CHAPTER 5. Creditor’s Demand for Third-Party Claim by Secured Party or Lienholder [720.510. - 720.550.]

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP 5.

in effect

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 720.510. Section 720.510.

A creditor may make a demand as provided in this chapter that a secured party or lienholder file a third-party claim to personal property that has been levied upon under a writ of attachment or a writ of execution.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 720.520. Section 720.520.

(a) The creditor’s demand for a third-party claim by the secured party or lienholder, together with a copy of the demand, shall be filed with the levying officer after levy on the personal property but before the levying officer sells the property or pays proceeds of collection to the creditor. (b) Promptly after the demand and a copy thereof are filed, the levying officer shall personally serve the demand on the secured party or lienholder. Service of the demand on the secured party or lienholder shall be attested by the certificate of the levying officer and the certificate shall be filed in the action promptly after service. (c) The demand shall be served by the levying officer who levied on the property or by any other levying officer whose office is closer to the place of service. If service is made by another levying officer, such levying officer’s costs shall be paid out of the costs prepaid to the levying officer who levied on the property.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 720.530. Section 720.530.

The demand for a third-party claim served on a secured party or lienholder shall contain all of the following: (a) The name and address of the secured party or lienholder. (b) The name and address of the creditor. (c) A detailed description of the personal property levied upon and the date of levy. (d) A statement that if the secured party or lienholder does not file a third-party claim pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 720.210) within 30 days after service of the demand, the secured party or lienholder shall be deemed to have waived any priority the security interest or lien may have over the creditor’s lien on the property levied upon unless the property levied upon is released from the creditor’s lien. (e) A statement that if any priority of the security interest or lien is waived, the secured party or lienholder may have a right to share in any excess proceeds of an execution sale of the property as provided in Section 701.810.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 720.540. Section 720.540.

Except as otherwise provided by statute, the levying officer may not release, sell, or otherwise dispose of the personal property described in the demand before the expiration of 30 days after service of the demand on the secured party or lienholder.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 720.550. Section 720.550.

(a) If the secured party or lienholder does not file a third-party claim with the levying officer pursuant to Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 720. 210) within 30 days after service of the demand, the secured party or lienholder shall be deemed to have waived any priority the security interest or lien may have over the creditor’s lien on the personal property levied upon and the property may be applied toward the satisfaction of the judgment free of the security interest or lien. (b) If the secured party or lienholder is deemed to have waived any priority over the creditor’s lien pursuant to subdivision (a) and the creditor’s lien on the personal property is released, the security interest or lien is restored to its former position of priority.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026