California Davis-Stirling Quick Reference

A board member’s plain-English cheat sheet for the statute that governs every California condo, planned development, stock co-op, and community apartment — the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civ. Code §§ 4000–6150) — plus the Corporations Code underneath the corporate body.

Ch. 6 — Association Governance (meetings, elections, records)

• §4920Board-meeting notice — at least 4 days’ general notice with the agenda. Meetings held solely in executive session: 2 days. Emergency meetings under §4923 need no notice.
• §4925Open meetings and open forum — any member may attend (except executive session) and speak, subject to a reasonable time limit.
• §5115Secret-ballot elections — nomination notice 30 days before the deadline; candidate list 30 days before ballots; ballots and two envelopes mail 30 days before the voting deadline. Failed director-election quorum may reconvene at 20 percent.
• §5210Records production — current fiscal year within 10 business days; prior two fiscal years within 30 calendar days. Minutes of member and board meetings are inspectable permanently.
• §5300Annual budget report — distributed 30 to 90 days before fiscal year end, with the reserve summary, funding plan, and insurance summary.

Ch. 8 — Assessments and collection

• §5605Assessment caps — board may not raise regular assessments more than 20 percent, or levy specials over 5 percent of budgeted gross expenses, without a majority of a quorum (quorum for this vote: more than 50 percent of the members).
• §5650Late charges — delinquent 15 days after due. Late fee is the greater of $10 or 10 percent (unless the declaration is less); interest 12 percent beginning 30 days after due.
• §5660Pre-lien notice — certified mail at least 30 days before recording, with the 14-point foreclosure warning, itemized charges, and the rights to inspect, IDR, and ADR.
• §5720Foreclosure floor — no assessment-lien foreclosure unless delinquent assessments (excluding costs and fees) are at least $1,800 or more than 12 months past due.
• §5725Fines are not foreclosure fuel — monetary penalties may not be the basis for a lien enforced by foreclosure.

Ch. 10 — Discipline, IDR, and ADR

• §5855Disciplinary hearing — 10 days’ individual notice. Member may cure (or commit to cure) before the meeting. Written decision within 14 days (AB 130, 2025).
• §5915Default IDR — one director meets with the member within 30 days. A signed written resolution binds the association.
• §5930ADR before most superior-court enforcement actions — mediation or arbitration first, then file.
• §4360Operating-rule changes — 28 days’ general notice of the proposed text; 15 days’ notice after adoption. Members holding 5 percent may veto (§4365).

California Board Meeting Checklist

Notice, elections, records, and collection — what your California board needs to get right every time. All citations are to the Civil Code unless marked Corp. Code. Confirm against your declaration and bylaws.

Notice Requirements by Meeting Type

• Board meetingAt least 4 days’ general notice with the agenda (§4920). Executive-session-only: 2 days. Emergency (§4923): no notice. Longer governing-document periods control.
• Members meetingCorp. Code §7511: not less than 10 nor more than 90 days before the meeting. Davis-Stirling secret-ballot elections add the 30-day nomination / 30-day ballot clocks in §5115.
• Rule change28 days’ general notice of the proposed operating-rule text; members may comment. 15 days’ notice after the board adopts (§4360).
• Discipline10 days’ individual notice of the hearing; right to attend, speak, and cure beforehand; written decision within 14 days (§5855).
• Assessment increase30 days’ individual notice before a regular or special assessment increase takes effect (§5615).

Quorum & Voting

Records, Minutes & Disclosures

• Inspection clockCurrent fiscal year: 10 business days. Prior two fiscal years: 30 calendar days (§5210). Minutes of member and board meetings: inspectable permanently.
• Annual packetBudget report + annual policy statement, 30 to 90 days before fiscal year end (§5300, §5310). Includes the reserve summary, the collection policy, and the IDR/ADR notices.
• ReservesVisual inspection of major components at least every 3 years as part of the reserve study (§5550). Condo buildings with 3+ units: elevated-element (balcony) inspections under §5551 — first cycle due 1 Jan 2025, then every 9 years.
• Pre-lienCertified-mail notice 30 days before recording (§5660), IDR first (§5670), board vote to lien in an open meeting (§5673). Foreclosure floor: $1,800 or 12 months (§5720).