To record an abstract of judgment in California, complete Judicial Council Form EJ-001, take it to the Superior Court clerk in the county where the judgment was entered for certification and pay the $40 issuance fee, then record the certified abstract with the county recorder in any county where the debtor owns real property. Recording is what converts your unsecured judgment into a lien against the debtor’s real estate. Skip any step and you have a piece of paper, not a lien.
Fill Out Form EJ-001
The form you need is EJ-001, “Abstract of Judgment—Civil and Small Claims.”1California Courts. Abstract of Judgment—Civil and Small Claims Download it from the California Courts website or pick up a copy at the clerk’s office.
The form asks for the court location and branch, case number, and the names of the plaintiff and defendant. For the judgment debtor, list the full legal name and last known address. There is also a field for the last four digits of the debtor’s Social Security number or driver’s license number. It is not mandatory, but filling it in helps the county recorder match the lien to the right person when the debtor has a common name.2Judicial Council of California. Abstract of Judgment—Civil and Small Claims
The financial section requires the total judgment amount, which includes accrued post-judgment interest through the date you prepare the form. California’s post-judgment interest rate is 10 percent per year on the unpaid principal balance.3California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 685.010 An overstated amount can create disputes later, and an understated one shortchanges you.
Get the Abstract Certified by the Court Clerk
Submit the completed EJ-001 to the Superior Court clerk in the county where the judgment was entered. Note that this is the court clerk, not the county recorder. The statutory fee for issuance is $40.4California Legislative Information. California Government Code 70626 Bring the original form, at least one copy, and payment. Some clerks also want a file-endorsed copy of the underlying judgment, so call ahead if you are not sure.
The clerk checks your form against the court’s records, then signs and stamps it with the court’s seal. That seal is what makes the document recordable. Without it, the recorder’s office will reject the abstract. If you file by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope so the clerk can return the certified original. Turnaround times vary by courthouse.
Record the Abstract With the County Recorder
Once you have the certified abstract, record it with the county recorder in any county where the debtor owns real property or where you believe the debtor may acquire property. Recording is what actually creates the judgment lien.5California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 697.310 Until then, the judgment remains an unsecured debt.
You do not need the address of a specific parcel. A recorded abstract creates a blanket lien on all non-exempt real property the debtor owns in that county, and it automatically attaches to any property the debtor later acquires in the same county. To cover property in more than one county, you need a separate certified abstract recorded in each one. The recording date sets your lien’s priority against other judgment liens; a lien recorded first has priority over one recorded later, and a judgment lien sits behind any mortgage or deed of trust already on the property.
Recording Fees
The recorder charges its own fees on top of the $40 court issuance fee. Expect a base recording fee plus a per-page charge. California’s Building Homes and Jobs Act also adds $75 per recorded real estate document, and abstracts of judgment are explicitly included.6California Legislative Information. California Government Code 27388.1 That $75 fee applies per transaction per parcel and cannot exceed $225 for a single transaction. Total recording costs typically run between $80 and $150 per county.
What the Lien Actually Reaches
The lien attaches only to non-exempt real property. California’s homestead exemption shields a substantial amount of equity in the debtor’s primary residence: the greater of the countywide median home sale price (capped at $600,000) or a floor of $300,000, both adjusted annually for inflation using the California Consumer Price Index.7California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 704.730 After several years of CPI adjustments since the statute took effect in 2021, the actual floor and cap for 2026 sit somewhat higher than the base statutory amounts.
If the equity in the home is less than the exemption amount, you cannot force a sale. The lien still prevents the debtor from selling or refinancing without paying you, which is often where the practical leverage comes from. Before counting on a forced sale, run the equity math.
How Long the Lien Lasts and How to Renew
A judgment lien lasts 10 years from the date the money judgment was entered, not from the date you recorded the abstract.5California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 697.310 If you waited two years after the judgment to record, you have eight years of lien life left.
To extend enforceability, file an Application for and Renewal of Judgment on Judicial Council Form EJ-190 with the court before the 10-year period runs.8California Courts. Application for and Renewal of Judgment (EJ-190) Filing renews the judgment for another 10 years from the date the application is filed.9California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 683.120 After renewing, record a new abstract in each county where you previously recorded one so the lien extends with it. You cannot file a second renewal application within five years of the first.10California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 683.110
Two categories of consumer judgments have narrower renewal rights. A judgment based on medical expenses with less than $200,000 remaining unpaid can be renewed only once, and that renewal lasts just five years. The same one-time, five-year renewal limit applies to personal debt judgments with less than $50,000 remaining unpaid.10California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 683.110 Judgments based on fraud, unpaid wages, or other tortious conduct are excluded from that restriction.9California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 683.120
Releasing the Lien After Payment
When the judgment is fully paid, the creditor must file an Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment on Judicial Council Form EJ-100. The creditor’s signature has to be notarized.11California Courts. Tell Court When You Are Paid File the signed, notarized original with the court clerk, then record a certified copy with the county recorder in every county where you recorded an abstract. That recording is what clears the lien from the property records.
Creditors who delay face real consequences. If the debtor sends a written demand for an acknowledgment of satisfaction and the creditor ignores it for more than 15 days, the creditor is liable for all damages the debtor suffers from the delay plus a $100 statutory penalty.12California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 724.050 If the debtor has to bring a motion, the creditor also pays the debtor’s attorney’s fees.
If the Debtor Files Bankruptcy
A bankruptcy filing does not automatically wipe out a recorded judgment lien. The debtor’s personal obligation may be discharged, but the lien can remain attached to the property unless the debtor moves to remove it. In Chapter 7 and Chapter 13, the debtor can ask the court to avoid a judgment lien under 11 U.S.C. § 522(f) if the lien impairs an exemption the debtor could otherwise claim.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 U.S. Code 522 – Exemptions Given California’s homestead exemption, many debtors with limited equity in a primary residence can strip the lien; where the property has equity above the exemption, the lien survives to the extent of that excess. If you learn the debtor has filed, watch the docket and respond to any lien avoidance motion promptly.