Nonprofit Corporation Member Books and Records Inspection in California

At a glance

Requirements one by one

Accounting and meeting records

For a public benefit corporation, accounting books and records and minutes of members, directors, and board committees are open on a member's written demand at a reasonable time for a purpose reasonably related to membership interests (§ 6333). Mutual benefit corporations use the corresponding § 8333 route. In each chapter, inspection may be in person or through an agent or attorney and includes copying (§§ 6311, 8311). If a covered record is not written, the corporation must make it available in written form at its expense (§§ 6310, 8310).

Member lists

A public benefit or mutual benefit member may seek the members' names, addresses, and voting rights by written demand stating a membership-related purpose. Inspection requires five business days' prior demand; alternatively, the member may request a voting-member list from the secretary with a reasonable charge, due by the later of ten business days after the demand or a later requested record date (§§ 6330(a)–(b), 8330(a)–(b)). Each statute allows the corporation to offer, in writing within ten business days, a reasonable alternative that timely accomplishes the stated purpose (§§ 6330(c), 8330(c)).

Without board consent, a membership list may not be used for a purpose unrelated to member interests, a commercial purpose, or sale, among other restrictions. Misuse can create liability and other relief (§§ 6338, 8338).

Annual financial reports

Public benefit boards ordinarily send an annual report within 120 days after fiscal year close; § 6321(c) relieves corporations below $25,000 in gross receipts of the routine mailing rule, but subsection (e) still gives a member who requests the report in writing an annual report. Mutual benefit corporations instead give yearly notice of the right to receive a financial report and promptly send the latest report on written request; § 8321(c) exempts corporations below $10,000 in gross receipts from that subdivision's duty. These report routes are separate from books inspection.

What trips people up

A religious corporation follows shorter provisions: unless its articles or bylaws provide otherwise, a member may inspect and copy its member record after five business days' written demand for a related purpose (§ 9511), and may inspect accounting books and member, board, and committee minutes on a related-purpose written demand at a reasonable time (§ 9512). The governing-document qualification matters when comparing a religious corporation with the public and mutual benefit routes. Public and mutual member rights under these chapters cannot be limited by contract, articles, or bylaws (§§ 6313, 8313).

On refusal of a lawful demand, the superior court may enforce inspection under the applicable type's provision (§§ 6336, 8336, 9514). It may impose conditions or, for good cause, appoint inspectors or accountants. In public and mutual benefit proceedings, an unjustified failure can lead to a discretionary award of reasonable costs and attorney fees (§§ 6337, 8337). These are statutory remedies, not a prediction of a case's outcome.

Common questions

May a member send an attorney to inspect public or mutual benefit records?

Yes. Sections 6311 and 8311 allow inspection by an agent or attorney, with copying included.

Must a corporation hand over its list if it offers another way to reach members?

Not necessarily. Sections 6330(c) and 8330(c) allow a timely written offer of an alternative that reasonably accomplishes the proper purpose. The member's rejection must be written and explain why the alternative does not meet that purpose.

Statutes and sources

• Cal. Corp. Code § 6310: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6311: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6313: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6321: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6330: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6333: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6336: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6337: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 6338: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8310: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8311: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8313: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8321: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8330: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8333: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8336: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8337: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 8338: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 9511: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 9512: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.
• Cal. Corp. Code § 9514: member records and inspection provisions. Official section, accessed 2026-10-02.