(a) An escrow agent licensed on or after January 1, 1986, shall maintain at all times a tangible net worth of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(b) An escrow agent licensed prior to January 1, 1986, shall maintain at all times a tangible net worth according to the following schedule:

(1) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) from January 1, 1986, through June 30, 1986, including liquid assets of at least ten thousand dollars ($10,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(2) Fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) as of July 1, 1986, including liquid assets of at least fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(3) Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) as of July 1, 1987, including liquid assets of at least twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(4) Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) as of July 1, 1988, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(5)  Thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) as of July 1, 1989, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(6)  Thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) as of July 1, 1990, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(7)  Forty thousand dollars ($40,000) as of July 1, 1991, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(8) Forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) as of July 1, 1992, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(9) Fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) as of July 1, 1993, and thereafter, including liquid assets of at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in excess of current liabilities.

(c) The commissioner may determine by rule as to which assets constitute liquid assets and may also determine in an individual case by a specific written ruling whether a particular asset is a liquid asset within the meaning of this section.

(d) In the case of a licensed branch office, a tangible net worth in addition to that required by subdivision (a) shall be maintained at an amount equal to 50 percent of the tangible net worth required by subdivision (a), except that licensees operating or applying for more than one branch office shall maintain an additional tangible net worth of at least 25 percent of the amount required by subdivision (a) for each branch office licensed after the first branch office location.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1560, Sec. 4. Effective October 2, 1985. Operative January 1, 1986, by Sec. 45 of Ch. 1560.)