How to File Form UD-110: California Unlawful Detainer Default Judgment

Form UD-110 is the California Judicial Council form that records a court’s final judgment in an unlawful detainer (eviction) case. The landlord prepares it as a proposed judgment and submits it to the court, where either a clerk or a judge signs it depending on whether the judgment covers possession only or also awards unpaid rent and costs. It is never filed alone, and the boxes you check depend entirely on how the case ended: by tenant default or after trial. The current version is dated January 1, 2024, and is available on the California Courts website.¹

Which Scenario Applies to Your Case

Before you touch the form, identify which of three situations you are in. Every later choice follows from this.

Clerk’s default, possession only. The tenant never responded and you only want them out at this stage. The clerk enters judgment. On UD-110, check “By Clerk,” “By Default,” and “Possession Only.”²
Court default, possession and money. The tenant never responded and you want both possession and unpaid rent or damages. A judge must review the case. Check “By Court” and “By Default,” and prepare a sworn declaration (UD-116) with the amounts owed.²
After trial. The case went to trial and you prevailed. Check “After Court Trial” and complete the relief sections.

The clerk’s route for possession only is the fastest, because the clerk can enter judgment as soon as the paperwork checks out. Anything involving money requires a judge to review declarations or hear testimony.³

Companion Forms You Must File With UD-110

Clerk’s Default (Possession Only)

Request for Entry of Default (CIV-100), with the “Entry of Default” and “Clerk’s Judgment” boxes checked.²
UD-110 itself, as your proposed judgment.
Writ of Possession of Real Property (EJ-130), with “Possession of” and “Real Property” checked. This is what the sheriff uses to carry out the eviction.
Verification by Landlord Regarding Rental Assistance (UD-120), required whenever the eviction is for unpaid rent, even if you are not asking for a money judgment at this stage.²
Proof of Service of Summons (POS-010), if it is not already on file.⁴

Court Default (Possession and Money)

Everything above, plus:

Declaration for Default Judgment by Court (UD-116). This is your sworn statement itemizing unpaid rent, damages, and costs. A judge reviews it in place of live testimony.²
Memorandum of Costs, either in the section on CIV-100 or separately on Form MC-010, listing the filing fee, process server charges, and other litigation expenses.⁵

On CIV-100 for this scenario, check “Entry of Default” and “Court Judgment” rather than “Clerk’s Judgment.”

Dismissing Doe Defendants

If the original complaint named “Doe” defendants and you never substituted real names, file a Request for Dismissal (CIV-110) to dismiss those unnamed parties. The court will not process the judgment while Does remain in the case.⁴

What Must Be True Before You File

The Tenant’s Response Window Has Closed

A personally served tenant has 10 days to respond to the summons and complaint. Saturdays, Sundays, and judicial holidays do not count.⁶ Start counting the day after service, skip weekends and court holidays, and the tenant’s deadline is the tenth qualifying day. Filing before that day closes will get your package rejected.

No Answer, Demurrer, or Motion Is on File

Check the court’s file (online portal or by phone) to confirm the tenant filed nothing. If any responsive document appears before your default request is processed, the clerk cannot enter default.

Military-Status Affidavit

Federal law requires a plaintiff to file an affidavit stating whether the defendant is on active military duty before any default judgment. Under 50 U.S.C. § 3931, the affidavit must either confirm the defendant is not in military service or state that you could not determine their status.⁷ A written declaration signed under penalty of perjury satisfies the requirement.

The Defense Manpower Data Center’s SCRA site at scra.dmdc.osd.mil produces a certificate you can attach after a single-record request.⁸ If you cannot determine military status, the court may require a bond. If the defendant is a servicemember, the court must appoint an attorney before the case can move to default. Filing a false affidavit is a federal crime punishable by up to a year in prison, a fine, or both.⁷

Filling Out UD-110, Section by Section

Page 1: Caption and Judgment Type

At the top, enter every plaintiff and defendant exactly as named in the complaint, along with the case number. Then check the boxes under “Judgment” that match your scenario:

Clerk’s default, possession only: “By Clerk,” “By Default,” “Possession Only.” In Section 1, check item 1 (proper service) and item d, “Clerk’s Judgment (Code Civ. Proc., § 1169).”⁹
Court default, possession and money: “By Court” and “By Default.” In Section 1, check item e, “Court Judgment (Code Civ. Proc., § 585(b)),” and indicate whether the court will rely on testimony or written declarations.³
After trial: “After Court Trial” and complete Section 2.

Page 2: Judgment Details

At the top of page 2, check whether the judgment is entered by “The Court” or “The Clerk.” It must match page 1.

Section 3a: full names of every plaintiff the judgment favors and every defendant it is entered against.³
Section 4: check “Plaintiff” and write the full street address of the rental property. It must match the complaint.
Section 5: check this box only if the sheriff or a process server served a Prejudgment Claim of Right to Possession on the tenants. Checking it allows the judgment to reach unnamed occupants; without it, you cannot evict people whose names are not on the judgment.⁹
Section 6: check if your original notice stated that the lease would be canceled or forfeited.

Where the judgment includes money, fill in past-due rent, holdover damages, attorney fees (only if the lease authorizes them), and costs. Leave the date and signature blank. Those are for the judicial officer or clerk.

The CIV-100 Mailing Step People Miss

Before the clerk can process the default, someone who is not a party to the case must mail a copy of the completed CIV-100 to each defendant at the address where they were served. That non-party fills in the mailing date and the defendant’s name and address on the CIV-100 declaration of mailing and signs it.⁹ You cannot do this yourself. A friend, employee who is not on the case, or process server can.

Filing, Fees, and Turnaround

The unlawful detainer filing fee is paid at the start of the case, when you file the complaint, not when you submit UD-110. Under the statewide civil fee schedule effective January 1, 2023, that initial fee is $240 for demands up to $10,000, $385 for demands over $10,000 up to $25,000, and $435 for demands over $25,000. Counties including Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Francisco add a local construction surcharge.¹⁰ A fee waiver is available for filers who qualify based on income or receipt of public benefits.¹¹

Submit the full judgment package to the civil clerk’s office at the courthouse where the case was filed. Many California courts accept electronic filing, but some still require paper. Check the local court’s website. A clerk’s default for possession only can be processed within a few business days. A court default that includes money takes longer, because a judge must review the declaration and supporting evidence.

After the Judgment: The Writ of Possession

A signed UD-110 does not remove the tenant on its own. The sheriff does that, and the sheriff needs a writ of possession (EJ-130). If you included EJ-130 in the judgment package, the clerk can issue it at the same time. Otherwise, file EJ-130 separately and pay the writ issuance fee. Then deliver the issued writ to the sheriff’s department in the county where the property sits, along with the sheriff’s service fee, which generally runs between $90 and $260 for a standard lockout.¹² The sheriff posts a notice at the property, typically giving the tenant five days to leave voluntarily, and returns to remove the tenant if they stay. Securing the property after the lockout is your responsibility.

If the Tenant Moves to Set Aside the Default

A default judgment on UD-110 is not necessarily final. The tenant can move to set it aside within six months under Code of Civil Procedure Section 473(b), citing mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect. There is no pre-printed form for the motion, and the tenant must attach an Answer (UD-105) if none was filed. A tenant gets one attempt; if the motion is denied, they cannot refile.¹³ The most common winning ground is defective service of the summons. Clean personal service by a registered process server is what makes a judgment hard to unwind later.

1
California Courts. Judgment—Unlawful Detainer (UD-110)
2
California Courts. Ask for a Default Judgment
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California Courts. Judicial Council of California UD-110 Judgment—Unlawful Detainer
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Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. Judgment Checklist – Default by Court (Unlawful Detainer)
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Judicial Council of California. Request for Entry of Default (CIV-100)
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California Legislative Information. California Code CCP 1167
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC 3931 – Default Judgments
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Defense Manpower Data Center. SCRA – Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
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Superior Court of California, County of Tulare. Request for Judgment – Unlawful Detainer
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Superior Court of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule
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California Courts. File the Eviction Forms (Summons and Complaint)
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Superior Court of California, County of Sutter. Unlawful Detainer
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California Courts. Ask for a Set Aside After an Eviction Judgment