Writ of Execution
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File EJ-130 with Ezel
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What is EJ-130?
EJ-130 is the Judicial Council writ-of-execution form. After you win a money judgment in California (small claims, limited civil, unlimited civil), the writ is the document the sheriff or marshal uses to enforce that judgment against the debtor's property: levying bank accounts, seizing assets, garnishing wages (with the additional WG-001 form), or selling real estate. The petitioner (the judgment creditor or assignee of record) drafts EJ-130, files it with the clerk, and the clerk issues the writ with seal. The writ is good for 180 days (CCP 699.530); after that it must be returned and a new writ issued. EJ-130 covers three paths: (1) Money Execution against personal or real property, (2) Possession of personal or real property, and (3) Sale of personal or real property. The wizard focuses on the Money Execution path, which is the most common pro se use.
What happens if you miss the deadline: If you request the writ before the appeal period expires, the debtor can move to quash and you waste the filing. If your writ expires (180 days) before the sheriff completes a levy, you must request a new writ; the sheriff returns partial recoveries with the expired writ.
How to file
- Filing fee
- Clerk's writ issuance fee under Government Code 70626(a)(1) is $40 per writ as of 2026 (some counties charge $45 with surcharges). FW-001 fee waiver (Cal. Rules of Court rule 3.51, Gov. Code section 68631 et seq.) is available for indigent judgment creditors; an existing FW-001 granted in the underlying case typically carries over, but check with the clerk. The fee is recoverable from the debtor under CCP 685.040 and goes in item 17.
- Filing method
- paper-file with the Clerk of the Superior Court that entered the judgment, no efile path; EJ-130 is filed at the clerk's window or by mail
- Filing deadline
- No deadline to request the writ, but: (1) wait until the appeal period has expired (small claims: 30 days under CCP 116.750; limited civil: 30 days under CRC 8.822; unlimited civil: 60 days under CRC 8.104). If an appeal is filed within that window, enforcement is stayed under CCP 916 (general civil) or CCP 116.810 (small claims) until the appeal resolves; (2) the underlying judgment is enforceable for 10 years (CCP 683.020), renewable for another 10 (CCP 683.110); (3) the writ itself is valid for 180 days from issuance under CCP 699.530.
- How to serve
- Not applicable. The clerk issues the writ to the sheriff or marshal; the creditor delivers the writ to the levying officer with instructions and the appropriate fees.
- Wet signature
- No
- Notarization
- No
- Original and copies
- 1 original to the clerk; the clerk returns the issued writ with seal for delivery to the levying officer (sheriff or marshal). Make 2 copies before delivering to the sheriff so you have a record.
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Judgment creditor or attorney name. Required. Match the name on the original judgment if you are the creditor.
- Filer lists nickname.
- Filer omits middle name.
Creditor mailing address. Required so the sheriff can return the writ to you.
- Filer lists outdated address.
- Filer lists P.O. Box only.
Party name represented. For pro se filers, your own name.
- Pro se filers leave blank or write 'myself'.
- Filer writes the wrong role.
Original judgment creditor or assignee of record. If assignee, EJ-185 must be on file.
- Filer lists wrong role.
- Filer leaves blank.
Limited (small claims and limited civil up to $35,000) vs Unlimited (civil over $35,000, family, probate). Pick from the original judgment.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks both.
County where the judgment was entered.
- Filer lists county they live in.
- Filer adds 'County of'.
Plaintiff name from the original judgment. Match exactly.
- Filer shortens plaintiff's name.
- Filer uses nickname.
Defendant name from the original judgment. Match exactly.
- Filer shortens defendant's name.
- Filer uses nickname.
Case number from the original judgment. Required.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer paste with extra spaces.
Money Execution, Possession, or Sale. The vast majority of pro se EJ-130 filings are Money Execution (bank levy / wage garnishment).
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks multiple.
Required when the answer to “What type of writ are you requesting?” is “Possession of (then specify personal or real property)” or “Sale”. Personal vs Real property.
- Filer leaves blank when the answer to “What type of writ are you requesting?” is “Possession of (then specify personal or real property)”.
- Filer marks multiple.
County where the sheriff or marshal will enforce. Can differ from the judgment county (sister-county writ under CCP 699.520).
- Filer lists case venue instead of where to enforce.
- Filer leaves blank.
Original judgment creditor or assignee of record name. Match the original judgment.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer uses nickname.
Judgment debtor name, entity type if not a person, and last known address. Match the original judgment exactly.
- Filers shorten the debtor's name (e.g., 'ABC LLC' when judgment says 'ABC Properties LLC'). The sheriff will not levy on a name that does not match.
- Filers omit the entity type. CCP requires the entity designation be stated.
Date the judge entered judgment.
- Filer guesses.
- Filer uses date complaint filed.
Item 11. Principal judgment amount.
- Filer omits costs/interest.
- Filer leaves blank.
Item 13 = item 11 + item 12. Math must add up.
- Filer's arithmetic does not match.
- Filer leaves blank.
Item 15 = item 13 - item 14. Math must add up.
- Filer's arithmetic does not match.
- Filer leaves blank.
Item 18 = item 15 + item 16 + item 17. The bottom line. Match this exactly to the amount the sheriff is to recover.
- Filer's arithmetic does not match.
- Filer leaves blank.
Item 19.b. Daily interest = principal balance × 0.10 / 365 (CCP 685.010 sets 10% simple per year).
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer miscalculates daily rate.
Item 22.c (personal debt under CCP 683.110(d)). Triggers an additional Declaration of Personal Debt requirement.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks when not personal debt.
Law firm name. Pro se filers leave blank.
- Pro se filers fill with employer.
- Attorneys list lead partner only.
California State Bar number. Pro se filers leave blank.
- Pro se filers fill with DL.
- Out-of-state attorneys use home-state bar.
City of the creditor mailing address. Required so the sheriff can return the writ to you.
- Filer lists county.
- Filer abbreviates.
State of the creditor mailing address.
- Filer spells out California.
- Filer uses lowercase.
ZIP of the creditor mailing address.
- Filer pastes ZIP+4 with dash.
- Filer guesses.
Telephone number for the clerk and sheriff to reach you about the writ.
- Filer lists outdated phone.
- Filer lists work number.
Email address. Optional caption field; some clerk's offices use it for issuance notifications.
- Filer pastes rarely-checked email.
- Pro se filers worry about leaving blank.
Branch or division name of the issuing court (e.g., 'Civil Division', 'Lamoreaux Justice Center'). Optional when the court has a single courthouse.
- Filer leaves blank in multi-branch counties.
- Filer types informal name.
Street address of the courthouse that entered the judgment.
- Filer lists courthouse name.
- Filer uses old address.
Court mailing address when different from the street address (used when the courthouse uses a P.O. box).
- Filer fills when same as street.
- Filer pastes their own P.O. Box.
City and ZIP of the issuing courthouse.
- Filer lists only the city.
- Filer uses old courthouse ZIP.
Toggle for whether the writ lists additional judgment debtors on page 2 (item 21). Required because the wizard branches to the page-2 entry.
- Filer leaves blank when 2+ debtors.
- Filer marks when single debtor.
Free-text list of additional debtors (name, entity type, last known address). Required when the answer to “Additional judgment debtors on next page?” is Yes. Names must match the original judgment exactly or the sheriff will not levy.
- Filer leaves blank when the answer to “Additional judgment debtors on next page?” is Yes.
- Filer is vague.
Toggle for item 4 (judgment renewal). Judgments are enforceable for 10 years from entry under CCP 683.020; CCP 683.110 lets the creditor renew for another 10 by filing EJ-190 before the original 10 expires. The writ must reflect renewal status.
- Filer marks on first writ.
- Filer leaves blank when renewal happened.
Dates of any judgment renewals (item 4). Required when the answer to “Has the judgment been renewed?” is Yes. Multiple renewals each get a date.
- Filer leaves blank when the answer to “Has the judgment been renewed?” is Yes.
- Filer is vague.
Toggle for item 23 (page 2). Used only when the judgment is against multiple parties jointly and severally and the writ needs to specify a different last-known address or service-of-summons history for one of them under CCP 989-994.
- Filer leaves blank when joint debtor.
- Filer is vague.
Toggle for item 24 (page 2 / page 3). Required when the answer to “What type of writ are you requesting?” is “Possession of (then specify personal or real property)” or “Sale”; carries the property description.
- Filer leaves blank when possession.
- Filer is vague.
Toggle for item 25 (page 2). True when the writ is on an out-of-state judgment domesticated in California under the Sister State and Foreign Money Judgments Act (CCP 1710.10).
- Filer marks for CA judgments.
- Filer leaves blank when sister-state.
Item 12. Post-judgment costs the creditor has already paid (sheriff fees, levy fees, prior writ fees, MC-012 itemized amounts). Goes into the running judgment total. Costs without an MC-012 backing it up risk objection from the debtor.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer guesses.
Item 14. Partial payments the debtor has made toward the principal. Reduces the amount the sheriff collects.
- Filer leaves blank when credits exist.
- Filer guesses.
Item 16. Post-judgment interest accrued from the date of judgment to the writ-issuance date at 10 percent simple per year (CCP 685.010). Computed on the principal balance.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer miscalculates 10% statutory rate.
Item 17. Clerk's writ-issuance fee under Government Code 70626(a)(1), typically $40 (some counties charge $45 with surcharges). Recoverable from the debtor under CCP 685.040.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer guesses.
Item 19.a. Principal balance against which daily interest is computed. Same number as item 15.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer guesses.
Item 22.b checkbox. True when the judgment is for unpaid wages. Triggers wage-claim protections; certain exemptions and procedural notices apply.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks when not wages.
Item 22.a checkbox. True when the judgment is for child support or spousal support. Support judgments have separate enforcement priority and longer enforceability under Family Code 4502.
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks when not support.
Item 22.d checkbox. Catch-all for non-personal, non-wages, non-support debts (e.g., commercial judgments, contract claims).
- Filer leaves blank.
- Filer marks when standard category applies.
Free-text description of the 'Other' debt category (item 22.d). Required when the answer to “Other type of judgment?” is Yes. Used by the sheriff to apply correct exemption and priority rules.
- Filer is vague.
- Filer leaves blank when the answer to “Other type of judgment?” is Yes.
Item 3 radio. 'Original judgment creditor' is the party named as plaintiff/creditor on the judgment itself. 'Assignee of record' is a successor that bought or was assigned the judgment and recorded the assignment with the court (CCP 673). Picking the wrong box can void the writ; clerks and sheriffs cross-check item 3 against the underlying judgment.
- Selecting 'Assignee of record' without filing an Acknowledgment of Assignment of Judgment (EJ-185 or local equivalent) under CCP 673(a). The clerk will reject the writ.
- Pro se creditors collecting on their own judgment correctly pick 'Original judgment creditor', even if a collection agency is helping them, unless the judgment was formally assigned.
Item 7 radio. Notice of sale (CCP 701.540) is required only when the levy is on real property or on personal property valued over $5,000 at sale (CCP 701.547). For bank levies, wage garnishments, and most money-execution writs, pick 'Has not been requested'. When picked 'Has been requested', the creditor must list the personal-property details on page 2 item 23 or attach EJ-130 page 3 for real-property descriptions.
- Selecting 'Has been requested' for a routine wage garnishment or bank levy. Notice of sale rules apply to property the sheriff will auction, not to money the sheriff collects.
- Filer checks 'required' on a wage levy or bank levy where notice of sale does not apply.
- Filer checks 'not required' on a real-property levy where CCP 701.540 mandates notice.
Sources
- Form EJ-130, Writ of Execution (Rev. January 1, 2026)
- Cal. Code of Civil Procedure section 699.520 (Writ of Execution issuance)
- Cal. Code of Civil Procedure section 685.010 (post-judgment interest at 10 percent)
- Cal. Code of Civil Procedure section 683.110 (judgment renewal)
- California Courts Self-Help: Collect Your Money Judgment
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