ARTICLE 1. General Provisions [16500. - 16512.]

Cal. Financial Code - FIN 1.
in effect

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16501. Section 16501.

In this chapter: (a) “Agency,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means an office in this state at which the foreign (other nation) credit union transacts credit union business, other than branch business. (b) “Branch business” means the business of issuing shares or certificates, receiving deposits, paying checks, making loans, and other activities that the commissioner may specify by order or regulation. (c) “Branch office,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means an office in this state at which the foreign (other nation) credit union engages in branch business. (d) “Business in this state,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to maintain one or more offices, includes the aggregate business of all of the offices. (e) “Foreign nation” means any nation other than the United States, including, without limitation, any subdivision, territory, trust territory, dependency, colony, or possession of any nation other than the United States. (f) “Foreign (other nation) credit union” means any credit union or similar institution that is organized under the laws of a foreign nation. (g) “Foreign (other state) state credit union” means a credit union that is organized under the laws of a state of the United States other than California. (h) “Home country,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means the foreign nation under whose laws the foreign (other nation) credit union is organized. (i) “Home country regulator,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means the regulatory agency in the home country of the foreign (other nation) credit union that has primary regulatory authority over the foreign (other nation) credit union. (j) (1) “License” means a license issued under this chapter, authorizing a foreign (other nation) credit union to maintain an office. (2) To be “licensed” means to be issued or to hold a license. (3) To be “licensed to transact business in this state,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means that the foreign (other nation) credit union is licensed to maintain an agency or branch office. (k) “Office,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means a branch office, an agency, or a representative office maintained by the foreign (other nation) credit union. ( l ) “Representative office,” when used with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union, means an office in this state at which the foreign (other nation) credit union engages in representational functions but at which it does not transact business. (m) “State of the United States” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, any territory of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16502. Section 16502.

Nothing in this chapter shall apply to a foreign (other state) state credit union or be deemed to authorize a foreign (other state) state credit union to transact business in this state.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16503. Section 16503.

No foreign (other nation) credit union may establish a branch office unless its deposit or share accounts are insured by the National Credit Union Administration or other insurer that is not unsatisfactory to the commissioner.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16504. Section 16504.

Each application filed with the commissioner under this chapter or under any regulation or order issued under this chapter shall be in the form, shall contain the information, shall be signed in the manner, and shall (if the commissioner requires by regulation or order) be verified in the manner that the commissioner may by regulation or order require.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16505. Section 16505.

Fees shall be paid to and collected by the commissioner as follows: (a) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union that is not licensed to transact business in this state for approval to establish a branch office shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000). (b) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union that is not licensed to transact business in this state for approval to establish an agency shall be five hundred dollars ($500). (c) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to transact business in this state for approval to establish a branch office shall be five hundred dollars ($500). (d) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to transact business in this state for approval to establish an agency shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). (e) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union for approval to establish a representative office shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250). (f) The fee for filing with the commissioner an application by a foreign (other nation) credit union for approval to relocate or to close an office shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150). (g) The fee for issuing a license shall be twenty-five dollars ($25). (h) Each foreign (other nation) credit union that on June 1 of any year maintains one or more offices shall pay, on or before the following July 1, a fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per branch office, one hundred dollars ($100) per agency, and fifty dollars ($50) per representative office. (i) If the commissioner makes an examination in connection with a pending application, the foreign (other nation) credit union making the application shall pay a fee for the examination, as determined by the commissioner. In determining the fee, the commissioner may use the estimated average hourly cost, including, but not limited to, overhead, for all persons performing the examination, plus, if in the opinion of the commissioner it is necessary for any examiner engaged in the examination to travel outside this state, the travel expenses of the examiner. (j) If the commissioner makes an examination of a foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to maintain an office, the foreign (other nation) credit union shall pay a fee for the examination, as determined by the commissioner. In determining the fee, the commissioner may use the estimated average hourly cost, including, but not limited to, overhead, for all persons performing the examination, plus, if in the opinion of the commissioner it is necessary for any examiner engaged in the examination to travel outside this state, the travel expenses of the examiner.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16506. Section 16506.

(a) (1) No foreign (other nation) credit union shall be issued a license to maintain an office unless it shall have first filed with the commissioner, in the form that the commissioner may by regulation or order require, an appointment irrevocably appointing the commissioner and the commissioner’s successor from time to time in office to be the foreign (other nation) credit union’s attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal judicial or administrative proceeding against the foreign (other nation) credit union or any of its successors that arises out of the activities in this state after the appointment has been filed, with the same force and validity as if served personally on the foreign (other nation) credit union or its successor, as the case may be. (2) Any foreign (other nation) credit union that maintains an office in this state and that has not filed with the commissioner an appointment pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be deemed by the maintenance of that office to have appointed the commissioner as its attorney to receive service of any lawful process in any noncriminal judicial or administrative proceeding against the foreign (other nation) credit union or any of its successors that arises out of the activities in this state with the same force and validity as if served personally on the foreign (other nation) credit union or its successor, as the case may be. (b) Service may be made on a foreign (other nation) credit union that has appointed or is deemed to have appointed the commissioner as its attorney for service of process by leaving a copy of the process at any office of the commissioner. However, the service is not effective unless (1) the party making the service, who may be the commissioner, forthwith sends notice of the service and a copy of the process by registered or certified mail to the foreign (other nation) credit union served at its last address on file with the commissioner at any of its offices in this state or at its head office, and (2) an affidavit of compliance with this subdivision by the party making service is filed in the case on or before the return date, if any, or within any further time that the court, in the case of a judicial proceeding, or the administrative agency, in the case of an administrative proceeding, allows.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16507. Section 16507.

In administering the provisions of this chapter, the commissioner may share information with federal and home country regulators of foreign (other nation) credit unions.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16509. Section 16509.

A foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to establish an office shall post at a conspicuous place at the office a notice to the public which states the name of the foreign (other nation) credit union, the type of office it is, and the foreign country under whose laws it was organized or chartered.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16510. Section 16510.

Whenever a foreign (other nation) credit union is licensed to establish more than one office, it shall designate one of its offices as its primary office.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16511. Section 16511.

Each foreign (other nation) credit union that is licensed to establish an office shall conduct all of the business of the office in a single building or in adjoining buildings. However, with the approval of the commissioner, the foreign (other nation) credit union may conduct part of the business of the office elsewhere in the same vicinity.

Cal. Financial Code - FIN § 16512. Section 16512.

Whenever any provision of this chapter or of any regulation or order issued under this chapter that is applicable to or with respect to a foreign (other nation) credit union that maintains a branch office or facility is inconsistent with any provision of any other chapter of this division, the former provision applies, and the latter provision does not apply.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements