<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001017712-09-000008
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090318
<FILING-DATE>20090319
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090319
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MCGINTY JIM
<CIK>0001248270
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-28784
<FILM-NUMBER>09693608
</FILING-VALUES>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HOT TOPIC INC /CA/
<CIK>0001017712
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5600
<IRS-NUMBER>770198182
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0130
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>18305 EAST SAN JOSE AVENUE
<CITY>CITY OF INDUSTRY
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91748
<PHONE>6268394681
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>18305 EAST SAN JOSE AVENUE
<CITY>CITY OF INDUSTRY
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>91768
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001017712</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HOT TOPIC INC /CA/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HOTT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001248270</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCGINTY JIM</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>18305 E. SAN JOSE AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CITY OF INDUSTRY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>91748</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>9.56</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-03-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The option vests 25% one year after the date of grant and 6.25% at the end of each quarter thereafter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James McGinty</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
