations governing horse transfer documentation and simulcast facility applications under Title 04, CCR sections 1596 and 2057.