Nonprofit Corporation Member Books and Records Inspection in Ohio
At a glance
| Eligible member and corporation | Any member or director, or agent/attorney of either; member access subject to articles/regulations limits (§ 1702.15) |
|---|---|
| Routine records | All corporate books and records, including membership records, subject to purpose/time and member document limits (§ 1702.15) |
| Purpose-conditioned records | Same all-records examination route; reasonable and proper purpose required (§ 1702.15) |
| Demand form and notice | § 1702.15 requires reasonable time and purpose; it does not prescribe a demand form or lead time |
| Purpose, tenure, and connection | Reasonable and proper purpose; no tenure condition stated in § 1702.15 |
| Place, representatives, and delivery | Member or director may use agent/attorney; reasonable examination time (§ 1702.15) |
| Copies, conversion, and cost | § 1702.15 states examination, without a copy method or cost schedule |
| Member list and confidentiality | Membership records expressly included; articles or regulations may limit members’ examination rights (§ 1702.15) |
| Financial statements | Books and records of account included in the reasonable-purpose examination right (§ 1702.15) |
| Court remedy and special rules | § 1702.15 states examination entitlement and member document limits; no special court procedure in that section |
Inspection under Ohio's nonprofit act
Section 1702.15 requires a corporation to keep correct and complete account books and minutes of incorporators, members, directors, and director or member committees. It permits a member or director, or either person's agent or attorney, to examine all corporate books and records, expressly including membership records, for a reasonable and proper purpose at a reasonable time.
The section makes members' examination rights subject to limits in the articles or regulations. It gives the right in broad terms and does not itself set an advance-notice period, a copy-price schedule, or a specific court petition procedure. Those gaps should not be mistaken for a promise that every request will succeed; the stated purpose, time, and governing-document qualifications still apply.
Common questions
May a member use an attorney to examine the records?
Yes. Section 1702.15 expressly allows examination by the member's agent or attorney.
Are membership records included?
Yes. The section expressly includes the membership records prescribed by § 1702.13 among the books and records that may be examined.
Statutes and sources
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1702.15: required records and member or director examination. Official enrolled act, accessed 2026-10-02.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
What does Ohio law mean for your facts?
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