California Code, Business and Professions Code - BPC § 10167

(a) “Prepaid rental listing service” means the business of supplying prospective tenants with listings of residential real properties for tenancy, by publication or otherwise, pursuant to an arrangement under which the prospective tenants are required to pay an advance or contemporaneous fee (1) specifically to obtain listings or (2) to purchase any other product or service in order to obtain listings, but which does not otherwise involve the negotiation of rentals by the person conducting the service. “Prepaid rental listing service” does not include the business of providing roommate referral information designed to assist persons in locating a roommate who meets various selection criteria related to the prospective roommate's personal traits, characteristics, habits or preferences, and selection criteria related to the residential real property occupied by the prospective roommate.

(b) “Licensee” means a person licensed to conduct a prepaid rental listing service or a person engaged in the business of a prepaid rental listing service under a real estate broker license.

(c) “Location” means the place, other than the main or branch office of a real estate broker, where a prepaid rental listing service business is conducted.

(d) “Designated agent” means the person who is in charge of the business of a prepaid rental listing service at a given location.

(e) “Fee” means the charge required by a licensee (1) to obtain listings of residential real properties for tenancy or (2) to purchase any other product or service in order to obtain listings.

(f) “Service charge” means the amount of the fee that a licensee may retain if a prospective tenant finds housing through a source other than the listings supplied by the licensee.