In any case where property has been levied upon and, pursuant to a levy, a copy of the writ of execution and a notice of levy are required by statute to be posted or to be served on or mailed to the judgment debtor or other person, failure to post, serve, or mail the copy of the writ and the notice does not affect the execution lien created by the levy. Failure to serve on or mail to the judgment debtor a list of exemptions does not affect the execution lien created by the levy.
§ 699.550.Lien Not Affected By Failure to Post, Serve Or Mail Copy of Writ and Notice
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 3. Execution · Article 2. Writ of Execution and Notice of Levy · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 699.550 provides that an execution lien created by a levy remains valid even if the required copy of the writ and notice of levy are not posted, served, or mailed as statute requires, and even if a list of exemptions is never served on or mailed to the judgment debtor.
Full Text of § 699.550
Plain-English Summary
Levies come with plenty of paperwork requirements — posting a copy of the writ, serving or mailing a notice of levy, sending a list of exemptions. Section 699.550 answers a practical question: what if one of those steps gets missed?
The lien survives regardless. Even where a statute requires posting, service, or mailing of the writ and notice of levy, failing to complete that step does not undo the execution lien the levy created. The same goes specifically for a list of exemptions — failing to serve or mail one to the judgment debtor does not affect the lien either.
This does not mean the missed step carries no consequences at all. A debtor who never received required notice may still have remedies for that failure, and a levying officer who skips a required step may face other liability. What this section protects is narrower: the lien itself keeps its priority and effect no matter what paperwork slipped through the cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an execution lien survive if the writ and notice of levy were never properly served?
Yes. Section 699.550 states that failure to post, serve, or mail the required copy of the writ and notice does not affect the execution lien created by the levy.
What about a failure to send the judgment debtor a list of exemptions?
The same rule applies — that failure does not affect the execution lien either.
Does this mean a debtor has no remedy if notice was never served?
This section only protects the lien's validity. It does not address whatever separate remedies a debtor might have for a failure of notice.
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
Also known as: execution lien validity californiafailure to serve notice of levy california