Claim of exemption after levy (notice of levy served by mail): 20 days after service
20 days after date the notice of levy was served on the judgment debtor by mail, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 703.520(a), (c).
Rule text
CCP 703.520(a): "The claimant may make a claim of exemption by filing with the levying officer, either in person or by mail, a claim of exemption together with a copy of the claim. If the claimant is personally served, the claim shall be made within 15 days after the date the notice of levy on the property claimed to be exempt is served on the judgment debtor. If the claimant is served by mail, the claim shall be made within 20 days after the date the notice of levy on the property claimed to be exempt is served on the judgment debtor. If the claim is filed by mail and assigned a tracking number by the United States Postal Service or another common carrier, the filing shall be deemed complete on the date the claim is postmarked. If the claim is filed by mail and not assigned a tracking number, the filing shall be deemed complete on the date the claim is received by the levying officer."
Calculate this deadline
- Trigger (Date the notice of levy was served on the judgment debtor by mail): Friday, November 6, 2026.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
- That day is a Thanksgiving Day, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, November 30, 2026 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10).
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 703.520(a), (c)
CCP 703.520(a): "The claimant may make a claim of exemption by filing with the levying officer, either in person or by mail, a claim of exemption together with a copy of the claim. If the claimant is personally served, the claim shall be made within 15 days after the date the notice of levy on the property claimed to be exempt is served on the judgment debtor. If the claimant is served by mail, the claim shall be made within 20 days after the date the notice of levy on the property claimed to be exempt is served on the judgment debtor. If the claim is filed by mail and assigned a tracking number by the United States Postal Service or another common carrier, the filing shall be deemed complete on the date the claim is postmarked. If the claim is filed by mail and not assigned a tracking number, the filing shall be deemed complete on the date the claim is received by the levying officer."Official source
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10
CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a." CCP 10: "Holidays within the meaning of this code are every Sunday and any other days that are specified or provided for as judicial holidays in Section 135."Official source
- CORRECTION to task description: as amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 708 (AB 774), eff. Jan. 1, 2026, the period is 15 days (personal service) or 20 days (mail service) after the notice of levy is served on the judgment debtor; the former 10-day period plus 684.120 mail days no longer applies. Because the statute now states its own mail period, no additional 684.120 days are added; LAWYER REVIEW (684.120(b) applies 'Except as otherwise provided in this title', and the 20-day mail period appears to be that provision). Filing by mail with a tracking number is complete on postmark; without tracking, on receipt. For a 'personal debt' judgment (683.110(d)), a claim may be filed later (703.520(c)), but the levying officer may release funds to the creditor after the 20-day period. Exemptions that apply without a claim (e.g., deposit-account amounts under 704.220) do not require this filing (703.510(b)). The statute does not vary the 20 days for out-of-state or foreign mailing addresses; LAWYER REVIEW whether 684.120(b)(2)-(3) adds days for those addresses. Companion: exemption_claim_after_levy_personal_service.
- If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.
This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.
Worked example
Date the notice of levy was served on the judgment debtor by mail on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, April 5, 2027.
- Trigger (Date the notice of levy was served on the judgment debtor by mail): Monday, March 15, 2027.
- Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Sunday, April 4, 2027.
- That day is a Sunday, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, April 5, 2027 (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b, 10; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1.10).
Unsettled points
- The calculator shows 20 days after mailed levy notice with no CCP 684.120 days added, the earlier date.Other reading: If CCP 684.120(b) also applies, the claim period is 5 to 20 days longer depending on the address.
Notes
CORRECTION to task description: as amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 708 (AB 774), eff. Jan. 1, 2026, the period is 15 days (personal service) or 20 days (mail service) after the notice of levy is served on the judgment debtor; the former 10-day period plus 684.120 mail days no longer applies. Because the statute now states its own mail period, no additional 684.120 days are added; LAWYER REVIEW (684.120(b) applies 'Except as otherwise provided in this title', and the 20-day mail period appears to be that provision). Filing by mail with a tracking number is complete on postmark; without tracking, on receipt. For a 'personal debt' judgment (683.110(d)), a claim may be filed later (703.520(c)), but the levying officer may release funds to the creditor after the 20-day period. Exemptions that apply without a claim (e.g., deposit-account amounts under 704.220) do not require this filing (703.510(b)). The statute does not vary the 20 days for out-of-state or foreign mailing addresses; LAWYER REVIEW whether 684.120(b)(2)-(3) adds days for those addresses. Companion: exemption_claim_after_levy_personal_service.
Related deadlines
- Claim of exemption after levy (notice of levy personally served): 15 days after service (15 days after)
- Judgment creditor's notice of opposition to claim of exemption and notice of motion: 15 days after service of notice of claim of exemption (15 days after)
- Hearing on claim of exemption: not later than 30 days after notice of motion filed (30 days after)
- Judgment creditor serves notice of hearing and opposition on exemption claimant: not less than 10 days before hearing (10 days before)
- Wage garnishment: judgment creditor's notice of opposition to claim of exemption: 10 days after levying officer mailed notice of claim (10 days after)
- Wage garnishment: judgment creditor's notice of motion for hearing on claim of exemption: 10 days after levying officer mailed notice of claim (10 days after)
- Wage garnishment: hearing on claim of exemption not later than 30 days after notice of motion filed (30 days after)
- Earliest new earnings withholding order to same employer after court termination: 100 days after service of the terminated order (alternative 1 of 2) (100 days after)
Local rules by county
County local rules and courtroom procedures can add to or change this deadline. Pick a county to calculate with them applied.
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Imperial
- Inyo
- Kern
- Kings
- Lake
- Lassen
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Modoc
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Plumas
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
Rules current as of 2026-10-25. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.