When a certified copy of a judgment is issued from a circuit court of any county in this State, and levied upon any real estate, the officer making such levy shall execute a certificate thereof and file the same in the office of the recorder of the county in which such real estate is located or in the office of the registrar of titles of such county if the real estate levied upon is registered under "An Act concerning land titles", approved May 1, 1897, as amended. Unless a transcript, certified copy or memorandum has been filed in the office of the recorder or in the office of the registrar of titles of such county, as the case may be, as provided by Section 12-101 of this Act, no judgment or order shall become a lien upon either nonregistered or registered real property until such certificate of levy has been filed as provided in this Section and, if the real property levied upon is registered, a memorial thereof is entered upon the register of the last certificate of title to be affected.
12-152.Certificate of levy.
Article XII. Judgments - Enforcement · Part 1. In General · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSection 12-152 requires an officer who levies a certified copy of a judgment on real estate to file a certificate of levy with the county recorder, or the registrar of titles for registered land, which - absent an earlier-filed transcript or memorandum under Section 12-101 - is what creates the judgment lien on that property.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/12-152
Plain-English Summary
This section covers a specific route by which a judgment becomes a lien on real estate: levy. When a certified copy of a judgment from a circuit court is issued and levied on real estate, the officer making the levy must execute a certificate of that levy and file it, either with the recorder of the county where the property sits, or with the registrar of titles of that county if the property is registered under the land titles act the section names.
The section ties this filing directly to lien creation. Unless a transcript, certified copy, or memorandum has already been filed as Section 12-101 provides, no judgment or order becomes a lien on either nonregistered or registered real property until this certificate of levy is filed. For registered property, a memorial of the certificate must also be entered on the register of the last certificate of title affected.
Read together with Section 12-101, this section supplies the levy-based path to a judgment lien when the more general filing described there hasn't already happened.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must the levying officer do after levying a judgment on real estate?
Execute a certificate of the levy and file it with the county recorder, or the registrar of titles if the real estate is registered.
When does the judgment become a lien on the real estate through this section?
Once the certificate of levy is filed, and, for registered land, a memorial is entered on the register of the last certificate of title affected.
Does this filing requirement apply if a transcript or certified copy was already filed under Section 12-101?
No, the lien-creation role of this certificate applies unless that other filing under Section 12-101 has already been made.
What law governs registered land under this section?
'An Act concerning land titles,' the registration act the section references.
Who executes the certificate of levy?
The officer who made the levy.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-358.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: certificate of levy illinois real estatejudgment lien registered land illinoistorrens title levy illinois