How long does a judgment last in California? A money judgment can be enforced for 10 years from entry, and the creditor can renew it before that period ends. Most renewals add another 10 years and can be repeated, but since 2023 many consumer and medical debt judgments against individuals can be renewed only once, for five years.
If you have received a notice of renewal or a fresh collection letter on an old judgment, call (415) 754-0115 to schedule a free consultation, or write to us through the contact page.
The 10-year clock: when it starts and what it covers
The period runs from the date the court entered the judgment, not from the date of the lawsuit or the last payment on the account. During those 10 years, a creditor can use the full set of enforcement tools: wage garnishment, bank levies, liens on real estate and judgment debtor examinations.
Finding the entry date and the current owner
The entry date appears on the judgment itself and in the court's case records, which many California Superior Courts let the public search by case number. Judgments are also bought and sold. A debt buyer that acquires one generally must become the assignee of record by filing an acknowledgment of assignment before enforcing it in its own name, so the court file shows who holds the judgment today.
A judgment is not the same as the statute of limitations
The two are easy to confuse. The statute of limitations limits how long a creditor has to file a lawsuit in the first place, and our page on the statute of limitations on debt in California covers it. Once a judgment exists, the separate 10-year enforcement rule takes over.
Judgments that work differently
Child and spousal support judgments do not need renewal under California family law; they remain enforceable until paid. Some government debts also follow their own rules.
How renewal extends how long a judgment lasts in California
The creditor's filing
To renew, the creditor files an Application for Renewal of Judgment (form EJ-190) with the court before the 10 years expire. The clerk enters the renewal, which for most judgments extends enforceability for 10 years from the date the application was filed. The application states the amount then owed, which can include accrued interest and allowable costs.
The 2023 limit for consumer and medical debt
Legislation that took effect in 2023 changed the picture for many people sued over credit cards and similar accounts. When the judgment is against an individual, arises from personal debt or medical expenses, and the unpaid principal is below thresholds set in the statute, the creditor may renew it only once, and that renewal lasts five years instead of 10. Judgments based on fraud or other wrongful conduct, and judgments for wages owed to an employee, are excluded. Whether a particular judgment qualifies depends on its type and balance, which an attorney can check against the court file.
Your window to object
The creditor must serve the debtor with a Notice of Renewal of Judgment (form EJ-195). From service, the debtor has 60 days to file a motion to vacate or modify the renewal. The motion can rest on any ground that would be a defense to an action on the judgment, for example an incorrect amount, payments that were not credited, a judgment already satisfied, or a renewal filed when the law did not allow one.
Liens follow the renewal
If the creditor recorded an abstract against your home, the lien carries forward only if a certified copy of the renewal application is also recorded with the county before the lien would have expired. A title report shows whether that happened.
Interest: why the balance keeps changing
Unpaid California judgments earn post-judgment interest at a rate set by statute. The same 2023 legislation set a lower rate for qualifying personal debt and medical debt judgments entered or renewed since then, while other judgments still accrue at the standard rate. Interest is one reason a renewed judgment can show a larger figure than the original. Payments are generally applied to costs and accrued interest before principal, so small payments may barely touch the underlying balance. A written accounting from the creditor is a reasonable starting point when the numbers do not add up, and charges the court never awarded can be raised in a motion to modify a renewal.
Can they chase you forever? What still limits collection
Protections that apply even to a valid judgment
- Wage limits. State law caps garnishment, and a claim of exemption can reduce it further.
- Bank account protection. California automatically shields a certain amount in a deposit account from levy, and that figure is adjusted periodically.
- Exempt income. Social Security and many public benefits are generally protected from ordinary creditors.
- The homestead exemption. It limits what a creditor can take through a forced sale of your home.
Ways a judgment can end early
Vacating the judgment
Default judgments can sometimes be set aside, within strict deadlines, for mistake or excusable neglect, lack of actual notice, or defective service. Our page on default judgments in California explains the motions and their time limits.
Settlement
Creditors holding older judgments may accept a negotiated payoff, documented with a filed Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment so the matter is closed on the court record.
Bankruptcy
Most consumer judgments, such as those based on credit cards or medical bills, can be discharged in bankruptcy, and judgment liens that impair an exemption may be avoided. Support obligations, and debts a court finds were obtained by fraud, are among the exceptions.
Help with an old or renewed judgment
The Somal Law Firm, a Pleasanton practice serving Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, handles judgment debt as part of its debt relief, debt settlement and bankruptcy practice areas. Helpful items for a review include the original judgment, any renewal notice, collection letters showing the current balance, and records of payments made, since those are the pieces an attorney compares to spot errors.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if a judgment is not renewed in time?
Once the 10 years pass without a renewal application, the judgment generally can no longer be enforced, and any lien based on it expires as well.
Does a payment restart the 10-year period?
No. Payments reduce the balance, but the enforcement period is measured from the date of entry. Only a timely renewal extends it.
Can a judgment be renewed more than once?
Most can, provided each application is filed before the current period ends and not too soon after the previous renewal. The exception is the group of consumer and medical debt judgments described above, which can be renewed only once, for five years.
Does a judgment go away if I move out of California?
No. A creditor can register a California judgment in most other states through their procedures for enforcing out-of-state judgments, after which that state's collection tools and exemptions apply.
If an old judgment is following you, call (415) 754-0115 to schedule your free consultation. An attorney can check the entry date, whether any renewal was allowed and properly served, the interest charged and the exemptions available, then explain the options that apply to your situation. You can also send a message through our contact page.
Attorney Advertising. This article is general legal information for Bay Area residents, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Every situation is different — please consult a licensed attorney about your specific circumstances.