(a) The judgment debtor shall pay the amount of the judgment either immediately or at the time and upon the terms and conditions, including payment by installments, which the court may order.
§ 116.620.Payment by judgment debtor; Terms and conditions of payment
Title 1. Organization and Jurisdiction · Chapter 5.5. Small Claims Court · Article 6. Judgment · Enacted 1990 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 116.620 requires the judgment debtor to pay a small claims judgment immediately or on the court-ordered terms, allows the court to later amend those payment terms for good cause on a party’s motion regardless of the debt’s nature, and lets the court weigh the same factors used in exemption claims when setting the terms.
Full Text of § 116.620
(b) The court may at any time, for good cause, upon motion by a party and notice by the clerk to all affected parties at their last known address, amend the terms and conditions for payment of the judgment to provide for payment by installment. The determination shall be made without regard to the nature of the underlying debt and without regard to whether the moving party appeared before entry of the judgment.
(c) In determining the terms and conditions of payment, the court may consider any factors which would be relevant to a claim of exemption under Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 703.010) of Division 2 of Title 9 of Part 2.
Plain-English Summary
Section 116.620(a) sets the default: a judgment debtor pays the judgment immediately, unless the court ordered different terms, including payment by installments. Subdivision (b) keeps that arrangement flexible after the fact — the court can amend the payment terms at any time, for good cause, on a party’s motion with notice to affected parties at their last known address, and it makes that determination without regard to the nature of the underlying debt or whether the moving party even appeared before judgment was entered.
Subdivision (c) lets the court draw on the same considerations used for exemption claims under Title 9’s enforcement-of-judgment provisions (commencing with § 703.010) when it decides what payment terms are appropriate, tying installment decisions to the debtor’s actual financial circumstances rather than an arbitrary schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay a small claims judgment all at once?
Not necessarily. Section 116.620(a) requires payment immediately or on the terms the court orders, which can include payment by installments.
Can the payment terms on a small claims judgment be changed later?
Yes. Section 116.620(b) lets the court amend the payment terms at any time, for good cause, on a party’s motion with notice, regardless of whether the moving party appeared before judgment.
What does the court consider when setting an installment payment plan?
Section 116.620(c) allows the court to consider factors relevant to an exemption claim under Title 9’s enforcement provisions (commencing with § 703.010).
Amendment History
Added Stats 1990 ch 1305 § 3 (SB 2627).
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: small claims payment plan californiainstallment payments small claims judgment