Material that in good faith is about to be applied to the repair or improvement of a residence is exempt if the equity in the material does not exceed three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500) in the following cases:
§ 704.030.Material to Be Applied to Repair Or Improvement of Residence
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 4. Exemptions · Article 3. Exempt Property · Last amended 2021 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 704.030 exempts up to $3,500 in equity in material purchased in good faith for repairing or improving the principal residence of the judgment debtor, or of a spouse who lives separately from the debtor, before the material has been used in the repair or improvement.
Full Text of § 704.030
(a) If purchased in good faith for use in the repair or improvement of the judgment debtor's principal place of residence.
(b) Where the judgment debtor and the judgment debtor's spouse live separate and apart, if purchased in good faith for use in the repair or improvement of the spouse's principal place of residence.
Plain-English Summary
Sometimes a debtor has already bought lumber, fixtures, or other supplies for a home repair project before a creditor comes calling. Section 704.030 protects that investment, up to $3,500 in equity, so long as the material was purchased in good faith and is about to be applied to the repair or improvement of a residence.
The residence has to be the debtor's own principal place of residence, purchased for that purpose in good faith. The same protection reaches material bought for the principal residence of a spouse who lives separate and apart from the debtor, mirroring the separated-spouse protection found elsewhere in this article.
This exemption sits alongside the household furnishings exemption in § 704.020 and the homestead exemption for the residence itself under Chapter 4 of this division — together they cover the home, its contents, and the materials meant to keep it in good repair.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is home repair material protected from a judgment creditor before I use it?
Yes, up to $3,500 in equity, if it was purchased in good faith and is about to be applied to the repair or improvement of a principal residence under § 704.030.
Does this exemption cover repairs to a rental property or vacation home?
No. It's limited to material intended for the debtor's own principal place of residence, or the principal residence of a separated spouse.
What happens once the material is used in the repair?
Once installed, the material becomes part of the residence itself, and protection generally shifts to whatever homestead exemption applies to that residence.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2020 ch 81 (SB 898),s 3, eff. 1/1/2021. Amended by Stats 2003 ch 379 (AB 182),s 6, eff. 1/1/2004.
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: home repair material exemption californiaresidence improvement material exempt from levy