§ 1180.Lien Defined

Title 4. Of the Enforcement of Liens · Chapter 1. Liens in General · Enacted 1872 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceSection 1180 supplies California's general definition of a lien: a charge placed on specific property that makes the property serve as security for someone performing an act, usually paying a debt.

Full Text of § 1180

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A lien is a charge imposed upon specific property, by which it is made security for the performance of an act.

Plain-English Summary

This is the definitional anchor for every lien discussed in Title 4 and, more broadly, in California law. A lien isn't ownership and it isn't possession by itself — it's a charge attached to particular property that backs up a promise or obligation. The property becomes security; if the obligation isn't met, the lienholder has a way to reach that property to satisfy it.

Section 1180 doesn't create any lien on its own. It sets the vocabulary that the rest of Title 4 builds on. The chapters that follow create specific lien regimes for specific situations: oil and gas operations under § 1203.50 and following, wage and consumer-debt priorities under § 1204 and following, liens on animals under § 1208.5, and liens on aircraft under § 1208.61 and following.

Each of those later chapters spells out who gets a lien, what property it reaches, and how it's enforced or foreclosed. Section 1180 is the starting point for understanding what all of them have in common: a charge on property, securing performance of an act.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a lien under California law?

Section 1180 defines it as a charge imposed upon specific property that makes the property security for the performance of an act, such as paying a debt.

Does Section 1180 itself create a lien on anyone's property?

No. It only defines the term. The lien-creating rules appear in later chapters of Title 4, such as the oil and gas lien provisions beginning at § 1203.50.

What kinds of liens does Title 4 cover after this definition?

Oil and gas liens (§ 1203.50 and following), wage and consumer-debt priority liens (§ 1204 and following), liens on animals (§ 1208.5), and liens on aircraft (§ 1208.61 and following).

Amendment History

Enacted 1872.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature. Last verified July 29, 2026. · Official source

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