§ 735.Must Be Issued Within Five Years Or Judgment Becomes Unenforceable - Inapplicable to Municipalities Or Child Support Judgments
Chapter 13: Limitation of Actions · Last amended November 1, 2002 · Last verified August 3, 2026
In one sentenceSection 735 makes an Oklahoma judgment automatically unenforceable five years after filing unless the creditor takes one of four listed actions, issuing execution, filing a renewal notice, issuing a garnishment summons, or sending an income-assignment notice, and exempts municipal and child-support judgments.
A.A judgment shall become unenforceable and of no effect if, within five (5) years after the date of filing of any judgment that now is or may hereafter be filed in any court of record in this state:
1.Execution is not issued by the court clerk and filed with the county clerk as provided in Section 759 of this title;
2.A notice of renewal of judgment substantially in the form prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts is not filed with the court clerk;
3.A garnishment summons is not issued by the court clerk; or
4.A certified copy of a notice of income assignment is not sent to a payor of the judgment debtor.
B.A judgment shall become unenforceable and of no effect if more than five (5) years have passed from the date of:
1.The last execution on the judgment was filed with the county clerk;
2.The last notice of renewal of judgment was filed with the court clerk;
4.The sending of a certified copy of a notice of income assignment to a payor of the judgment debtor.
C.This section shall not apply to judgments against municipalities or to child support judgments by operation of law.
Amendment History
Amended by Laws 1988, HB 1737, c. 22, § 1, eff. 11/1/1988; Amended by Laws 1989, HB 1595, c.
236, § 5, emerg. eff. 7/1/1989; Amended by Laws 1997, SB 441, c. 320, § 3, eff. 11/1/1997; Amended by
Laws 2000, SB 1520, c. 384, §1, eff. 11/1/2000; Amended by Laws 2002, HB 1939, c. 468, §4, emerg. eff.
11/1/2002.
Plain-English Summary
An Oklahoma judgment doesn't last forever without upkeep. Subsection A makes a judgment unenforceable and of no effect if, within five years after it's filed, the creditor hasn't done at least one of four things: had an execution issued and filed with the county clerk under Section 759, filed a notice of renewal of judgment, had a garnishment summons issued, or sent a certified copy of a notice of income assignment to the debtor's payor.
Subsection B keeps the clock running on a rolling basis: once one of those four acts happens, the judgment becomes unenforceable if more than five years pass from the date of that act without another one following it. In practice, a creditor who keeps taking one of the four qualifying steps at least every five years keeps the judgment alive indefinitely.
Subsection C carves out two exceptions: the section doesn't apply to judgments against municipalities, or to child support judgments arising by operation of law.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is an Oklahoma judgment good for before it expires?
Five years from filing, unless the creditor takes one of four qualifying actions within that time: issuing and filing an execution, filing a notice of renewal, issuing a garnishment summons, or sending a notice of income assignment.
How do I keep an Oklahoma judgment from expiring?
Take one of the four listed actions before five years pass since the judgment's filing, or since the last such action, and the judgment stays enforceable.
What happens if five years pass with none of those four actions?
The judgment becomes unenforceable and of no effect under Section 735.
Does the five-year deadline reset every time I renew the judgment?
Yes. Subsection B measures the five years from the date of the most recent qualifying act, so each renewal, execution, garnishment summons, or income-assignment notice restarts the clock.
Does this five-year rule apply to child support judgments or judgments against a city?
No. Subsection C exempts judgments against municipalities and child support judgments arising by operation of law.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, enacted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
Last verified August 3, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as:how long is a judgment good for in oklahomaoklahoma judgment renewal deadlineoklahoma dormant judgment five years12 O.S. § 735