A lien is a powerful legal tool that creditors use to recover money owed by a debtor. When properly executed, a lien creates serious consequences for the debtor: it damages their credit, disrupts everyday financial transactions, and blocks access to essentials like new loans, credit cards, rental agreements, mortgages, auto financing, and real estate deals. Beyond crippling a debtor's financial flexibility, a lien also tarnishes their credibility, becomes part of the public record, and attaches directly to collateral such as property or assets—ensuring the creditor has a legally enforceable path to collect what is rightfully theirs. Among the various types of liens, Personal Property Liens and Real Property Liens are specifically designed to secure and enforce unpaid judgments, giving creditors a direct claim on the debtor’s assets until the judgment is fully satisfied.

Your judgment must be less than 10 years old from the date of entry and must be final in order to file a lien through our office. We handle both Real Property Liens and Personal Property Liens. Whether your goal is to protect your claim on property or to disrupt a debtor’s everyday financial transactions—such as applying for credit, renting, refinancing, purchasing vehicles, or completing business or real estate deals—we manage the entire process from start to finish.

No. Since 2018, judgments no longer appear on standard credit reports—but liens are far more damaging. Liens are public record, easily accessed through county records, background checks, and specialized reporting services. That means anyone—from lenders and landlords to employers and business partners—can see them. A lien doesn’t just sit quietly; it actively undermines credibility, blocks financial opportunities, and follows the debtor wherever they go.

Thousands of lenders, creditors, landlords, employers, insurance companies, credit card companies, financial institutions, tax authorities, contractors, mortgage companies, banks, and many other creditors review public records for lien records to evaluate creditworthiness, as these indicate high-risk borrowers with potential payment issues and help to assess a debtor's financial stability. Some Key Entities That Review Liens are: • Employers • Automobile Lenders • Credit Card Companies • Mortgage Lenders • Commercial Lenders • Financial Institutions and Banks • Landlords • Utility Companies • Insurance Companies • Business Creditors and Suppliers • Credit Managers • Contractors and Subcontractors • Homeowners Associations • Business Buyers/Brokers • and Many Others

You will need to have a final and unexpired monetary court judgment issued by a California court. If you don’t have a copy of the judgment, you’ll need to provide the court case details associated with it.

Our processing fees are as follows: Personal Property Lien: $35.00. Real Property Lien: $75.00

Real Property Lien: A real property lien is a legal claim against the debtor's real estate (like a house, land or commercial property) to secure payment for an unpaid judgment. It acts as a public notice, recorded in government records, that encumbers the property's title, making it difficult to sell or refinance until the judgment is paid. A real property lien can be put into place when there is a money judgment entered in a court of law. The judgment creditor is free to pursue collection of the money judgment and one way for the creditor to do this is to place a lien on any real property owned within the court’s jurisdiction. Real property with a lien on it cannot be sold, transferred or refinanced until the lien is paid in full and removed. In some extreme circumstances, the judgment creditor can move to foreclose on a real property lien. Personal Property Lien: A personal property lien becomes public record, affecting the debtor’s credit profile and limiting their ability to obtain new credit or complete asset transactions (including rental and employment applications, credit cards, loans, homes, cars, real estate, business loans and others) until the lien is paid in full. It also attaches to non-real estate assets (like equipment, furniture, vehicles, etc). A personal property lien protects the creditor’s right to seize or repossess certain assets, giving the creditor a right to that property if the judgment remains unpaid. A personal property lien formally documents the judgment, ensuring it is recognized by the bankruptcy court if the debtor attempts to file bankruptcy.

It costs more to file a real property lien than a personal property lien because real property liens involve county-level recording systems which charge high fees to maintain detailed property records and title histories requiring legal descriptions, compliance with local statutes including stricter filing and indexing standards which increase costs. Personal property liens are standardized and are usually handled at the state level to assist in facilitating business transactions such as debtor record reviews and deciding debtor credit approvals and denials.

Our processing time is quick. However, an agency's normal processing time can vary as follows: Personal property liens: Approximately 3-5 business days. Real property liens: Approximately 30-45 business days. Rush services are available. Please contact our office via email or phone for details.

Your case will be thoroughly reviewed, and all documents carefully prepared and proofread for accuracy. These documents will then be emailed to you for your review and approval before being filed with the appropriate agency. Once the agency has completed its filing, a finalized copy of the lien will be provided to you via email. A copy can be provided to the debtor if you choose to do so.

In California, a real property lien remains valid for 10 years and can be renewed. In California, a personal property lien remains valid for 5 years and can be renewed.

Every day that passes without your lien on record is another day the debtor can move assets, apply for credit, or attempt transactions that weaken your position. By rushing the filing, you lock in your claim faster, protect your judgment immediately, and eliminate delays that could cost you leverage. Our rush service ensures your documents are prepared, reviewed, and filed with priority—giving you peace of mind that your lien is secure if the debtor choosing to act.

Many people decide to send the debtor a copy of the lien. Notifying them directly puts immediate pressure on the debtor by making them fully aware that their property or assets are legally encumbered. It often accelerates payment because debtors realize the lien will damage their credit, block transactions, and remain on public record until satisfied. By sending a copy, you demonstrate seriousness, eliminate any claim of ignorance, and increase the likelihood of faster payment of your judgment.

When you record a lien in California, it becomes part of the public record. Anyone searching records can see it. In some cases, the law requires notice to be provided to the debtor.

A lien may give you some protection in bankruptcy, but it is not absolute. In California, a debtor can sometimes remove (or “avoid”) a lien in Chapter 7 bankruptcy if it interferes with their exempt property. Otherwise, the lien can survive bankruptcy and remain attached to the debtor’s property. If the lien is on non-exempt property (like investment real estate), it is more likely to survive bankruptcy. If it’s on exempt property (like a primary residence up to a certain equity limit), the debtor may succeed in removing it. Properly filed liens establish priority over other creditors. For example, if a debtor sells or refinances their property, your lien may need to be satisfied before they can clear title. For more information, please seek advice from a legal professional.

Determine exactly what needs to be corrected—whether it’s a name, amount, property description, filing detail or something else, then select the "Amend Your Lien" option, update the information, and submit your amended lien form.

Our office will prepare the required documents to release the lien. Under the law, you are obligated to release the lien within a certain timeframe and report the judgment as satisfied once the matter has been resolved. Please complete our Release a Lien form to have your lien released.

Keep your lien documents securely stored so you can reference them if a creditor or other party contacts you about payment of your judgment or any related inquiry.

You can file liens yourself — but most people choose our service because it saves them time, eliminates guesswork, and protects them from costly mistakes. We handle both real property and personal property liens, and we make sure everything is filed correctly, in the right jurisdiction, and with the proper documentation. Most clients come to us because they want the peace of mind that the lien is enforceable, compliant, and processed quickly. Instead of spending hours researching requirements or risking a rejected filing, you get a streamlined, professional process from start to finish.

Feel free to fill out our contact form or call us at 800-401-9280.