In California you can start collecting once 30 days have passed after the clerk mails the Notice of Entry of Judgment (Form SC-130), as long as the other side hasn't appealed or asked to vacate. The court won't collect for you: you use forms such as SC-134, EJ-130 and WG-001, and the judgment lasts 10 years unless renewed.
By the founder of SmallClaimsHelper
Winning in California small claims court gets you a judgment, not a check: after a 30-day wait, collecting is your job, and you have 10 years to do it before the judgment must be renewed.
This guide walks through what to have ready before you start collecting, how to find out what the other side owns, and the main tools California gives you: the debtor's exam, a bank levy, wage garnishment and a property lien. It also covers what to do once you're paid.
When can you start collecting a California small claims judgment?
You can start taking legal steps to collect once 30 days have passed from the date the court clerk mailed Form SC-130, the Notice of Entry of Judgment. That 30-day window is when the losing side can appeal or ask the court to vacate (cancel) the judgment, and the California Courts Self-Help Guide says you can begin collecting once "the 30 days to appeal or vacate has passed."
If the other side does file an appeal or a motion to vacate, collection waits until that's resolved. If they don't, and they also don't pay, you move to the steps below. Mark the mailing date on Form SC-130 on your calendar the day you get it, because the 30 days run from that date, not from the hearing.
One thing surprises many winners: the court itself doesn't chase the money. The Self-Help Guide puts it plainly: "The court doesn't collect the money for you." It also warns that collecting can take a lot of time and money, so it's worth being organized from day one.
What do you need before you start collecting?
Before you file a single collection form, gather these items. Having them ready saves trips to the clerk's window and keeps your costs down.
- Your Notice of Entry of Judgment (SC-130), showing the judgment amount and the date the clerk mailed it.
- The debtor's Statement of Assets (SC-133), if they sent one. If they don't pay within 30 days, the debtor is supposed to fill out this form and send it to you.
- A list of what you know about the debtor's money: employer, bank, vehicles, real estate, or a business they run.
- A running cost log: every fee, sheriff charge and mailing cost you pay while collecting, with receipts.
- A payment log: every partial payment you receive, with date and amount, so your balance stays accurate.
- A renewal reminder set well before the 10-year mark.
Items 1 and 2 tell you where you stand. Form SC-133, the Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets, is the debtor's own list of their income, accounts and property, and the Self-Help Guide says the other side must send it to you within 30 days if they don't appeal, ask to cancel the judgment, or pay. If it arrives, it's your roadmap for which collection tool to use.
Items 4 and 5 matter because the Self-Help Guide says you may be able to add collection costs and interest to the amount owed, and tells you to keep records of what you spend. Without receipts, you can't claim those costs. Without a payment log, you risk asking for more than you're owed.
Item 6 is easy to forget. The Self-Help Guide says your judgment will expire in 10 years and must be renewed before it expires if you still haven't been paid.
How do you find out what the debtor owns?
Start with Form SC-133 if the debtor sent it. If they didn't, or you think it's incomplete, you can ask the court for a debtor's exam using Form SC-134, the Order to Produce Statement of Assets and to Appear for Examination.
A debtor's exam is a court date where the debtor has to come in and answer your questions under oath about their income, bank accounts and property. It's the most direct way to learn where the money is. Bring a written list of questions: where they work and how they're paid, which banks they use, whether they own a car or home, and whether anyone owes them money.
Write the answers down carefully. An employer's name and address is what you'll need for a wage garnishment, and a bank name and branch is what you'll need for a bank levy.
Which collection tools can you use in California?
California's main collection tools all run through official court forms, and most need a Writ of Execution first. The table below matches each goal to its form, based on the California Courts Self-Help Guide and the Tulare County Superior Court's small claims post-judgment packet.
| What you want to do | Form | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Learn what the debtor owns | SC-133 / SC-134 | Statement of Assets from the debtor; court order for a debtor's exam |
| Take money from a bank account or wages | EJ-130 (Writ of Execution) | Court order authorizing the sheriff to levy; needed before a bank levy or wage garnishment |
| Garnish wages | WG-001 | Application for Earnings Withholding Order, delivered to the sheriff with the writ |
| Put a lien on real property | EJ-001 (Abstract of Judgment) | Issued by the clerk and recorded with the county |
| Let the debtor pay over time | SC-220 | The debtor's Request to Make Payments |
| Record that you've been paid | SC-290 | Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment |
Bank levy. With a Writ of Execution (EJ-130) from the clerk, you give instructions to the sheriff, and the sheriff, not you, carries out the levy on the debtor's bank account. You'll need to know which bank the debtor uses.
Wage garnishment. If the debtor has a job, you file an Application for Earnings Withholding Order (WG-001) with the sheriff along with the writ, and the employer withholds part of each paycheck. State law limits how much can be taken from a paycheck, and some debts such as taxes and child support can take priority over yours.
Property lien. An Abstract of Judgment (EJ-001) is issued by the clerk; you record it with the county recorder. It creates a lien on real property the debtor owns in that county, so if they sell or refinance, your judgment has to be dealt with.
What if the debtor asks to pay in installments?
The debtor can ask the court for a payment plan using Form SC-220, the Request to Make Payments. If you'd rather work it out directly, you can also agree on a schedule with them in writing.
Either way, log every payment as it arrives. The Tulare County packet notes that interest generally runs from entry of judgment until the judgment is paid in full, and that you can't charge interest on unpaid interest. The rate itself is set by state law and summarized on Judicial Council Form MC-013-INFO, so check that form for the current figure rather than guessing.
The debtor may also pay the court directly instead of paying you; the Self-Help Guide points debtors to Form SC-145 for that.
What do you have to do once you're paid?
Once you've been paid in full, you must file Form SC-290, the Acknowledgment of Satisfaction of Judgment. The Self-Help Guide says to do this within 14 days of full payment, and you can face a penalty if you don't.
Filing SC-290 tells the court the debt is cleared. If you recorded an Abstract of Judgment, the lien on the debtor's property also needs to be released, so check with the clerk about the right form for that situation before you file.
Keep copies of everything: the judgment, the payment log and the filed SC-290. If the debtor later needs proof the judgment was satisfied, you'll have it.
Which collection terms do people mix up?
These terms come up constantly in California collection and are easy to confuse:
- Judgment creditor vs. judgment debtor: the creditor won the money; the debtor owes it. You may have been the plaintiff or the defendant in the original case.
- Writ of Execution vs. Earnings Withholding Order: the writ (EJ-130) is the court's general authority to collect; the earnings withholding order is the specific order to an employer, which you request with WG-001.
- Abstract of Judgment vs. Notice of Entry of Judgment: the Notice (SC-130) tells both sides the judgment was entered; the Abstract (EJ-001) is a document you record with the county to create a lien.
- Statement of Assets vs. debtor's exam: SC-133 is a form the debtor fills out; SC-134 orders them to appear in court and answer questions in person.
- Vacate vs. appeal: both happen in the 30 days after the Notice of Entry is mailed and both pause collection. A motion to vacate asks the same court to cancel the judgment; an appeal asks for a new hearing.
About SmallClaimsHelper: SmallClaimsHelper is an independent, founder-run tool that turns plain-English answers into small claims court document drafts for consumers handling their own cases. Our guides cover filing, evidence, and judgment collection. Court rules change over time, so verify the current requirements with your local court before you file. Nothing here is a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
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Check if your California claim qualifies →Frequently asked questions
Does the court collect my small claims judgment for me in California?
No. The California Courts Self-Help Guide says plainly that the court doesn't collect the money for you. You have to use the collection tools yourself, such as a debtor's exam, a Writ of Execution or an Abstract of Judgment. For a bank levy or wage garnishment, the sheriff carries out the levy once you provide the writ and instructions.
What if the debtor never sends me the SC-133 Statement of Assets?
If the debtor doesn't pay and doesn't send Form SC-133 within 30 days, you can ask the court for a debtor's exam using Form SC-134. That orders the debtor to come to court and answer questions under oath about their income and property. Use those answers to decide whether a bank levy, wage garnishment or property lien makes sense.
How long do I have to collect a California small claims judgment?
The Self-Help Guide says the judgment expires in 10 years. If you still haven't been paid in full, you need to renew it before it expires. Set a reminder well ahead of the 10-year date so you don't lose the right to collect.
Can I add my collection costs to what the debtor owes?
The Self-Help Guide says you may be able to add collection costs and interest to the amount owed. Keep receipts for every fee, sheriff charge and mailing cost so you can document them. Interest generally runs from entry of judgment until paid in full, and the current rate is summarized on Judicial Council Form MC-013-INFO.