§ 1710.15.Application By Judgment Creditor For Entry of Judgment Based On Sister State Judgment

Title 11. Money Judgments of Other Jurisdictions · Chapter 1. Sister State Money Judgments · Last amended 1985 · Last verified July 29, 2026

In one sentenceSection 1710.15 requires a judgment creditor seeking to register a sister state judgment to file a sworn application confirming the judgment is timely, unstayed, unpaid in a stated amount, not already being litigated or entered in California, and identifying both parties, with an authenticated copy of the judgment attached.

Full Text of § 1710.15

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(a) A judgment creditor may apply for the entry of a judgment based on a sister state judgment by filing an application pursuant to Section 1710.20.

(b) The application shall be executed under oath and shall include all of the following:

(1) A statement that an action in this state on the sister state judgment is not barred by the applicable statute of limitations.

(2) A statement, based on the applicant's information and belief, that no stay of enforcement of the sister state judgment is currently in effect in the sister state.

(3) A statement of the amount remaining unpaid under the sister state judgment and, if accrued interest on the sister state judgment is to be included in the California judgment, a statement of the amount of interest accrued on the sister state judgment (computed at the rate of interest applicable to the judgment under the law of the sister state), a statement of the rate of interest applicable to the judgment under the law of the sister state, and a citation to the law of the sister state establishing the rate of interest.

(4) A statement that no action based on the sister state judgment is currently pending in any court in this state and that no judgment based on the sister state judgment has previously been entered in any proceeding in this state.

(5) Where the judgment debtor is an individual, a statement setting forth the name and last known residence address of the judgment debtor. Where the judgment debtor is a corporation, a statement of the corporation's name, place of incorporation, and whether the corporation, if foreign, has qualified to do business in this state under the provisions of Chapter 21 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code. Where the judgment debtor is a partnership, a statement of the name of the partnership, whether it is a foreign partnership, and, if it is a foreign partnership, whether it has filed a statement pursuant to Section 15800 of the Corporations Code designating an agent for service of process. Except for facts which are matters of public record in this state, the statements required by this paragraph may be made on the basis of the judgment creditor's information and belief.

(6) A statement setting forth the name and address of the judgment creditor.

End

Plain-English Summary

Registering a sister state judgment starts with a sworn application, and this section spells out exactly what has to be in it. The judgment creditor must confirm under oath that California's statute of limitations has not run, that no stay of enforcement is currently in effect back in the sister state, and must state how much remains unpaid, including any accrued interest, along with the interest rate and the sister-state law that sets it. The creditor also has to confirm that no California action on the same judgment is already pending and that no California judgment based on it has already been entered, since this chapter does not let a creditor register the same debt twice.

The application also has to identify the judgment debtor with enough detail for the clerk and the debtor to know exactly who is being pursued: a last known address for an individual, or, for a corporation or partnership, its place of formation and whether it has taken the steps needed to do business in California. The creditor's own name and address round out the filing, and a properly authenticated copy of the sister state judgment must be attached so the court has the underlying judgment in front of it, not just the creditor's description of it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must a judgment creditor swear to in the registration application?

That a California action on the judgment is not time-barred, that no stay of enforcement is in effect in the sister state, the amount still owed with any accrued interest, and that no California action or judgment already exists on the same debt.

Does the application have to describe the judgment debtor in detail?

Yes. For an individual, the last known residence address; for a corporation or partnership, its place of formation and whether it is qualified to do business in California.

Is a copy of the original judgment required?

Yes, a properly authenticated copy of the sister state judgment must be attached to the application.

Amendment History

Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 106, Sec. 11.

Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from the California Legislative Information. Enacted by the California Legislature. Last verified July 29, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: how to register out of state judgment californiasister state judgment application requirements