When a writ is served by a levying officer or registered process server, the costs for that service, as determined pursuant to Section 1033.5, shall be added to and become part of the judgment.
§ 685.095.Costs of Service By Levying Officer Or Registered Process Server
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 1 · Chapter 5. Interest and Costs · Last amended 1987 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 685.095 automatically adds to and makes part of the judgment the cost of serving a writ by a levying officer or registered process server, once that cost is determined under § 1033.5, without requiring a separate memorandum or motion.
Full Text of § 685.095
Plain-English Summary
Service costs get the simplest treatment of any enforcement cost this chapter covers. When a levying officer or a registered process server serves a writ, the cost of that service — determined the way § 1033.5 sets costs generally — is added to and becomes part of the judgment automatically.
That's the streamlined trigger § 685.090(a)(3) refers back to: no memorandum of costs, no noticed motion, just an automatic addition once the service happens and the cost is fixed under § 1033.5. It reflects how routine and predictable this particular cost is compared to the broader categories § 685.070 requires a creditor to itemize and support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a creditor need to file a memorandum of costs to add writ-service costs to the judgment?
No. Section 685.095 adds those costs automatically once determined under § 1033.5, without a separate memorandum or motion.
Who has to perform the service for this automatic addition to apply?
A levying officer or a registered process server.
How is the amount of the service cost set?
By reference to § 1033.5, the general provision for determining costs.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 1080, Sec. 4.
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: cost of service of writ added to judgment californiaregistered process server cost judgment