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HomeCorporations CodeCh. 8§ 12504 Corporate Status Amendment Rules

§ 12504 Corporate Status Amendment Rules

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

§ 12504 Corporate Status Amendment Rules

This law says a company can change its type, like from a regular business to a nonprofit, but it has to follow certain rules to do it.

Key Takeaways

  • •A company can change its type, like becoming a nonprofit, but it must follow rules.
  • •If changing to a nonprofit, members must approve it, and sometimes the government checks if it's fair.
  • •The new company papers must include the right details for the new type of company.

Example

A small business wants to become a nonprofit to help the community instead of making money.

The business must get approval from its members and follow specific steps to change its type legally.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 12504 Corporate Status Amendment Rules

(a) A corporation may amend its articles to change its status to that of a nonprofit public benefit corporation, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation, a nonprofit religious corporation, a business corporation, or a social purpose corporation by complying with this section and the other sections of this chapter. (b) Except as authorized by Section 12501 or unless the corporation has no members, an amendment to change its status to a nonprofit public benefit corporation or a nonprofit religious corporation shall: (1) be approved by the members (Section 12224), and the fairness of the amendment to the members shall be approved by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation pursuant to Section 25142; or (2) be approved by the members (Section 12224) in an election conducted by written ballot pursuant to Section 12463 in which no negative votes are cast; or (3) be approved by 100 percent of the voting power. (c) Amended articles authorized by this section shall include the provisions which would have been required (other than the initial street address and initial mailing address of the corporation and the name of the initial agent for service of process if a statement has been filed pursuant to Section 12570), and may in addition only include those provisions which would have been permitted, in original articles filed by the type of corporation (nonprofit public benefit, nonprofit mutual benefit, nonprofit religious, business, or social purpose) into which the corporation is changing its status. (d) At the time of filing a certificate of amendment to change status to a nonprofit public benefit corporation, the Secretary of State shall make available the filed certificate to the Attorney General. (Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 617, Sec. 82. (SB 1202) Effective January 1, 2023.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

corporationamendmentcommissionbenefitsecretaryfinancial protectionattorney generalinnovation

Related Statutes

  • § 7813.5 Corporation Status Change Approval
  • § 12302 Corporate Name Restrictions
  • § 5122 Corporate Name Restrictions
  • § 7122 Corporate Name Restrictions
  • § 9640 Religious Corporation Merger Rules

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Corporations Code. Section 12504.
View Official Source