Legal Question in Entertainment Law in California

Re: Agent is lawfully registered...............

Under California Law, a talent agent must be LICENSED by the Labor Commissioner. The license requirements call for posting a bond, maintaining an actual, bona-fide office location, and all agency representation contracts must be approved by the Commissioner.

This is not true for ARTIST'S MANAGERS (sometimes also called "personal" managers or just "managers"). MAnagers don't have any licensing requirement.

The difference is in the permitted scope of their work. Only a licensed talent agent is permitted to "procure employment" for a client. Despite some recent case-law changes in this field, the ramifications for a manager who procures employment can be significant.

For more information about this, you can look at the California Talent Agencies Act (part of the Labor Code), or contact the office of the Labor Commissioner.