California Code, Financial Code - FIN § 17005.1

“Joint control agent” means a person engaging in the business of receiving money or other property for disbursal or use in payment of the cost of labor, materials, services, permits, fees, or other items of expense incurred in the construction of improvements upon real property. As used in this section, “in the business” means the conduct of the aforesaid transaction either for compensation or without compensation as a primary business or as an incidence to another business, but shall not mean the conduct of the business of real estate lending or of acting as an authorized representative, agent or loan correspondent for such a lender.