How Long Does a Judgment Last, and Can It Be Renewed — In Plain Words

This page is general information only. It is not legal advice.

There is no single national answer to this question.

State law sets how long a money judgment lasts.

State law also sets whether a judgment can be renewed, and how.

The answers differ from state to state.

So this page does not give one number for the whole country.

Instead, it shows one state example, labeled with that state's name.

It also shows one federal statute, labeled for what it covers.

The short answer

There is no single national number.

Your own state's law sets the length of a judgment.

Your own state's law also sets the renewal rules.

In the California example below, a judgment must be renewed before 10 years pass.

In the federal statute below, a judgment lien lasts 20 years.

That federal lien can be renewed one time, for one more period of 20 years.

Those are two different rules from two different sources.

Neither one is a rule for every judgment everywhere.

What “renew” means

To renew a judgment means to file the renewal paperwork with the court.

The renewal keeps the judgment alive past its first time period.

Without a renewal, the judgment reaches the end of its time period.

Then it expires.

The California Courts page puts the result this way for California.

Expired means the court won't force the person to pay it anymore.

The California page also explains one effect of renewing.

When a judgment is renewed, any interest that has built up to that point is added to the balance owed.

You are then entitled to interest on the new balance, which now includes the interest.

The page says this makes the balance grow faster.

It uses the word “compounds” for that.

California example: how long a California judgment lasts

California Courts Self Help states the California rule this way.

You must renew your judgment before 10 years pass.

If you wait even 1 day after 10 years, you're too late.

You can't try to collect your judgment anymore.

The earliest you can renew your judgment is after 5 years.

California's civil judgment page says most California judgments expire in 10 years after entry unless the judgment creditor renews it.

That same California page says family law judgments, like from a divorce, do not expire.

California example: how long a California renewal lasts

California's general rule is that a renewal lasts 10 years.

There is no limit on how many times a judgment creditor can renew the judgment in California under that general rule.

The California page says this general rule applies to:

• any judgment against a business or government agency;
• any judgment where the debtor owes $200,000 or more;
• any judgment where the money is owed due to a tort or fraud; and
• judgments for unpaid wages or other money due to an employee.

The California page says an exception may apply if the balance owed is less than $200,000 and the money owed is related to medical expenses or personal debt.

Otherwise, the California general rule applies.

California example: limits on renewing some California medical and personal debts

California's page states this limit exactly this way.

As of January 1, 2023, a judgment can only be renewed once for 5 years if all of these are true:

• The side that owes the money (the judgment debtor) is a person, not a business or government agency.
• The principal balance owed is less than $200,000 and related to a medical expense, or is less than $50,000 and related to a personal debt.
• The money owed is not due to a tort, fraud, unpaid wages, or other money owed to an employee.

California's page adds one more point about judgments renewed early.

If a judgment that meets the above requirements was renewed before January 1, 2023, then it cannot be renewed again.

But the prior renewal will still last 10 years.

A federal statute: 28 U.S.C. § 3201, judgment liens

This section is about judgment liens.

A lien is a legal claim against property.

Section 3201 sits in the part of the U.S. Code called “Federal Debt Collection Procedure.”

Its own later parts speak of a debt to the United States.

They also speak of the United States selling property.

Its effective-date note speaks of debts owed the United States.

So read § 3201 as the federal government's debt-collection lien rule, in the chapter where Congress placed it — not as a rule for every court judgment.

Section 3201(a) says a judgment in a civil action creates a lien on all real property of a judgment debtor.

That happens on filing a certified copy of the abstract of the judgment, in the manner the statute states.

The lien is for the amount necessary to satisfy the judgment, including costs and interest.

Section 3201(c)(1) gives the lien's length.

Except as provided in paragraph (2), a lien created under subsection (a) is effective, unless satisfied, for a period of 20 years.

Section 3201(c)(2) gives the renewal rule.

Such lien may be renewed for one additional period of 20 years.

That takes filing a notice of renewal in the same manner as the judgment is filed.

The renewed lien relates back to the date the judgment is filed, if two things are true:

• the notice of renewal is filed before the expiration of the 20-year period, to prevent the expiration of the lien; and
• the court approves the renewal of such lien under this paragraph.

So this federal statute allows one renewal of the lien.

It is not a second, separate renewal rule for state judgments.

What to do

Find the rule for your own state first.

Your state's court self-help pages are one place to look.

Your state's statutes are the law itself.

Check the date your judgment was entered.

Check whether your state's deadline runs from that date.

The California example shows why the deadline matters.

In California, waiting even 1 day too long is too late.

Your state may set a different deadline.

Do not use the California numbers, or the federal lien numbers, as your state's numbers.

This page is general information only. It is not legal advice.