Citation and Remedial Training Programs
Pursuant to Assembly Bill 471 (Low, Chapter 372, Statutes of 2021), the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) adopted regulations implementing citation and remedial training programs for automotive repair dealers (ARDs), effective July 1, 2023. Under the programs, an ARD who receives a citation for violating the Automotive Repair Act may file an appeal to have the citation considered by a three-member citation review panel (composed of one representative each from BAR, the public, and the automotive repair industry). Additionally, an ARD cited for a violation(s) deemed minor in nature may complete remedial training by a BAR-certified remedial training provider to prevent disclosure of the citation on BAR’s website.
Aimed at supporting BAR's mission and commitment to consumer protection, the citation and remedial training programs promote licensee compliance and enhance access to important information to help consumers make informed decisions about the maintenance and repair of their vehicles. Following is information about the programs.
Remedial Training for Automotive Repair Dealers
An ARD who receives a citation may file an appeal to have the citation considered by a citation review panel, providing the ability to review and resolve citations without going through a formal hearing before an administrative law judge. The panel is responsible for reviewing the details of an appealed citation and making a recommendation to the Bureau chief or their designee to affirm, modify, or dismiss the citation. Additionally, an ARD cited for a minor violation(s) of the Automotive Repair Act, such as documentation or record keeping errors, may complete remedial training to prevent public disclosure of the citation on BAR’s website. A licensee is not eligible if they have taken a remedial training course to prevent disclosure of a citation in the prior 18 months. The training is provided by a BAR-certified remedial training provider and consists of a minimum of eight hours of instruction on BAR laws and regulations. Remedial training class information is available on BAR’s California Automotive Resource Center (CalARC).
Remedial training is completed by those individuals responsible for the conduct of the business—the business owner(s) and/or a responsible managing employee—as listed on the ARD registration application. This is intended to encourage effective oversight of business operations and compliance with BAR laws and regulations by the responsible controlling individuals. However, ARDs are encouraged to also have any employee(s) directly involved in a violation attend the training for the purposes of educating their staff. Employees may also complete remedial training independent of a citation.
Licensees are encouraged to keep their business information current to help ensure the appropriate individual(s) attend the remedial training. As a reminder, licensees must notify BAR within 14 days of a change of business name, address, or corporate officers or directors. For more information, visit the Update a Business License webpage.
Citation Review Panel
BAR has appointed several automotive repair industry representatives and members of the public to serve on the citation review panel. The role of a citation review panel is to consider and make recommendations on informal appeals requested by individuals who received a citation for a violation(s) of the Automotive Repair Act. The three-member panel consists of a BAR representative, a member from the public, and a representative of the automotive repair industry. The panel participates in monthly virtual informal appeal conferences and members serve a two-year term.
Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis to fill panel member positions. For more information, visit www.bar.ca.gov/panel.
Training Providers
Remedial training is intended to enhance consumer protection by providing ARDs cited for a minor violation(s) of the Automotive Repair Act additional training on BAR laws and regulations. To ensure training is effective and beneficial to licensees, training providers must be certified by BAR to provide the required remedial training. Training providers seeking to become a certified remedial training provider must apply with BAR and provide a description of their training course for review and approval. Certification must be renewed every five years. For more information and to apply, visit www.bar.ca.gov/certified-training.