(a) Money in the judgment debtor's deposit account in an amount equal to or less than the minimum basic standard of adequate care for a family of four for Region 1, established by Section 11452 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and as annually adjusted by the State Department of Social Services pursuant to Section 11453 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, is exempt without making a claim.
§ 704.220.Money Exempt From Levy; Amount Equal to Or Less Than the Minimum Basic Standard of Adequate Care For a Family of Four For Region 1
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 4. Exemptions · Article 3. Exempt Property · Last amended 2025 · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 704.220 automatically exempts money in a judgment debtor's deposit account up to the minimum basic standard of adequate care for a family of four in Region 1, adjusted annually, but not against levies for wages owed, child or spousal support, or certain state tax and licensing debts.
Full Text of § 704.220
(1) Subdivision (a) does not preclude or reduce a judgment debtor's right to any other exemption provided by state or federal law.
(2) If the financial institution holding the judgment debtor's deposit account has actual knowledge that the judgment debtor is entitled to one or more exemptions that the financial institution is required to apply pursuant to federal law or state law other than that set forth in subdivision (a), the following shall apply:
(A) If the sum of the amount of money in the deposit account that would be exempt from levy under the additional exemptions is less than or equal to the amount set forth in subdivision (a), the additional exemptions described in this paragraph shall be considered encompassed within the exemption set forth in subdivision (a) and subdivision (a) shall apply.
(B) If the sum of the amount of money in the deposit account that would be exempt from levy under the additional exemptions is greater than the amount set forth in subdivision (a), subdivision (a) shall not apply and instead money in the deposit account equal to or less than the sum of the additional exemptions is exempt without making a claim.
(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to money levied upon to satisfy any of the following:
(1) A levy to satisfy a judgment for wages owed, child support, or spousal support. For purposes of this paragraph, "wages owed" includes damages and penalties.
(2) A provision of the Public Resources Code, Revenue and Taxation Code, or Unemployment Insurance Code.
(3) A warrant or notice of levy issued by the state, or any department or agency thereof, for the collection of a liability.
(d) A levy against a judgment debtor's deposit account shall include a written description of the requirements of this section.
(1) The exemption applies per debtor, not per account.
(2) If a judgment debtor holds an interest in multiple accounts at a single financial institution, the judgment creditor or judgment debtor may file an ex parte application in the superior court in which the judgment was entered for a hearing to establish how and to which account the exemption should be applied. Subject to a service of an order issued in that hearing, if any, the financial institution may determine how and to which account the exemption should be applied. This paragraph does not create a cause of action against a judgment creditor who executes a levy or against a financial institution that complies with a levy pursuant to the court's determination.
(3) If a judgment debtor holds an interest in multiple accounts at two or more financial institutions, the judgment creditor shall, and the judgment debtor may, file an ex parte application in the superior court in which the judgment was entered for a hearing to establish how and to which account the exemption should be applied. Subject to a service of an order issued in that hearing, if any, the financial institutions shall comply with the levy subject to the exemption. This paragraph does not create a cause of action against a judgment creditor who executes a levy or against a financial institution which complies with a levy pursuant to the court's determination.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if a judgment debtor holds multiple accounts at a single financial institution, and those accounts cumulatively contain an amount less than or equal to the amount specified in subdivision (a), the financial institution shall protect the full amount in those accounts.
(5) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if a judgment debtor holds multiple accounts at a single financial institution, and each of those accounts contains an amount less than the amount specified in subdivision (a) but the accounts cumulatively contain an amount greater than the amount specified in subdivision (a), the financial institution shall protect an aggregate amount equal to the amount specified in subdivision (a).
(g) The Judicial Council shall amend or adopt all forms necessary to implement this section. The forms shall clearly delineate the amount of funds exempt from levy by a financial institution, including funds exempted by this section.
(h) This section shall become operative on September 1, 2020.
Plain-English Summary
This is one of the most consequential exemptions in this article for people living on modest bank balances — a wild-card protection for ordinary deposit accounts, tied to a state welfare benchmark rather than a fixed dollar figure. Money in the debtor's deposit account, up to the minimum basic standard of adequate care for a family of four for Region 1 (a figure the State Department of Social Services adjusts annually), is exempt without the debtor filing any claim.
This exemption doesn't crowd out other protections. It doesn't reduce any other exemption a debtor has under state or federal law, and where a bank has actual knowledge that the debtor qualifies for other exemptions it must apply, subdivision (b) coordinates the two: if those other exemptions add up to less than this section's amount, they're treated as included within it; if they add up to more, this section steps aside and the larger combined amount applies instead.
Three important levies fall entirely outside this protection: a levy to collect wages owed (including related damages and penalties), child support, or spousal support; a levy under specified Public Resources Code, Revenue and Taxation Code, or Unemployment Insurance Code provisions; and a state warrant or notice of levy for collecting a liability. The exemption also applies per debtor rather than per account, with detailed rules in subdivision (e) for how the protected amount gets allocated when a debtor holds several accounts at one bank or spread across multiple banks, including an ex parte court procedure either side can use to sort that out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money in my bank account is automatically protected from a judgment creditor?
Up to the minimum basic standard of adequate care for a family of four in Region 1, an amount the State Department of Social Services adjusts every year, exempt without filing a claim under § 704.220(a).
Does this protect my bank account from a child support or wage claim too?
No. Subdivision (c) excludes levies for wages owed, child support, spousal support, and certain state tax or licensing debts from this exemption entirely.
What if I have several bank accounts and my total balance exceeds the exempt amount?
The exemption applies per debtor, not per account. Subdivision (e) lets either the creditor or the debtor seek an ex parte court order determining how the exemption should be allocated across multiple accounts.
Does this exemption replace other exemptions I might have?
No. Subdivision (b) says it doesn't preclude or reduce any other exemption available under state or federal law, and coordinates with other known exemptions rather than replacing them.
Amendment History
Amended by Stats 2024 ch 514 (AB 2837),s 8, eff. 1/1/2025. Added by Stats 2019 ch 552 (SB 616),s 8, 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
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