California Corporations Code > Corp. Code §7313. Membership Certificates
(a) A corporation may, but is not required to, issue membership certificates. Nothing in this section shall restrict a corporation from issuing identity cards or similar devices to members which serve to identify members qualifying to use facilities or services of the corporation.
(b) Membership certificates issued by corporations shall state the following on the certificate:
(1) The corporation is a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation which may not make distributions to its members except upon dissolution, or, if the articles or bylaws so provide, that it may not make distributions to its members during its life or upon dissolution.
(2) If there are restrictions upon the transferability, a statement that a copy of the restrictions are on file with the secretary of the corporation and are open for inspection by a member on the same basis as the records of the corporation.
(c) If the membership certificates are transferable only with consent of the corporation, or if there are no membership certificates, then instead of complying with paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) the corporation may, or if there are no membership certificates, shall, give notice to the transferee, within a reasonable time after the corporation is first notified of the proposed transfer, and before the membership is transferred on the books and records of the corporation, of the information that would otherwise be provided by the legends required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(d) If the articles or bylaws are amended so that any statement required by subdivision (b) upon outstanding membership certificates is no longer accurate, then the board may cancel the outstanding certificates and issue in their place new certificates conforming to the articles or bylaw amendments.
(e) Where new membership certificates are issued in accordance with subdivision (d), the board may order holders of outstanding certificates to surrender and exchange them for new certificates within a reasonable time fixed by the board. The board may further provide that the holder of a certificate so ordered to be surrendered shall not be entitled to exercise any of the rights of membership until the certificate is surrendered and exchanged, but rights shall be suspended only after notice of such order is given to the holder of the certificate and only until the certificate is exchanged. The duty of surrender of any outstanding certificates may also be enforced by civil action. [1985]