California Code
DIVISION 3 - OBLIGATIONS
PART 2 - CONTRACTS

TITLE 1 - NATURE OF A CONTRACT

CHAPTER 1 - Definition

Section 1549. - 1549. A contract is an agreement to do or not...

Section 1550. - 1550. It is essential to the existence of a contract...

Section 1550.5. - 1550.5. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the...

CHAPTER 2 - Parties

Section 1556. - 1556. All persons are capable of contracting, except minors, persons...

Section 1557. - 1557. (a) The capacity of a minor to contract is...

Section 1558. - 1558. It is essential to the validity of a contract,...

Section 1559. - 1559. A contract, made expressly for the benefit of a...

CHAPTER 3 - Consent

Section 1565. - 1565. The consent of the parties to a contract must...

Section 1566. - 1566. A consent which is not free is nevertheless not...

Section 1567. - 1567. An apparent consent is not real or free when...

Section 1568. - 1568. Consent is deemed to have been obtained through one...

Section 1568.5. - 1568.5. A representation by a minor that the minor’s parent...

Section 1569. - 1569. Duress consists in any of the following: (a) Unlawful...

Section 1570. - 1570. Menace consists in a threat: 1. Of such duress...

Section 1571. - 1571. Fraud is either actual or constructive. (Enacted 1872.)

Section 1572. - 1572. Actual fraud, within the meaning of this Chapter, consists...

Section 1573. - 1573. Constructive fraud consists: 1. In any breach of duty...

Section 1574. - 1574. Actual fraud is always a question of fact. (Enacted...

Section 1575. - 1575. Undue influence consists: 1. In the use, by one...

Section 1576. - 1576. Mistake may be either of fact or law. (Enacted...

Section 1577. - 1577. Mistake of fact is a mistake, not caused by...

Section 1578. - 1578. Mistake of law constitutes a mistake, within the meaning...

Section 1579. - 1579. Mistake of foreign laws is a mistake of fact....

Section 1580. - 1580. Consent is not mutual, unless the parties all agree...

Section 1581. - 1581. Consent can be communicated with effect, only by some...

Section 1582. - 1582. If a proposal prescribes any conditions concerning the communication...

Section 1583. - 1583. Consent is deemed to be fully communicated between the...

Section 1584. - 1584. Performance of the conditions of a proposal, or the...

Section 1584.5. - 1584.5. No person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation, or agent...

Section 1584.6. - 1584.6. If a person is a member of an organization...

Section 1585. - 1585. An acceptance must be absolute and unqualified, or must...

Section 1586. - 1586. A proposal may be revoked at any time before...

Section 1587. - 1587. A proposal is revoked by any of the following:...

Section 1588. - 1588. A contract which is voidable solely for want of...

Section 1589. - 1589. A voluntary acceptance of the benefit of a transaction...

Section 1590. - 1590. Where either party to a contemplated marriage in this...

CHAPTER 4 - Object of a Contract

Section 1595. - 1595. The object of a contract is the thing which...

Section 1596. - 1596. The object of a contract must be lawful when...

Section 1597. - 1597. Everything is deemed possible except that which is impossible...

Section 1598. - 1598. Where a contract has but a single object, and...

Section 1599. - 1599. Where a contract has several distinct objects, of which...

CHAPTER 5 - Consideration

Section 1605. - 1605. Any benefit conferred, or agreed to be conferred, upon...

Section 1606. - 1606. An existing legal obligation resting upon the promisor, or...

Section 1607. - 1607. The consideration of a contract must be lawful within...

Section 1608. - 1608. If any part of a single consideration for one...

Section 1609. - 1609. A consideration may be executed or executory, in whole...

Section 1610. - 1610. When a consideration is executory, it is not indispensable...

Section 1611. - 1611. When a contract does not determine the amount of...

Section 1612. - 1612. Where a contract provides an exclusive method by which...

Section 1613. - 1613. Where a contract provides an exclusive method by which...

Section 1614. - 1614. A written instrument is presumptive evidence of a consideration....

Section 1615. - 1615. The burden of showing a want of consideration sufficient...

TITLE 2 - MANNER OF CREATING CONTRACTS

Section 1619. - 1619. A contract is either express or implied. (Enacted 1872.)

Section 1620. - 1620. An express contract is one, the terms of which...

Section 1621. - 1621. An implied contract is one, the existence and terms...

Section 1622. - 1622. All contracts may be oral, except such as are...

Section 1623. - 1623. Where a contract, which is required by law to...

Section 1624. - 1624. (a) The following contracts are invalid, unless they, or...

Section 1624.5. - 1624.5. (a) Except in the cases described in subdivision (b),...

Section 1625. - 1625. The execution of a contract in writing, whether the...

Section 1626. - 1626. A contract in writing takes effect upon its delivery...

Section 1627. - 1627. The provisions of the Chapter on Transfers in General,...

Section 1628. - 1628. A corporate or official seal may be affixed to...

Section 1629. - 1629. All distinctions between sealed and unsealed instruments are abolished....

Section 1630. - 1630. Except as provided in Section 1630.5, a printed contract...

Section 1630.5. - 1630.5. The provisions of any contract of bailment for the...

Section 1631. - 1631. Every person in this State who sells machinery used...

Section 1632. - 1632. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of...

Section 1632.5. - 1632.5. (a) (1) A supervised financial organization that negotiates primarily...

Section 1633. - 1633. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an application...

TITLE 2.5 - ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS

Section 1633.1. - 1633.1. This title may be cited as the Uniform Electronic...

Section 1633.2. - 1633.2. In this title the following terms have the following...

Section 1633.3. - 1633.3. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivisions (b) and...

Section 1633.4. - 1633.4. This title applies to any electronic record or electronic...

Section 1633.5. - 1633.5. (a) This title does not require a record or...

Section 1633.6. - 1633.6. This title shall be construed and applied according to...

Section 1633.7. - 1633.7. (a) A record or signature may not be denied...

Section 1633.8. - 1633.8. (a) If parties have agreed to conduct a transaction...

Section 1633.9. - 1633.9. (a) An electronic record or electronic signature is attributable...

Section 1633.10. - 1633.10. If a change or error in an electronic record...

Section 1633.11. - 1633.11. (a) If a law requires that a signature be...

Section 1633.12. - 1633.12. (a) If a law requires that a record be...

Section 1633.13. - 1633.13. In a proceeding, evidence of a record or signature...

Section 1633.14. - 1633.14. (a) In an automated transaction, the following rules apply:...

Section 1633.15. - 1633.15. (a) Unless the sender and the recipient agree to...

Section 1633.16. - 1633.16. If a law other than this title requires that...

Section 1633.17. - 1633.17. No state agency, board, or commission may require, prohibit,...

TITLE 3 - INTERPRETATION OF CONTRACTS

Section 1635. - 1635. All contracts, whether public or private, are to be...

Section 1636. - 1636. A contract must be so interpreted as to give...

Section 1637. - 1637. For the purpose of ascertaining the intention of the...

Section 1638. - 1638. The language of a contract is to govern its...

Section 1639. - 1639. When a contract is reduced to writing, the intention...

Section 1640. - 1640. When, through fraud, mistake, or accident, a written contract...

Section 1641. - 1641. The whole of a contract is to be taken...

Section 1642. - 1642. Several contracts relating to the same matters, between the...

Section 1643. - 1643. A contract must receive such an interpretation as will...

Section 1644. - 1644. The words of a contract are to be understood...

Section 1645. - 1645. Technical words are to be interpreted as usually understood...

Section 1646. - 1646. A contract is to be interpreted according to the...

Section 1646.5. - 1646.5. Notwithstanding Section 1646, the parties to any contract, agreement,...

Section 1647. - 1647. A contract may be explained by reference to the...

Section 1648. - 1648. However broad may be the terms of a contract,...

Section 1649. - 1649. If the terms of a promise are in any...

Section 1650. - 1650. Particular clauses of a contract are subordinate to its...

Section 1651. - 1651. Where a contract is partly written and partly printed,...

Section 1652. - 1652. Repugnancy in a contract must be reconciled, if possible,...

Section 1653. - 1653. Words in a contract which are wholly inconsistent with...

Section 1654. - 1654. In cases of uncertainty not removed by the preceding...

Section 1655. - 1655. Stipulations which are necessary to make a contract reasonable,...

Section 1656. - 1656. All things that in law or usage are considered...

Section 1656.1. - 1656.1. (a) Whether a retailer may add sales tax reimbursement...

Section 1656.5. - 1656.5. (a) Whether a qualified heavy equipment renter may add...

Section 1657. - 1657. If no time is specified for the performance of...

Section 1657.1. - 1657.1. Any time specified in a contract of adhesion for...

Section 1659. - 1659. Where all the parties who unite in a promise...

Section 1660. - 1660. A promise, made in the singular number, but executed...

Section 1661. - 1661. An executed contract is one, the object of which...

Section 1662. - 1662. Any contract hereafter made in this State for the...

Section 1663. - 1663. (a) As used in this section, the following terms...

TITLE 4 - UNLAWFUL CONTRACTS

Section 1667. - 1667. That is not lawful which is: 1. Contrary to...

Section 1668. - 1668. All contracts which have for their object, directly or...

Section 1669. - 1669. Every contract in restraint of the marriage of any...

Section 1669.5. - 1669.5. (a) Any contract for the payment of money or...

Section 1669.7. - 1669.7. A contract for the payment of money or other...

Section 1670. - 1670. Any dispute arising from a construction contract with a...

Section 1670.5. - 1670.5. (a) If the court as a matter of law...

Section 1670.6. - 1670.6. A contract with a consumer located in California for...

Section 1670.7. - 1670.7. Any provision of a contract that purports to allow...

Section 1670.8. - 1670.8. (a) (1) A contract or proposed contract for the...

Section 1670.8.5. - 1670.8.5. (a) A contract or proposed contract for the provision...

Section 1670.9. - 1670.9. (a) A city, county, city and county, or local...

Section 1670.10. - 1670.10. (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a...

Section 1670.11. - 1670.11. Notwithstanding any other law, a provision in a contract...

TITLE 4.5 - LIQUIDATED DAMAGES

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

Section 1671. - 1671. (a) This section does not apply in any case...

CHAPTER 2 - Default on Real Property Purchase Contract

Section 1675. - 1675. (a) As used in this section, “residential property” means...

Section 1676. - 1676. Except as provided in Section 1675, a provision in...

Section 1677. - 1677. A provision in a contract to purchase and sell...

Section 1678. - 1678. If more than one payment made by the buyer...

Section 1679. - 1679. This chapter applies only to a provision for liquidated...

Section 1680. - 1680. Nothing in this chapter affects any right a party...

Section 1681. - 1681. This chapter does not apply to real property sales...

TITLE 5 - EXTINCTION OF CONTRACTS

CHAPTER 1 - Contracts, How Extinguished

Section 1682. - 1682. A contract may be extinguished in like manner with...

CHAPTER 2 - Rescission

Section 1688. - 1688. A contract is extinguished by its rescission. (Enacted 1872.)

Section 1689. - 1689. (a) A contract may be rescinded if all the...

Section 1689.2. - 1689.2. A participant in an endless chain scheme, as defined...

Section 1689.3. - 1689.3. Any patient who contracts directly with a dental office...

Section 1689.5. - 1689.5. As used in Sections 1689.6 to 1689.11, inclusive, and...

Section 1689.6. - 1689.6. (a) (1) Except for a contract written pursuant to...

Section 1689.7. - 1689.7. (a) (1) Except for contracts written pursuant to Sections...

Section 1689.8. - 1689.8. (a) Every home solicitation contract or offer for home...

Section 1689.9. - 1689.9. Where the goods sold under any home solicitation contract...

Section 1689.10. - 1689.10. (a) Except as provided in Sections 1689.6 to 1689.11,...

Section 1689.11. - 1689.11. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section...

Section 1689.12. - 1689.12. Any waiver or confession of judgment of the provisions...

Section 1689.13. - 1689.13. Sections 1689.5, 1689.6, 1689.7, 1689.10, 1689.12, and 1689.14 do...

Section 1689.14. - 1689.14. (a) Any home solicitation contract or offer for the...

Section 1689.15. - 1689.15. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a contractor who...

Section 1689.20. - 1689.20. (a) (1) In addition to any other right to...

Section 1689.21. - 1689.21. (a) In a seminar sales solicitation contract or offer,...

Section 1689.22. - 1689.22. (a) Except as provided in Sections 1689.20 and 1689.21,...

Section 1689.23. - 1689.23. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (c) of Section...

Section 1689.24. - 1689.24. As used in Sections 1689.20 to 1689.23, inclusive: (a)...

Section 1690. - 1690. A stipulation that errors of description shall not avoid...

Section 1691. - 1691. Subject to Section 1693, to effect a rescission a...

Section 1692. - 1692. When a contract has been rescinded in whole or...

Section 1693. - 1693. When relief based upon rescission is claimed in an...

CHAPTER 2.1 - Dating Service Contracts

Section 1694. - 1694. (a) As used in this chapter, a dating service...

Section 1694.1. - 1694.1. (a) In addition to any other right to revoke...

Section 1694.2. - 1694.2. (a) A dating service contract shall be in writing,...

Section 1694.3. - 1694.3. (a) Every dating service contract shall contain language providing...

Section 1694.4. - 1694.4. (a) Any contract for dating services which does not...

CHAPTER 2.2 - Weight Loss Contracts

Section 1694.5. - 1694.5. (a) As used in this chapter, a weight loss...

Section 1694.6. - 1694.6. (a) In addition to any other right to revoke...

Section 1694.7. - 1694.7. (a) A weight loss contract shall be in writing....

Section 1694.8. - 1694.8. Every weight loss contract shall contain language providing that:...

Section 1694.9. - 1694.9. (a) Any contract for weight loss services which does...

CHAPTER 2.5 - Home Equity Sales Contracts

Section 1695. - 1695. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that homeowners whose...

Section 1695.1. - 1695.1. The following definitions apply to this chapter: (a) “Equity...

Section 1695.2. - 1695.2. Every contract shall be written in letters of a...

Section 1695.3. - 1695.3. Every contract shall contain the entire agreement of the...

Section 1695.4. - 1695.4. (a) In addition to any other right of rescission,...

Section 1695.5. - 1695.5. (a) The contract shall contain in immediate proximity to...

Section 1695.6. - 1695.6. (a) The contract as required by Sections 1695.2, 1695.3,...

Section 1695.7. - 1695.7. An equity seller may bring an action for the...

Section 1695.8. - 1695.8. Any equity purchaser who violates any subdivision of Section...

Section 1695.9. - 1695.9. The provisions of this chapter are not exclusive and...

Section 1695.10. - 1695.10. Any waiver of the provisions of this chapter shall...

Section 1695.11. - 1695.11. If any provision of this chapter, or if any...

Section 1695.12. - 1695.12. In any transaction in which an equity seller purports...

Section 1695.13. - 1695.13. It is unlawful for any person to initiate, enter...

Section 1695.14. - 1695.14. (a) In any transaction involving residential real property in...

Section 1695.15. - 1695.15. (a) An equity purchaser is liable for all damages...

Section 1695.16. - 1695.16. (a) Any provision of a contract which attempts or...

Section 1695.17. - 1695.17. (a) Any representative, as defined in subdivision (b) of...

CHAPTER 3 - Modification and Cancellation

Section 1697. - 1697. A contract not in writing may be modified in...

Section 1698. - 1698. (a) A contract in writing may be modified by...

Section 1699. - 1699. The destruction or cancellation of a written contract, or...

Section 1700. - 1700. The intentional destruction, cancellation, or material alteration of a...

Section 1701. - 1701. Where a contract is executed in duplicate, an alteration...