California · Ley Davis-Stirling

De un pago fallido a un gravamen inscrito.

Quince días hasta la mora, treinta días de aviso certificado, cuarenta y cinco hasta la reunión, veintiuno hasta la liberación. Cada paso tiene su reloj — y la asociación que falla uno debe reiniciar el proceso de aviso y pagarlo ella misma.

Artículo Civ. Code §§ 5650–5690 Capítulo 8, Cuotas · Artículo 2 Secciones 11 Texto verificado 2026-10-11

Lo que cuesta la mora

§ 5650(b): las cuotas están en mora 15 días después de ser exigibles, salvo que la declaración conceda más plazo. A partir de ahí la asociación puede recuperar los costes razonables de cobro incluidos honorarios de abogado, un recargo de hasta el 10 por ciento o $10, lo que sea mayor, e intereses de hasta el 12 por ciento anual, contados desde 30 días después del vencimiento — en cada caso menos, si la declaración dice menos. La letra (c) exime a las asociaciones de los límites de usura del artículo XV de la Constitución de California, dentro de esos márgenes.

Los pagos van primero a la cuota

El § 5655(a) es una frase y decide quién sale de la deuda. Un pago se aplica primero a las cuotas adeudadas, y solo una vez pagadas por entero a honorarios, costes, abogados e intereses. Sin esa regla, un propietario que pagara cada mes podría seguir moroso para siempre mientras su dinero se iba en cargos — y el gravamen seguiría creciendo bajo sus pies.

Nueve relojes, en orden

15 días — la cuota entra en mora (§ 5650(b)).
30 días tras el vencimiento — pueden empezar los intereses (§ 5650(b)(3)).
Al menos 30 días antes de inscribir un gravamen — aviso escrito por correo certificado de seis cosas concretas, entre ellas el derecho a reunirse con la junta, a usar la resolución interna de disputas y a pedir resolución alternativa antes de la ejecución (§ 5660).
15 días desde el matasellos de ese aviso — ventana del propietario para enviar la solicitud de reunión sobre un plan de pago (§ 5665(b)).
45 días desde el matasellos de la solicitud — la junta debe reunirse con el propietario en sesión ejecutiva; si no hay sesión ordinaria en ese plazo, puede designar un comité de uno o más directores.
Antes de cualquier gravamen — la asociación ofrecerá resolución interna de disputas y participará si el propietario lo pide (§ 5670).
La decisión misma — véase abajo (§ 5673).
10 días naturales tras la inscripción — copia del aviso inscrito por correo certificado a toda persona que figure como propietaria en los registros de la asociación (§ 5675(e)).
21 días tras el pago — la asociación inscribe la liberación (§ 5685(a)).

La única decisión que no puede delegarse

El § 5673, para gravámenes inscritos desde el 1 de enero de 2006: la decisión de inscribir un gravamen la tomará solo la junta y no podrá delegarse en un agente de la asociación. Debe aprobarse por mayoría de votos de los directores en sesión abierta, y la junta hará constar la votación en el acta.

Tres requisitos, y cada uno falla por separado. Una firma de cobro o un agente administrador que decida por su cuenta falla el primero. Una votación en sesión ejecutiva falla el segundo. Una votación correcta sin acta falla el tercero — y el § 5690 dice qué sigue: la asociación que incumpla este artículo debe reiniciar el proceso de aviso antes de inscribir, y asumir ella los costes, sin trasladarlos al propietario.

Inscrito por error

§ 5685(b): un gravamen inscrito por error se libera en 21 días naturales, y la letra (c) va más allá — la asociación revertirá todos los recargos, honorarios, intereses, honorarios de abogado y costes de cobro impuestos a cuenta de él. No reembolsar si lo piden; revertir.

Y cuando el propietario simplemente discute el cargo, el § 5658 le permite pagar bajo protesta y llevar la disputa a small claims dentro de los límites de competencia de los §§ 116.220 y 116.221 del Code of Civil Procedure — sin que el pago conceda el punto, y sin frenar los derechos de cobro de la asociación según la letra (b).

Civil Code § 5650 — el texto, en inglés

When an Assessment Becomes Delinquent, and What May Be Added
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

El texto va en inglés porque así está promulgado: la versión inglesa es la que tiene fuerza de ley. La explicación de esta página está en español; si algo en ella difiere del texto, vale el texto.

(a)A regular or special assessment and any late charges, reasonable fees and costs of collection, reasonable attorney’s fees, if any, and interest, if any, as determined in accordance with subdivision (b), shall be a debt of the owner of the separate interest at the time the assessment or other sums are levied.

(b)Regular and special assessments levied pursuant to the governing documents are delinquent 15 days after they become due, unless the declaration provides a longer time period, in which case the longer time period shall apply. If an assessment is delinquent, the association may recover all of the following:

(b)(1)Reasonable costs incurred in collecting the delinquent assessment, including reasonable attorney’s fees.

(b)(2)A late charge not exceeding 10 percent of the delinquent assessment or ten dollars ($10), whichever is greater, unless the declaration specifies a late charge in a smaller amount, in which case any late charge imposed shall not exceed the amount specified in the declaration.

(b)(3)Interest on all sums imposed in accordance with this section, including the delinquent assessments, reasonable fees and costs of collection, and reasonable attorney’s fees, at an annual interest rate not to exceed 12 percent, commencing 30 days after the assessment becomes due, unless the declaration specifies the recovery of interest at a rate of a lesser amount, in which case the lesser rate of interest shall apply.

(c)Associations are hereby exempted from interest-rate limitations imposed by Article XV of the California Constitution, subject to the limitations of this section.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5650.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5655 — el texto, en inglés

Payments Apply to the Assessment First
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

(a)Any payments made by the owner of a separate interest toward a debt described in subdivision (a) of Section 5650 shall first be applied to the assessments owed, and, only after the assessments owed are paid in full shall the payments be applied to the fees and costs of collection, attorney’s fees, late charges, or interest.

(b)When an owner makes a payment, the owner may request a receipt and the association shall provide it. The receipt shall indicate the date of payment and the person who received it.

(c)The association shall provide a mailing address for overnight payment of assessments. The address shall be provided in the annual policy statement.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5655.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5658 — el texto, en inglés

Paying Under Protest and Going to Small Claims
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

(a)If a dispute exists between the owner of a separate interest and the association regarding any disputed charge or sum levied by the association, including, but not limited to, an assessment, fine, penalty, late fee, collection cost, or monetary penalty imposed as a disciplinary measure, and the amount in dispute does not exceed the jurisdictional limits of the small claims court stated in Sections 116.220 and 116.221 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the owner of the separate interest may, in addition to pursuing dispute resolution pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 5925) of Chapter 10, pay under protest the disputed amount and all other amounts levied, including any fees and reasonable costs of collection, reasonable attorney’s fees, late charges, and interest, if any, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 5650, and commence an action in small claims court pursuant to Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 116.110) of Title 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(b)Nothing in this section shall impede an association’s ability to collect delinquent assessments as provided in this article or Article 3 (commencing with Section 5700).

Las fuentes difieren. Text taken verbatim from the Legislative Counsel of California official code database and checked word for word against an independent publisher. The two sources disagree on one word: the official database reads “Sections 116.220 and 116.221 of the Code of Civil Procedure” where california.public.law reads “Section”. The plural is what the Legislative Counsel publishes and is what the citation list requires. The same substitution appears at §§ 4210, 5310, 5350, 5375 and 5605 — in every case immediately before a list of two or more section numbers and nowhere else, which is where the second source's own citation-linking rewrites the word.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5658.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5660 — el texto, en inglés

Thirty Days' Certified Notice Before a Lien
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

At least 30 days prior to recording a lien upon the separate interest of the owner of record to collect a debt that is past due under Section 5650, the association shall notify the owner of record in writing by certified mail of the following:

(a)A general description of the collection and lien enforcement procedures of the association and the method of calculation of the amount, a statement that the owner of the separate interest has the right to inspect the association records pursuant to Section 5205, and the following statement in 14-point boldface type, if printed, or in capital letters, if typed: “IMPORTANT NOTICE: IF YOUR SEPARATE INTEREST IS PLACED IN FORECLOSURE BECAUSE YOU ARE BEHIND IN YOUR ASSESSMENTS, IT MAY BE SOLD WITHOUT COURT ACTION.”

(b)An itemized statement of the charges owed by the owner, including items on the statement which indicate the amount of any delinquent assessments, the fees and reasonable costs of collection, reasonable attorney’s fees, any late charges, and interest, if any.

(c)A statement that the owner shall not be liable to pay the charges, interest, and costs of collection, if it is determined the assessment was paid on time to the association.

(d)The right to request a meeting with the board as provided in Section 5665.

(e)The right to dispute the assessment debt by submitting a written request for dispute resolution to the association pursuant to the association’s “meet and confer” program required in Article 2 (commencing with Section 5900) of Chapter 10.

(f)The right to request alternative dispute resolution with a neutral third party pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 5925) of Chapter 10 before the association may initiate foreclosure against the owner’s separate interest, except that binding arbitration shall not be available if the association intends to initiate a judicial foreclosure.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5660.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5665 — el texto, en inglés

The Payment Plan Meeting — 45 Days in Executive Session
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

(a)An owner, other than an owner of any interest that is described in Section 11212 of the Business and Professions Code that is not otherwise exempt from this section pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11211.7 of the Business and Professions Code, may submit a written request to meet with the board to discuss a payment plan for the debt noticed pursuant to Section 5660. The association shall provide the owners the standards for payment plans, if any exists.

(b)The board shall meet with the owner in executive session within 45 days of the postmark of the request, if the request is mailed within 15 days of the date of the postmark of the notice, unless there is no regularly scheduled board meeting within that period, in which case the board may designate a committee of one or more directors to meet with the owner.

(c)Payment plans may incorporate any assessments that accrue during the payment plan period. Additional late fees shall not accrue during the payment plan period if the owner is in compliance with the terms of the payment plan.

(d)Payment plans shall not impede an association’s ability to record a lien on the owner’s separate interest to secure payment of delinquent assessments.

(e)In the event of a default on any payment plan, the association may resume its efforts to collect the delinquent assessments from the time prior to entering into the payment plan.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5665.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5670 — el texto, en inglés

Dispute Resolution Must Be Offered Before a Lien
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

Prior to recording a lien for delinquent assessments, an association shall offer the owner and, if so requested by the owner, participate in dispute resolution pursuant to the association’s “meet and confer” program required in Article 2 (commencing with Section 5900) of Chapter 10.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5670.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5673 — el texto, en inglés

Only the Board May Decide to Record a Lien
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

For liens recorded on or after January 1, 2006, the decision to record a lien for delinquent assessments shall be made only by the board and may not be delegated to an agent of the association. The board shall approve the decision by a majority vote of the directors in an open meeting. The board shall record the vote in the minutes of that meeting.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5673.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5675 — el texto, en inglés

The Notice of Delinquent Assessment, and Serving It
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

(a)The amount of the assessment, plus any costs of collection, late charges, and interest assessed in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 5650, shall be a lien on the owner’s separate interest in the common interest development from and after the time the association causes to be recorded with the county recorder of the county in which the separate interest is located, a notice of delinquent assessment, which shall state the amount of the assessment and other sums imposed in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 5650, a legal description of the owner’s separate interest in the common interest development against which the assessment and other sums are levied, and the name of the record owner of the separate interest in the common interest development against which the lien is imposed.

(b)The itemized statement of the charges owed by the owner described in subdivision (b) of Section 5660 shall be recorded together with the notice of delinquent assessment.

(c)In order for the lien to be enforced by nonjudicial foreclosure as provided in Sections 5700 to 5710, inclusive, the notice of delinquent assessment shall state the name and address of the trustee authorized by the association to enforce the lien by sale.

(d)The notice of delinquent assessment shall be signed by the person designated in the declaration or by the association for that purpose, or if no one is designated, by the president of the association.

(e)A copy of the recorded notice of delinquent assessment shall be mailed by certified mail to every person whose name is shown as an owner of the separate interest in the association’s records, and the notice shall be mailed no later than 10 calendar days after recordation.

Las fuentes difieren. Text taken verbatim from the Legislative Counsel of California official code database and checked word for word against an independent publisher. The two sources disagree on one word: the official database reads “Sections 5700 to 5710, inclusive” where california.public.law reads “Section”. The plural is what the Legislative Counsel publishes and is what the citation list requires. The same substitution appears at §§ 4210, 5310, 5350, 5375 and 5605 — in every case immediately before a list of two or more section numbers and nowhere else, which is where the second source's own citation-linking rewrites the word.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5675.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5680 — el texto, en inglés

Priority of the Assessment Lien
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

A lien created pursuant to Section 5675 shall be prior to all other liens recorded subsequent to the notice of delinquent assessment, except that the declaration may provide for the subordination thereof to any other liens and encumbrances.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5680.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5685 — el texto, en inglés

Releasing the Lien — and Undoing One Recorded in Error
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

(a)Within 21 days of the payment of the sums specified in the notice of delinquent assessment, the association shall record or cause to be recorded in the office of the county recorder in which the notice of delinquent assessment is recorded a lien release or notice of rescission and provide the owner of the separate interest a copy of the lien release or notice that the delinquent assessment has been satisfied.

(b)If it is determined that a lien previously recorded against the separate interest was recorded in error, the party who recorded the lien shall, within 21 calendar days, record or cause to be recorded in the office of the county recorder in which the notice of delinquent assessment is recorded a lien release or notice of rescission and provide the owner of the separate interest with a declaration that the lien filing or recording was in error and a copy of the lien release or notice of rescission.

(c)If it is determined that an association has recorded a lien for a delinquent assessment in error, the association shall promptly reverse all late charges, fees, interest, attorney’s fees, costs of collection, costs imposed for the notice prescribed in Section 5660, and costs of recordation and release of the lien authorized under subdivision (b) of Section 5720, and pay all costs related to any related dispute resolution or alternative dispute resolution.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5685.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Civil Code § 5690 — el texto, en inglés

Non-Compliance Means Starting the Notice Over, at the Association's Cost
Added by Stats. 2012, Ch. 180, Sec. 2. (AB 805) Effective January 1, 2013. Operative January 1, 2014, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 180.

An association that fails to comply with the procedures set forth in this article shall, prior to recording a lien, recommence the required notice process. Any costs associated with recommencing the notice process shall be borne by the association and not by the owner of a separate interest.

Reproducido literalmente del texto publicado por el Legislative Counsel de California y verificado palabra por palabra contra una segunda fuente (leginfo (Legislative Counsel official bulk code database, LAW_SECTION_TBL) · California Public Law (Public.Law)). Las leyes de California son actos de gobierno y no tienen derechos de autor. Esta es una reproducción no oficial — la versión oficial la publica el Legislative Counsel en leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, y esa versión es la que rige.
Legible por máquina: /data/5690.json — el mismo texto con sus anclas, fechas y fuentes.

Relacionados Fijar las cuotas · Resolución de disputas · Reuniones de junta · Informes anuales Próxima revisión trimestral