Cal. Gov. Code § 19775.9
An individual on military leave from either a state civil service position held under duration appointment, a position held under an exempt appointment but included in the state civil service prior to his or her release from military service, or a position in any federal or other public agency, the functions of which were transferred to the state prior to his or her release from military service, who would be eligible for reinstatement or restoration to his or her position pursuant to Sections 19780 and 19782, shall be permitted to take any regular examination held while he or she was in the military service, or on military leave, for the class in which he or she had such appointment and for which he or she had the minimum qualifications required of applicants when the examination originally was given, within five years of the date of the original examination. The department or designated appointing authority shall arrange for him or her to take the identical examination if application is made not later than six months after his or her release from military service or six months after the effective date thereof, whichever is later. If the applicant passes the examination, his or her name shall be placed on the eligible list that resulted from the original examination as the list stands at the time his or her name is placed thereon. If his or her rating is sufficiently high for his or her name to have been included on a certification to a permanent position while he or she was in the military service had his or her name been on the list when originally established, his or her eligibility shall be established, notwithstanding the removal of names from the original list pursuant to Section 18901. He or she shall retain his or her place on such list for three years from the termination of his or her service with the Armed Forces or one year from the date such eligibility is established, whichever is later, if his or her rating is sufficiently high for his or her name to have been included on a certification to a permanent position while he or she was in recognized military service had his or her name been on the list when originally established. A name thus retained on a list, beyond the time other names are removed from the list pursuant to the provisions of Section 18901, shall be removed if the person refuses to accept appointment to a permanent position after certification thereto subsequent to his or her discharge from the Armed Forces.
Ca. Gov. Code § 19775.9