(a) Within 15 days after service of the notice of claim of exemption, a judgment creditor who opposes the claim of exemption shall file with the court a notice of opposition to the claim of exemption and a notice of motion for an order determining the claim of exemption and shall file with the levying officer a copy of the notice of opposition and a copy of the notice of motion. Upon the filing of the copies of the notice of opposition and notice of motion, the levying officer shall promptly file the claim of exemption with the court. If copies of the notice of opposition and notice of motion are not filed with the levying officer within the time allowed, the levying officer shall immediately release the property to the extent it is claimed to be exempt.
§ 703.550.Filing Notice of Opposition to Claim
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 4. Exemptions · Article 2. Procedure for Claiming Exemptions After Levy · Enacted 2019 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 703.550 gives a judgment creditor 15 days after service of the notice of claim of exemption to file with the court, and with the levying officer, a notice of opposition and a notice of motion for a determination, and requires the levying officer to immediately release the property if those copies aren't filed in time.
Full Text of § 703.550
(b) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.
Plain-English Summary
This section sets the creditor's real deadline for keeping a contested exemption claim alive. Within 15 days after being served with the notice of claim of exemption, a creditor who wants to oppose has to file two documents with the court — a notice of opposition to the claim of exemption and a notice of motion for an order determining the claim — and file copies of both with the levying officer.
Once those copies reach the levying officer, the officer promptly forwards the underlying claim of exemption to the court, so the whole dispute lands in front of the judge who will decide it. If the copies never arrive within the 15 days, the officer doesn't wait for anything else — the property gets released to the extent it was claimed exempt.
This deadline works together with § 703.540's notice: the notice tells the creditor how much time is available, and this section supplies that time period and the consequence of missing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a creditor have to oppose a claim of exemption?
15 days after being served with the notice of claim of exemption.
What must the creditor file to keep opposing the claim?
A notice of opposition to the claim of exemption and a notice of motion for an order determining the claim, filed with the court, with copies filed with the levying officer.
What happens if the creditor misses the 15-day deadline?
The levying officer immediately releases the property to the extent it's claimed exempt.
Amendment History
Added by Stats 2019 ch 552 (SB 616),s 6, eff. 1/1/2020.
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: deadline to oppose exemption claim californianotice of opposition claim of exemption california