Except as otherwise provided in this title, the temporary protective order shall expire at the earliest of the following times:
§ 486.090.Expiration
Title 6.5. Attachment · Chapter 6. Temporary Protective Order · Last amended 1976 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 486.090 provides that a temporary protective order expires at the earlier of forty days after issuance, or an earlier date the court sets, or the plaintiff's levy of attachment on the specific property the order describes.
Full Text of § 486.090
(a) Forty days after the issuance of the order or, if an earlier date is prescribed by the court in the order, on such earlier date.
(b) As to specific property described in the order, when a levy of attachment upon that property is made by the plaintiff.
Plain-English Summary
A temporary protective order is meant to bridge a gap, not to run indefinitely. Except as otherwise provided elsewhere in Title 6.5, § 486.090 sets the order's outer limit at forty days after it issues, unless the court has already written an earlier expiration date into the order itself.
The order can also end sooner on a piece-by-piece basis. As to any specific property the order describes, the order expires the moment the plaintiff levies a writ of attachment on that property — at that point the temporary measure has done its job and the regular attachment process takes over.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a California temporary protective order last?
Up to forty days after it issues, unless the court sets an earlier expiration date in the order.
Can the order expire sooner for particular property?
Yes. As to specific property the order describes, it expires once the plaintiff levies attachment on that property.
Are there exceptions to this forty-day rule elsewhere in the attachment title?
Yes, § 486.090 applies except as otherwise provided in Title 6.5, such as the lien-termination rule in § 486.110.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1976, Ch. 437.
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: how long does temporary protective order last california40 day expiration TPO attachment