When Is Form 700 Due?
California's Statement of Economic Interests follows a fixed schedule set by the Political Reform Act and FPPC regulations. There are four filing events, each with its own deadline:
| Statement Type | Deadline | Period Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Statement | April 1 each year (next business day if it falls on a weekend or state holiday) | The prior calendar year, January 1 – December 31 |
| Assuming Office Statement | Within 30 days of assuming office | The year before assuming office, with a focus on interests held on the date of assuming office |
| Leaving Office Statement | Within 30 days of leaving office | January 1 (or the reporting period end date of the last statement) through the date of leaving office |
| Candidate Statement | No later than the final filing date of the declaration of candidacy | Interests held on the date of filing |
Newly designated employees — positions added to an agency's conflict of interest code — file an assuming office statement within 30 days of the effective date of the code amendment. Filers can amend any statement at any time.
Late Fines and Enforcement
Miss the deadline and the filing officer is required to assess a late fine of $10 per day, up to a maximum of $100. That sounds small, but the real risk is escalation: persistent non-filers can be referred to the FPPC Enforcement Division, which can impose significantly larger administrative penalties — and non-filing is a matter of public record.
For filing officers, the weeks around April 1 are the crunch: hundreds of filers, dozens of stragglers, and a paper trail to maintain for every reminder sent. This is exactly the problem electronic filing was built to solve.
How eFile helps
Never miss a Form 700 deadline again.
- Every filer is automatically assigned their required statements.
- Scheduled, templated email reminders as deadlines approach.
- Real-time dashboard showing filed, pending, and overdue statements.
- All communication with filers tracked in the system.
- Late fines calculated and documented automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the annual Form 700 due?
The annual Statement of Economic Interests is due April 1 each year, covering the prior calendar year. If April 1 falls on a weekend or official state holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
When is Form 700 due after assuming or leaving office?
Assuming-office statements are due within 30 days of assuming office, and leaving-office statements are due within 30 days of leaving. Officials listed in Government Code Section 87200, such as city council members and planning commissioners, generally file assuming-office statements within 30 days as well.
What is the penalty for filing Form 700 late?
Filing officers assess a late fine of $10 per day after the deadline, up to a maximum of $100. Continued non-filing can be referred to the FPPC Enforcement Division, which may impose substantially larger administrative penalties.
Do Form 700 deadlines apply to candidates?
Yes. Candidates for offices listed in Government Code Section 87200 file a candidate statement no later than the final filing date of their declaration of candidacy.
How can an agency prevent late Form 700 filings?
Automated reminders are the most effective tool. An electronic filing system like eFile assigns every filer their required statements, sends scheduled email reminders as deadlines approach, and gives filing officers a real-time dashboard of outstanding filings.