(a) "Final earnings withholding order for costs and interest" means an earnings withholding order for the collection only of unsatisfied costs and interest, which is issued after an earlier earnings withholding order has been returned satisfied.
§ 706.028.Final Earnings Withholding Order For Costs and Interest
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 5. Wage Garnishment · Article 2. General Provisions · Enacted 1992 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 706.028 creates the "final earnings withholding order for costs and interest," a follow-up order limited to collecting leftover costs and interest after an earlier order has been returned satisfied, and treats full payment of that final order as equivalent to satisfying the underlying judgment.
Full Text of § 706.028
(b) After the amount stated as owing in a prior earnings withholding order is paid, the judgment creditor may obtain a final earnings withholding order for costs and interest to collect amounts of costs and interest that were not collected under the prior earnings withholding order.
(c) A final earnings withholding order for costs and interest shall be enforced in the same manner as other earnings withholding orders.
(d) Satisfaction of the amount stated as owing in a final earnings withholding order for costs and interest is equivalent to satisfaction of the money judgment. For this purpose, interest ceases to accrue on the date of issuance of the final earnings withholding order and no additional costs may be added after that date, except for the statutory fee for service of the order and any other statutory fees for performing duties under the order.
Plain-English Summary
Sometimes an earlier earnings withholding order collects the principal debt in full but leaves costs and interest still outstanding. This section lets the judgment creditor obtain a second, narrower order — the final earnings withholding order for costs and interest — aimed solely at those leftover amounts.
That order is enforced the same way as any other earnings withholding order under this chapter, with one distinct wrinkle: once the amount stated as owing in it is paid, that's treated as equivalent to satisfying the money judgment itself. Interest stops accruing as of the date the final order issues, and no further costs can be added after that date, apart from the statutory fee for serving the order and other statutory fees for performing duties under it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a "final earnings withholding order for costs and interest"?
An earnings withholding order issued after an earlier order has been returned satisfied, limited to collecting the costs and interest that weren't collected under that earlier order.
Does paying off the final order fully resolve the judgment?
Yes. Section 706.028(d) treats satisfaction of the amount stated in the final order as equivalent to satisfaction of the money judgment.
Does interest keep accruing after the final order issues?
No, except for statutory fees for service and for performing duties under the order — interest stops accruing on the date the final order is issued.
Amendment History
Repealed and added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 283, Sec. 9. Effective July 21, 1992.
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: final earnings withholding order costs interest california