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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 9Ch. 3§ 9304 Bank Deposit Account Security

§ 9304 Bank Deposit Account Security

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 9304 Bank Deposit Account Security

Key Takeaways

  • •The rules for securing a bank account (like who gets the money if there's a problem) depend on the bank's location, not where you live.
  • •The bank's location is decided by what's written in your agreement with the bank.
  • •If the agreement doesn't say, the bank's location is where your account is managed or where the bank's main office is.

Example

You open a savings account with a bank that has branches in California and New York. You live in California, but your agreement says the account is governed by New York law.

If there's a problem with your account, like someone else claims the money, the rules from New York will be used, not California's, because the agreement says so.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 9304 Bank Deposit Account Security

(a) The local law of a bank’s jurisdiction governs perfection, the effect of perfection or nonperfection, and the priority of a security interest in a deposit account maintained with that bank even if the transaction does not bear any relation to the bank’s jurisdiction. (b) The following rules determine a bank’s jurisdiction for purposes of this chapter: (1) If an agreement between the bank and its customer governing the deposit account expressly provides that a particular jurisdiction is the bank’s jurisdiction for purposes of this chapter, this division, or this code, that jurisdiction is the bank’s jurisdiction. (2) If paragraph (1) does not apply and an agreement between the bank and its customer governing the deposit account expressly provides that the agreement is governed by the law of a particular jurisdiction, that jurisdiction is the bank’s jurisdiction. (3) If neither paragraph (1) nor paragraph (2) applies and an agreement between the bank and its customer governing the deposit account expressly provides that the deposit account is maintained at an office in a particular jurisdiction, that jurisdiction is the bank’s jurisdiction. (4) If none of the preceding paragraphs applies, the bank’s jurisdiction is the jurisdiction in which the office identified in an account statement as the office serving the customer’s account is located. (5) If none of the preceding paragraphs applies, the bank’s jurisdiction is the jurisdiction in which the chief executive office of the bank is located. (Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 210, Sec. 37. (SB 95) Effective January 1, 2024.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

local lawbank’s jurisdictionperfectionsecurity interestdeposit account

Related Statutes

  • § 17303 Unperfected Security Interests
  • § 17304 Transitional Security Interest Perfection
  • § 9301 Security Interest Perfection Rules
  • § 9302 Farm Product Lien Rules
  • § 9303 Certificate Of Title Goods

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 9304.
View Official Source