Civil Code Boards & Governance
Association Powers
Chapter 6 · Association Governance · Association Existence and Powers
Text current as of 2026-07-07 · Last amended by AB 805, eff. 2014-01-01
The code says CIV §4805
(a) Unless the governing documents provide otherwise, and regardless of whether the association is incorporated or unincorporated, the association may exercise the powers granted to a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation, as enumerated in Section 7140 of the Corporations Code, except that an unincorporated association may not adopt or use a corporate seal or issue membership certificates in accordance with Section 7313 of the Corporations Code.
(b) The association, whether incorporated or unincorporated, may exercise the powers granted to an association in this act.
(Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.)
How courts have read this
No case law is mapped to this section yet. As decisions are added, they’ll appear here.