All liens granted by this chapter shall be perfected and enforced in accordance with the provisions hereof whether such liens arise before or after the effective date of this chapter; provided, however, that any unperfected lien granted under any statute in effect prior to the effective date of this chapter and which could be subsequently perfected in accordance with such prior statute were it not for the existence of this chapter may be perfected and enforced in accordance with the provisions of this chapter if the statement of lien required to be recorded under Section 1203.58 is recorded within the time therein required or within two months after the effective date of this chapter, whichever period is longer; and provided further, that the validity of any lien perfected prior to the effective date of this chapter in accordance with the requirements of any statute in effect prior to such effective date shall be determined on the basis of such prior statute but the enforcement thereof shall insofar as possible be governed by the provisions of this chapter.
§ 1203.65.Subsequent Perfection of Unperfected Lien Arising Prior to Effective Date of Chapter
Title 4. Of the Enforcement of Liens · Chapter 2.5. Oil and Gas Liens · Enacted 1959 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1203.65 is the Oil and Gas Lien Act's transition rule, letting an unperfected lien from an earlier statute be perfected under this chapter's own deadlines and letting a lien already perfected under prior law keep its validity while being enforced, so far as possible, under this chapter.
Full Text of § 1203.65
Plain-English Summary
This chapter replaced whatever oil and gas lien law existed before it, and this section bridges the gap between old and new law. As a general matter, every lien this chapter grants is perfected and enforced under its provisions regardless of whether the lien arose before or after the chapter took effect.
For a lien that hadn't yet been perfected under a prior statute when this chapter took over, the claimant gets to finish the job under this chapter's own rules — recording the § 1203.58 statement within the time the old statute allowed, or within two months after this chapter's effective date, whichever period turns out longer.
For a lien already perfected before this chapter took effect, under the requirements of whatever statute governed then, this section preserves that validity: whether the lien is valid gets judged under the old law, but its enforcement is governed, as far as possible, by this chapter instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to a lien that hadn't been perfected under prior law when this chapter took effect?
It can still be perfected under this chapter if the § 1203.58 statement is recorded within the time the prior statute allowed, or within two months after this chapter's effective date, whichever is longer.
Is a lien perfected under the old law before this chapter still valid?
Yes, its validity is judged under the prior statute, though its enforcement is governed, as far as possible, by this chapter.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1959, Ch. 2020.
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
Also known as: oil and gas lien act transition rule california