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§ 697.550.Requirements of Notice of Judgment Lien

Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 2. Liens · Article 3. Judgment Lien on Personal Property · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026

In one sentenceSection 697.550 lists what the notice of judgment lien on personal property must contain, including the creditor's and debtor's names and addresses, a required statutory statement, the court and case information, the judgment's entry date and amount still owed, and the date of the notice itself.

Full Text of § 697.550

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

The notice of judgment lien on personal property shall be executed under oath by the judgment creditor's attorney if the judgment creditor has an attorney of record or, if the judgment creditor does not have an attorney of record, by the judgment creditor and shall contain the following information:
(a) The name and mailing address of the judgment creditor.
(b) The name and last known mailing address of the judgment debtor.
(c) A statement that: "All property subject to enforcement of a money judgment against the judgment debtor to which a judgment lien on personal property may attach under Section 697.530 of the Code of Civil Procedure is subject to this judgment lien."
(d) The title of the court where the judgment is entered and the cause and number of the action.
(e) The date of entry of the judgment and of any subsequent renewals and where entered in the records of the court.
(f) The amount required to satisfy the judgment at the date of the notice.
(g) The date of the notice.

Plain-English Summary

The notice that creates the lien has to be sworn — executed under oath by the creditor's attorney of record, or by the creditor directly if there's no attorney of record. Beyond that oath requirement, the statute specifies exactly what information the notice must contain: the creditor's name and mailing address, the debtor's name and last known mailing address, and a fixed statutory statement declaring that all property subject to enforcement of the judgment that can support a lien under § 697.530 is subject to this lien.

The remaining items tie the notice to the underlying case and its current balance: the court where the judgment was entered and the case number, the date the judgment was entered and any renewal dates, where in the court's records the judgment appears, the amount still needed to satisfy the judgment as of the date of the notice, and the date of the notice itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has to sign the notice of judgment lien?

The judgment creditor's attorney of record, executing it under oath, or the judgment creditor personally if there's no attorney of record.

What statutory statement must the notice include?

A statement that all property subject to enforcement of the money judgment against the debtor that can support a lien under § 697.530 is subject to this judgment lien.

Does the notice have to state how much is still owed?

Yes, § 697.550(f) requires the amount required to satisfy the judgment as of the date of the notice.

What court information must the notice include?

The title of the court where the judgment was entered, along with the case name and number.

Amendment History

Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.

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
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