Nonprofit Corporation Member Books and Records Inspection in New Jersey
At a glance
| Eligible member and corporation | 6-month record member, or holder/written designee of 5% of a class or series; court route can waive those thresholds (§ 15A:5-24(c)–(d)) |
|---|---|
| Routine records | Qualifying members may examine member-meeting minutes and member record for proper purpose (§ 15A:5-24(c)) |
| Purpose-conditioned records | Books/accounts and board/executive minutes may be compelled by court on proof of proper purpose (§ 15A:5-24(a),(d)) |
| Demand form and notice | At least 5 days’ written demand for member minutes/record; member record available within 10 days after demand (§ 15A:5-24(a),(c)) |
| Purpose, tenure, and connection | Proper purpose plus 6-month membership or 5% class/series route; court may act regardless of tenure/holding (§ 15A:5-24(c)–(d)) |
| Place, representatives, and delivery | Usual business hours; in person or agent/attorney; records where kept, member record at in-state registered/principal office (§ 15A:5-24(a),(c)) |
| Copies, conversion, and cost | Member may make extracts; corporation converts nonwritten records without charge on entitled person’s written request (§ 15A:5-24(a),(c)) |
| Member list and confidentiality | Member record inspection follows tenure/holding and proper-purpose terms; court may compel on proper-purpose proof (§ 15A:5-24(a),(c)–(d)) |
| Financial statements | On any member’s written request, mail prior-year balance sheet and income/expense statement (§ 15A:5-24(b)) |
| Court remedy and special rules | Court may compel accounts, minutes and member record on proper-purpose proof regardless of tenure or holding (§ 15A:5-24(d)) |
Requirements one by one
Who can inspect and what they may see
Section 15A:5-24(c) grants the member-minutes and member-record route to a person who has been a member of record for at least six months, or to a holder (or written designee of holders) of at least 5% of a class or series of memberships. A proper purpose is required. The member gives at least five days' written demand and may examine and make extracts during usual business hours personally or through an agent or attorney. The corporation must make the member record available within ten days after demand at its in-state registered office or, if in state, its principal office (§ 15A:5-24(a)).
Statements and conversion
On any member's written request, the corporation must mail the preceding fiscal year's balance sheet and income-and-expense statement (§ 15A:5-24(b)). A record kept outside written form must be converted to writing without charge on written request of a person entitled to inspect it (§ 15A:5-24(a)).
What trips people up
The corporation's duty to keep accounts and board or executive-committee minutes in § 15A:5-24(a) is separate from the direct member-inspection route in subsection (c). Subsection (d) preserves a court's power, on proof of proper purpose, to compel production of accounts, minutes, and the member record regardless of the member's tenure or percentage holding.
Common questions
Can a new member ask for financial statements?
Section 15A:5-24(b) says any member may request the preceding fiscal year's balance sheet and income-and-expense statement in writing. The six-month and 5% alternatives appear in subsection (c)'s inspection route.
Does a court have to apply the six-month requirement?
Section 15A:5-24(d) expressly preserves the court production route irrespective of membership duration or percentage holding, upon proof of proper purpose.
Statutes and sources
- N.J.S.A. § 15A:5-24: books, records, statements, inspection, and court production. Official New Jersey statutes, accessed 2026-10-02.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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