Cal. CIV § 1786.12
This is the official text of Cal. CIV § 1786.12, part of California’s Civil Code — covers contracts, property ownership, personal rights, and other general civil obligations between private parties.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Official statutory text
An investigative consumer reporting agency shall only furnish an investigative consumer report under the following circumstances:
(a) In response to the order of a court having jurisdiction to issue the order.
(b) In compliance with a lawful subpoena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) In accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates.
(d) To a person that it has reason to believe:
(1) Intends to use the information for employment purposes; or
(2) Intends to use the information serving as a factor in determining a consumer’s eligibility for insurance or the rate for any insurance; or
(3) Intends to use the information in connection with a determination of the consumer’s eligibility for a license or other benefit granted by a governmental instrumentality required by law to consider the applicant’s financial responsibility or status; or
(4) Intends to use the information in connection with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction to provide support where the imposition or enforcement of the order involves the consumer; or
(5) Intends to use the information in connection with the hiring of a dwelling unit, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1940.
(e) An investigative consumer reporting agency shall not prepare or furnish an investigative consumer report to a person described in subdivision (d) unless the agency has received the certification under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1786.16 from the person requesting the report.
(f) An investigative consumer reporting agency shall not furnish an investigative consumer report to a person described in subdivision (d) if that report contains medical information about a consumer, unless the consumer consents to the furnishing of the report.
(a) In response to the order of a court having jurisdiction to issue the order.
(b) In compliance with a lawful subpoena issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
(c) In accordance with the written instructions of the consumer to whom it relates.
(d) To a person that it has reason to believe:
(1) Intends to use the information for employment purposes; or
(2) Intends to use the information serving as a factor in determining a consumer’s eligibility for insurance or the rate for any insurance; or
(3) Intends to use the information in connection with a determination of the consumer’s eligibility for a license or other benefit granted by a governmental instrumentality required by law to consider the applicant’s financial responsibility or status; or
(4) Intends to use the information in connection with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction to provide support where the imposition or enforcement of the order involves the consumer; or
(5) Intends to use the information in connection with the hiring of a dwelling unit, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1940.
(e) An investigative consumer reporting agency shall not prepare or furnish an investigative consumer report to a person described in subdivision (d) unless the agency has received the certification under paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 1786.16 from the person requesting the report.
(f) An investigative consumer reporting agency shall not furnish an investigative consumer report to a person described in subdivision (d) if that report contains medical information about a consumer, unless the consumer consents to the furnishing of the report.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in California?
Find a California lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.