Definition

Noun: 1. A rule made by a local authority or organization to regulate its own affairs: A bylaw is a secondary law or regulation established by a corporation, association, municipality, or other local body to govern its internal operations and the conduct of its members, often supplementing higher laws. 2. A rule made by a company or society to control the actions of its members: It specifically refers to a regulation created by a non-governmental organization for its internal management.

Usage

A bylaw is used to specify procedures, standards, or restrictions that apply within a specific, defined group or locality. It is subordinate to national or state laws.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The club's bylaw requires members to attend at least four meetings a year.
  • The city council passed a new bylaw prohibiting overnight parking on residential streets.
  • According to the company's bylaws, the board must have seven directors.

Advanced Usage

• "To enact/adopt a bylaw": The formal process of making a bylaw official.
  • The association voted to adopt new bylaws at the annual meeting.
• "To be in accordance with the bylaws": To act in compliance with the established rules.
  • The election was conducted in accordance with the society's bylaws.
• "To contravene/violate a bylaw": To break or act against a bylaw.
  • Building the fence without a permit contravened a municipal bylaw.

Variants and Related Words

• Byelaw (noun): An alternative, chiefly British, spelling of "bylaw."
• Ordinance (noun): A law or regulation made by a local government authority. (Often synonymous with in a municipal context, but sometimes implies a broader local law.)
• Regulation (noun): A rule or directive made and maintained by an authority. (A more general term; a bylaw is a type of regulation.)

Synonyms

• Rule
• Regulation
• Ordinance
• Statute (in an organizational context)
• Standing rule

Related Phrases

• Articles of Incorporation/Association: The primary, founding document of a corporation or association, to which the bylaws are subordinate. The bylaws provide the detailed rules for implementing the articles.
• Corporate Bylaws: The specific set of bylaws governing a corporation's internal management (e.g., duties of officers, meeting procedures).

Notes on Meaning

The core meaning of bylaw is an internally-generated rule for self-governance. Its scope is always limited to the members of the creating organization or the residents of the creating municipality. It cannot contradict higher-level laws (like state or federal statutes).

Noun

1. a rule adopted by an organization in order to regulate its own affairs and the behavior of its members