§ 701.650.Personal Property Or Certificate of Sale Delivered to Purchaser Upon Payment
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 3. Execution · Article 6. Sale and Collection · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 701.650 requires the levying officer, once a personal property purchaser pays, to physically deliver property capable of manual delivery or otherwise issue a certificate of sale, and to sign over any documents relating to title or possession.
(a)When the purchaser of personal property pays the amount due:
(1)If the property is capable of manual delivery, the levying officer shall deliver the property to the purchaser and, if the purchaser so requests, shall execute and deliver a certificate of sale to the purchaser.
(2)If the property is not tangible personal property or if it is otherwise not capable of manual delivery, the levying officer shall execute and deliver a certificate of sale to the purchaser.
(b)If property or a certificate is delivered pursuant to subdivision (a), the levying officer shall sign or endorse any document or instrument in the levying officer's possession relating to the title to or the right to possession of the property and deliver it to the purchaser.
Plain-English Summary
Payment triggers the officer's final duty in a personal property sale. Section 701.650 splits that duty by the kind of property sold: if it's capable of manual delivery, the officer hands it over to the purchaser and, on request, also executes and delivers a certificate of sale. If the property isn't tangible, or otherwise can't be handed over physically, the officer instead executes and delivers a certificate of sale as the purchaser's proof of the transaction.
Either way, the officer also has to sign or endorse any document or instrument already in the officer's possession that relates to title or the right to possess the property, and deliver it to the purchaser — clearing the paper trail along with the property itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens when a purchaser pays for personal property capable of manual delivery?
The levying officer delivers the property, and, if the purchaser requests it, also executes and delivers a certificate of sale.
What if the property isn't capable of manual delivery?
The officer executes and delivers a certificate of sale instead.
Does the officer have to hand over any related paperwork?
Yes, any document or instrument in the officer's possession relating to title or the right to possession gets signed or endorsed and delivered to the purchaser.
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:certificate of sale personal property california