California judgment expiration is the question behind “how long is a judgment good for in California”: a money judgment entered by a California court is enforceable for a fixed number of years, it can be renewed if the creditor acts inside the window, and it earns interest the whole time.
This guide gives the California figures in a dated table, explains what “dormant” means, how a creditor renews or revives a judgment, how the judgment becomes a lien on real property, what each side can do while it is alive, and how a paid judgment is cleared.
The California judgment expiration figures on this page were read in the California statute as of October 2026; confirm the current text before you rely on them.
California Judgment Expiration at a Glance
| Enforceable for | 10 years from entry |
| Renewable | Yes |
| Renewal window | any time before the 10-year period expires (683.130(a)); miss it and the judgment, every enforcement procedure and every lien from it are extinguished (683.020) |
| Post-judgment interest | 10 percent per year on the unpaid principal (685.010(a)(1)); 5 percent for judgments entered or renewed on or after January 1 2023 in the consumer cases listed in 685.010(a)(2) |
| Statute | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 683.020 (10-year expiry); 683.130 (renewal timing); 683.120 (effect of renewal); 685.010 (interest) |
In This California Judgment Expiration Guide:
What a Money Judgment Is Before the California Judgment Expiration Clock Starts
A money judgment is a court’s final order that one party owes another a set amount of money. In California, money judgments come from the superior court, which also hears small claims and limited civil cases. The judgment is the court’s ruling.
A judgment lien is a separate claim on the debtor’s real estate, and it exists only after the creditor records an abstract of judgment with a county recorder (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 697.310).
The California Judgment Expiration Figures
| Rule | Bonus Bank Daily verified figure |
|---|---|
| Statute | Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 683.020 (10-year expiry); 683.130 (renewal timing); 683.120 (effect of renewal); 685.010 (interest)statute — verified Oct 2026 |
| Enforceable for | 10 yearsstatute — verified Oct 2026 |
| Clock runs from | entrystatute — verified Oct 2026 |
| Renewable | Yesstatute — verified Oct 2026 |
| How it is renewed or kept alive | file an application for renewal with the court clerk (no hearing); a renewed judgment runs another 10 years (683.120) and can be renewed againstatute — verified Oct 2026 |
| Renewal window | any time before the 10-year period expires (683.130(a)); miss it and the judgment, every enforcement procedure and every lien from it are extinguished (683.020)statute — verified Oct 2026 |
| Post-judgment interest | 10 percent per year on the unpaid principal (685.010(a)(1)); 5 percent for judgments entered or renewed on or after January 1 2023 in the consumer cases listed in 685.010(a)(2)statute — verified Oct 2026 |
The California judgment expiration figures on this page were read in the California statute as of October 2026; confirm the current text before you rely on them.
Is there a judgment against you, or one you need to collect?
The renewal window and the exemption deadlines in California are short and they do not wait. A California debt defense or collections attorney can read the docket and tell you where you stand, usually in a free first consultation. Every state bar runs a lawyer-referral service that sets up a low-cost first consultation; legal aid represents many people in debt cases at no cost.
What California Judgment Expiration Actually Means
California does not use a “dormant” stage. If the judgment is not renewed in time, it expires and becomes unenforceable. When that happens, writs, levies, wage garnishments and recorded liens based on it generally stop working. The anchor statute ends the judgment itself, so in most cases it can no longer be collected through the courts. Confirm the effect on a specific case with the court clerk or an attorney.
Renewal and Revival Under the California Judgment Expiration Rule
1) The creditor fills out the Application for and Renewal of Judgment (form EJ-190) and the Notice of Renewal of Judgment (form EJ-195). 2) The creditor files them with the clerk of the court that entered the judgment and pays the filing fee. The clerk enters the renewal and issues the notice, and no hearing is held.
3) The creditor serves the debtor with both forms, in person or by mail, and cannot collect on the renewed judgment until this is done (683.160). 4) The debtor may file a motion to vacate or modify the renewal within 60 days after service (683.170). A judgment generally cannot be renewed again within 5 years of an earlier renewal (683.110(b)).
The Judgment Lien in California
A judgment becomes a lien on real property when the creditor records an abstract of judgment (form EJ-001) with the county recorder. A separate abstract is needed in each county where the debtor owns land (697.310(a)). The lien runs 10 years from the date the judgment was entered, not from the recording date (697.310(b)).
It is extended only if a certified copy of the renewal application is recorded in that county before the lien expires (683.180). The lien also covers real property the debtor acquires later in that county (697.340).
Interest on a California Judgment
Post-judgment interest in California is simple interest on the unpaid principal. It starts accruing on the date the judgment is entered (685.020). Interest is not compounded, though an amount added at renewal becomes part of the renewed judgment. The rate is set in the statute itself (685.010) under the limit in Cal. Const. art. XV, sec. 1.
No agency publishes a changing rate, so confirm the current text of 685.010 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.
What a Creditor Can Do While the California Judgment Is Alive
Bank levy: the creditor gets a Writ of Execution (form EJ-130) from the clerk, and the sheriff or marshal levies the debtor’s bank account. Wage garnishment: the creditor uses an Earnings Withholding Order (form WG-002), which the levying officer serves on the employer. Property execution: under the writ, the levying officer can seize and sell non-exempt personal property, and real property can be sold with court approval.
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Debtor examination: the creditor can get an Order to Appear for Examination (form EJ-125), which requires the debtor to answer questions about income and assets under oath in court.
What a Debtor Can Do Before the California Judgment Expiration
Claim exemptions: the debtor may file a Claim of Exemption with the levying officer, usually within 15 days after notice of the levy (703.520). For wages this is form WG-006 with a Financial Statement (form WG-007), and for other property it is form EJ-160.
Negotiate a satisfaction: a debtor and creditor may agree on payment terms or a lump sum, and the creditor then files an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100). Pay through the court: the debtor may pay through the levying officer, or in some cases deposit funds with the court, so there is a record of payment.
Vacate a default: a debtor may ask to set aside a default judgment by motion under 473(b) within 6 months, or under 473.5 if they were never actually notified of the lawsuit. Confirm deadlines with the clerk or an attorney.
Out-of-State Judgments in California
California uses the Sister State Money Judgments Act (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 1710.10–1710.65) instead of the uniform enforcement act. The creditor files an Application for Entry of Judgment on Sister-State Judgment (form EJ-105) in superior court, and the clerk enters a California judgment. The creditor must then serve the debtor with notice of entry (form EJ-110). The debtor has 30 days after service to move to vacate (1710.40).
The application generally has to be filed within the 10-year limit in 337.5 for actions on another state’s judgment. Once entered, the judgment is enforced and renewed like a California judgment (1710.35).
Clearing a Paid California Judgment
When the judgment is paid in full, the creditor must promptly file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment (form EJ-100) with the court (724.030). The creditor must also record it in each county where an abstract was recorded and file it with the Secretary of State if a personal-property lien was filed. If the creditor does not file, the debtor may send a written demand.
The creditor then has 15 days to comply, or may owe damages plus a $100 penalty (724.050). If a writ was satisfied in full through the levying officer, the clerk enters the satisfaction.
Child, spousal and family support judgments under the Family Code stay enforceable until paid in full and do not need renewal (Fam. Code 291), though a creditor may still choose to renew one. Small claims courts have their own post-judgment forms, such as the Judgment Debtor’s Statement of Assets (form SC-133). State tax judgments create liens under separate Revenue and Taxation Code rules.
Next rung: what a creditor can take from a bank account, and what is protected, is the next question — the California bank-levy page joins this guide when that cluster is live; until then, the CFPB debt-collection page in the sources below is the place to read.
California — the bottom line
- California judgment expiration runs on a fixed clock from the date in the table above; when it passes, the creditor’s court tools stop unless the judgment was renewed in time.
- Renewal under the California judgment expiration rule is the creditor’s job, on the window in the table; a judgment nobody renewed is the one a debtor can finally stop paying on.
- Interest keeps running until the judgment is paid or the California judgment expiration date arrives — the rate and who publishes it are in the table.
California Judgment Expiration FAQ
How long is a judgment good for in California?
A California money judgment is enforceable for 10 years from entry, and it can be renewed. California does not use a “dormant” stage. If the judgment is not renewed in time, it expires and becomes unenforceable.
Can a judgment be renewed in California?
file an application for renewal with the court clerk (no hearing); a renewed judgment runs another 10 years (683.120) and can be renewed again
Does a California judgment expiration mean the debt is gone?
California does not use a “dormant” stage. If the judgment is not renewed in time, it expires and becomes unenforceable.
What interest does a California judgment earn?
10 percent per year on the unpaid principal (685.010(a)(1)); 5 percent for judgments entered or renewed on or after January 1 2023 in the consumer cases listed in 685.010(a)(2)
Official California Sources & Resources
- Statute — judgment dormancy, renewal and interest (opened and read): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=683.020.&lawCode=CCP
- Statute — judgment dormancy, renewal and interest (opened and read): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=683.130.&lawCode=CCP
- Statute — judgment dormancy, renewal and interest (opened and read): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=685.010.&lawCode=CCP
- California statute / opinion: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CCP&division=&title=9.&part=2.&chapter=3.&article=
- Judicial Branch of California — California Courts Self-Help Guide: Renew a civil judgment: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/civil-lawsuit/judgment/renew
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov
- CFPB — Debt collection: know your rights: consumerfinance.gov
This California judgment expiration guide was last verified against official California sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current rule with the statute or a licensed attorney.
More California Money Rights Guides
- California Bank Levy Exemptions
- California Debt Collection Lawsuit
- California Small Claims Limit
- Money Rights Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Bonus Bank Daily is an independent educational resource — not a law firm, not a bank, not a debt collector and not a government agency. Judgment, levy, interest-rate and debt rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it.
Confirm the current rule with the statute, the court clerk or a licensed attorney in your state before you act.