Lobbyist Registration

All local government lobbyists in Berkeley must register before engaging in any lobbying activities.

Lobbyists also need to file regular reports. These requirements let the public know what lobbying efforts are taking place that may affect decisions being made by elected officials, City staff, and boards and commissions. The public can access lobbyist reports through our online portal.

Who needs to register

You must register as a lobbyist if you:

• Receive or are entitled to receive $1,000 or more per month in economic consideration to communicate with City officials or employees in order to influence decisions
• Are a salaried employee, officer, or director and your duties include communicating with City officials or employees in order to influence decisions

Lobbying activities are any direct or indirect communications with any City official or employee for the purpose of influencing decisions. For more details about what kinds of communications fall under lobbying activities, reference the Lobbyist Manual. 

When to register

You must register before any lobbying activities take place. Lobbyists must re-register and pay the filing fee annually. 

How to register

Take the following steps to register:

1. File the lobbyist registration form
2. Pay the annual $500 registration fee with your registration form (except for nonprofits)
3. Complete lobbyist training
4. File your training affirmation form within 30 days of registering

Filing ongoing disclosure reports

After registering, you must file ongoing disclosure reports with details about your lobbying activities. How often you need to file disclosure reports depends on the size of your organization:

• If you are an individual lobbyist or an organization with fewer than five employees, file annually
• If you have more than five employees, file quarterly

In the reports, you will include information about:

• Government actions that you attempted to influence
• City officials, staff, or their immediate family members whom you employed
• City officials or staff who employed you
• Donations you requested for an elected City officeholder or candidate

Review the Lobbyist Manual for full details about what information to include in your report. You may file reports in person at the City Clerk Department or online.