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HomeFinancial CodeDiv. 5Ch. 6Art. 1§ 14851 Credit Union Share Issuance

§ 14851 Credit Union Share Issuance

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

§ 14851 Credit Union Share Issuance

This law says who can buy shares in a credit union and how those shares work. It also sets rules for special credit unions that help low-income people.

Key Takeaways

  • •Only members or certain government workers can usually buy shares.
  • •Co-owners of shares don't get member benefits like voting.
  • •Special credit unions for low-income people can sell shares to nonmembers, but only up to 20% of their total money.

Example

A teacher wants to save money in a credit union.

If the teacher is a member, they can buy shares. If they're not a member but work for the school district, they might still be able to buy shares. But they can't vote or get loans unless they're a real member.

How to Calculate

Total nonmember shares ≤ 20% of (unimpaired capital + surplus)

  1. Find the credit union's unimpaired capital (money it has).
  2. Find the credit union's surplus (extra money it has saved).
  3. Add unimpaired capital and surplus together.
  4. Calculate 20% of that total.
  5. Make sure nonmember shares don't go over that 20% number.

A low-income credit union has $1,000,000 in capital and $200,000 in surplus.

Result: 20% of ($1,000,000 + $200,000) = $240,000. So, nonmember shares can't exceed $240,000.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 14851 Credit Union Share Issuance

(a) A credit union may issue shares as follows: (1) To a member qualified pursuant to the credit union’s bylaws. (2) To an officer, employee, or agent of nonmember units of federal, Indian tribal, state, or local governments, and political subdivisions thereof, when acting in that officer’s, employee’s, or agent’s official capacity. (3) To a member or nonmember state or federal credit union. (4) (A) In coownership to a member and a person designated by the member. (B) As used in this paragraph, coownership includes, but is not limited to, joint tenancy, tenancy in common, or community property forms of ownership. (b) Membership privileges, including voting and obtaining a loan, may not be made available to a nonmember as a result of ownership of shares solely as a coowner of shares with a member. A certificate or other evidence of shares that is issued shall contain the words “No transfer of voting rights or other membership privilege is permitted by virtue of a transfer of shares.” Shares may be transferred to a public agency lawfully entitled to receive the shares when designated by a member as an assignee of an account pledged as a surety deposit to the public agency by the member. (c) A credit union that has a low-income designation pursuant to Section 701.34 of the regulations of the National Credit Union Administration (12 C.F.R. Sec. 701.34) may issue shares to nonmembers. Except with the written approval of the commissioner, the total number of shares issued by the credit union to nonmembers pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed 20 percent of the unimpaired capital and surplus of the credit union. (Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 762, Sec. 9. (SB 269) Effective January 1, 2022.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

credit unionsharescoownershiplow-income designationnonmembers

Related Statutes

  • § 14861 Credit Union Share Issuance
  • § 14865 Credit Union Share Accounts
  • § 14852 Credit Union Share Transfer Fees
  • § 14853 Minor Credit Union Accounts
  • § 14855 Credit Union Loan Certificates

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Financial Code. Section 14851.
View Official Source