Within 30 days after receipt of the arbitral award, unless another period of time has been agreed upon by the parties:
§ 1297.331.Time For Requesting Correction Or Interpretation
Title 9.3. Arbitration and Conciliation of International Commercial Disputes · Chapter 6. Making of Arbitral Award and Termination of Proceedings · Article 6. Correction and Interpretation of Awards and Additional Awards · Enacted 1988 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 1297.331 gives a party 30 days after receiving the arbitral award, unless the parties agreed to a different period, to ask the tribunal to correct computational, clerical, or similar errors, and, if the parties have agreed to allow it, to ask for an interpretation of a specific point in the award.
Full Text of § 1297.331
(a) A party may request the arbitral tribunal to correct in the arbitral award any computation errors, any clerical or typographical errors, or any other errors of a similar nature.
(b) A party may, if agreed by the parties, request the arbitral tribunal to give an interpretation of a specific point or part of the arbitral award.
Plain-English Summary
An award can be right on the merits and still contain a typo, a math slip, or a clause that leaves a term of art unclear. This section opens a short window for fixing exactly those kinds of problems, without turning into a second round of arguing the case.
A party gets 30 days from receiving the award, unless the parties agreed on a different period, to make one of two requests. The first covers computation errors, clerical or typographical errors, or other similar mistakes -- the kind of slip that doesn't change the substance of the decision but still needs fixing. The second is narrower still: an interpretation of a specific point or part of the award, and it's only available if the parties agreed in advance to allow interpretation requests. Neither path lets a party reargue the merits; both are aimed at cleaning up or clarifying an award that already exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a party have to request a correction of the award?
30 days after receiving the award, unless the parties agreed on a different period.
What kinds of errors can be corrected under this section?
Computation errors, clerical or typographical errors, and other errors of a similar nature -- not substantive challenges to the tribunal's reasoning or result.
Can any party ask the tribunal to interpret part of the award?
Only if the parties agreed in advance to allow interpretation requests; absent that agreement, this section doesn't create a right to request one.
What happens after a party makes a request under this section?
Section 1297.332 requires the tribunal to act on a justified request within 30 days, and the resulting correction or interpretation becomes part of the award.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 23, Sec. 1. Effective March 7, 1988.
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: correcting arbitral award errors california30 days request interpretation arbitral award