Whenever such order for attachment is entered and served, no other order for attachment shall be entered against the same water craft, unless the first attachment is discharged, or the vessel is bonded.
4-209.Only one attachment.
Article IV. Attachment · Part 2. Watercraft · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceSection 4-209 bars entry of a second attachment order against the same watercraft once one order has been entered and served, unless the first attachment is discharged or the vessel is bonded.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/4-209
Plain-English Summary
This short section keeps a single water craft from being attached twice at once. Once an order for attachment is entered and served, no other order for attachment may be entered against that same craft — unless the first attachment has been discharged, or the vessel has been bonded out under Section 4-216.
The rule does not shut out later claimants; it channels them into the pending case instead. A creditor who wants to reach an already-attached vessel intervenes in the existing proceeding under Section 4-212 rather than opening a competing attachment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can two creditors attach the same watercraft at the same time?
No. Only one attachment order may stand against a given craft at a time.
What lifts the bar on a second attachment order?
The first attachment being discharged, or the vessel being bonded.
What should a later creditor do instead of seeking a new attachment?
Intervene in the pending attachment proceeding, as Section 4-212 allows.
Does this section limit how many creditors can claim against the craft?
No — it limits duplicate attachment orders, not the number of claims that can proceed through intervention.
Why restrict attachment to one order at a time?
To avoid conflicting seizures and custody disputes over the same craft.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 83-707.)
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: one attachment rule illinois boatduplicate vessel attachment barredillinois watercraft lien priority filingsecond attachment order same vessel