California Form MC-320 is the Notice of Renewal of Judgment that a judgment creditor serves on a judgment debtor after filing an Application for and Renewal of Judgment (EJ-190) with the California superior court that entered the original judgment. The form gives the debtor formal notice that the unpaid judgment has been renewed for another ten years under California Code of Civil Procedure §683.110, restarting the clock on collection.
If a creditor misses the strict 10-year window in CCP §683.020, the judgment is permanently unenforceable, even if the debtor still owes every dollar. Civil judgments in California carry simple interest at 10% per year under CCP §685.010, so a $10,000 judgment unpaid for nine years has nearly doubled before renewal even begins. The current statewide filing fee for an Application for Renewal is $45 under Government Code §70626(b).
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📝 How to fill out every box on Form MC-320 line by line, with sample entries.
- ⏰ How the 10-year renewal deadline works and what happens if you miss it.
- 💰 How to calculate accrued interest, costs, and credits the right way.
- 📬 How to serve the notice on the debtor and prove service to the court.
- ⚖️ How MC-320 fits with EJ-190, MC-012, and the rest of the renewal process.
What Form MC-320 Is and Who Must File It
Form MC-320 is the official Judicial Council notice that tells a judgment debtor the creditor has renewed the money judgment for another ten years. The form does not by itself renew the judgment. The renewal happens when the clerk files the creditor’s EJ-190 Application, and MC-320 is then served on the debtor so the debtor can object or pay. The current Judicial Council revision in use as of 2026 is the Rev. January 1, 2017 version, and you should confirm the revision date printed in the lower-left corner before filing.
The filer is almost always the judgment creditor — the party who won the original case. That can be a small claims winner who never collected, a landlord with an unpaid unlawful detainer money judgment, a credit union, a contractor with a mechanic’s lien judgment, or a business that bought the judgment through assignment. An attorney may file on the creditor’s behalf, but most MC-320 filers are pro se because the form is short and the underlying judgment is often modest.
The notice is governed by CCP §683.160, which requires service on the debtor by personal delivery or first-class mail within a reasonable time after the renewal is entered. The debtor then has 30 days from service to file a Motion to Vacate Renewal (MC-321). Until that 30-day window closes, no enforcement action — wage garnishment, bank levy, or till tap — can move forward without risk of being unwound.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything below before you open MC-320, because missing details on the notice are the single most common reason renewals get vacated under CCP §683.170.
- The original judgment. You need the exact case number, court branch, date of entry, and dollar amount. A mismatch here is grounds for vacating the renewal.
- The conformed-filed EJ-190. MC-320 mirrors the figures the clerk just stamped onto your EJ-190, so file EJ-190 first and copy the numbers across.
- A current address for the debtor. You will serve the notice here, so use the most recent address you can verify (skip-trace, DMV record, or last known mailing address).
- Your own mailing address and phone number. The court and the debtor must be able to reach you for the next ten years.
- A complete payment ledger. Every partial payment, settlement credit, or offset must be subtracted on Item 5 of the application, or the debtor can vacate the renewal.
- An interest calculation worksheet. Interest runs at 10% simple per year under CCP §685.010 from the date of judgment to the date of renewal.
- A Memorandum of Costs After Judgment (MC-012). Use it to itemize post-judgment costs you have already added under CCP §685.040.
- The $45 filing fee (or a Fee Waiver Form FW-001). Without payment or a granted waiver, the clerk will reject the filing.
- A Proof of Service (POS-030) for mail service or POS-020 for personal service, so you can prove the debtor received MC-320.
- Your driver’s license or photo ID. Court clerks ask for it at the window in many counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The official MC-320 lives on the Judicial Council Forms page. You can also reach it through the Self-Help Renewal of Judgment guide. Both links return a fillable PDF that opens in any modern browser, and you can type directly into each box before printing.
The form is two pages. Page 1 contains the case caption, the parties, and the renewed amount. Page 2 contains the notice language to the debtor, the warning about the 30-day vacate deadline, and the certificate of mailing. Print both pages on plain white 8.5×11 paper, single-sided. Most California courts reject double-sided filings under local rules.
If you cannot type into the PDF, the California Courts Self-Help Center provides free in-person help at every superior court. Many county law libraries — including LA Law Library and the San Francisco Law Library — also offer free clinics for judgment renewal. If your county uses mandatory e-filing, you will upload the completed PDF through that county’s portal, such as Los Angeles County’s Odyssey eFileCA system.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form MC-320 Line by Line
The form looks short, but every box has a trap. Use the official field labels exactly as printed. The boxes below appear in the order they sit on the printed form.
Attorney or Party Without Attorney (Top-Left Caption Box)
This box asks who is filing the notice and how the court can reach that person. Type the filer’s full legal name, mailing address, telephone number, fax (if any), and email. If you are pro se, write your own name; if a lawyer files, write the lawyer’s name and State Bar number.
Write everything in the same name format used on the original judgment. Maria L. Hernandez, 482 Pine Street, Apt. 3, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 555-0142, mlhernandez@email.com. Use the address where you actually receive mail, because the debtor’s response gets mailed back to this exact address.
A common edge case is a creditor who has moved since the original judgment. You may use your new address, but you should also update the court with a Notice of Change of Address (MC-040) so the file is consistent. The most common mistake is leaving the phone number blank, which delays the clerk if a defect is found and your filing then sits unrepaired past the 10-year deadline. A frequent misconception is that you must list the original attorney; you do not, because a renewal is a fresh filing and the original lawyer’s representation may have ended.
Attorney For (Right Side of Caption)
This narrow line asks which party the filer represents. If you are the creditor filing without a lawyer, write Plaintiff in Pro Per or Judgment Creditor in Pro Per. If a lawyer files, write Judgment Creditor [Name].
Match the role used in the original judgment. Attorney For: Judgment Creditor Maria L. Hernandez. Do not write “Plaintiff” if the original case caption labeled you “Petitioner” — small claims and unlawful detainer captions vary.
A nuance arises when the judgment was assigned. If you bought the judgment, you are the Assignee of Record, and you must have already filed an Acknowledgment of Assignment of Judgment (EJ-185). The common mistake here is labeling yourself “Plaintiff” when you are actually an assignee, which lets the debtor argue you lack standing. The misconception is that this line is optional; it is not, and clerks reject blank caption lines in counties like Orange and Riverside.
Superior Court of California, County of ______
Write the county where the original judgment was entered, not where the debtor now lives. Renewal must happen in the same court that issued the original judgment under CCP §683.140.
Spell the county out fully and add the branch or street address below. Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles — Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. If the case was a limited civil or small claims case, name that division.
A frequent edge case is a case that started in one branch but transferred to another. Use the current branch where the file lives now. The classic mistake is filing in the debtor’s new county, which the clerk will reject and which can run out the clock. The misconception is that small claims renewals go to a different court; they do not — you renew in the same small claims division that entered the judgment, using the same MC-320.
Plaintiff (Caption — Below the Court Name)
Enter the plaintiff’s name exactly as it reads on the original judgment, including punctuation, “Inc.,” “LLC,” and any DBA. The court matches MC-320 to the case file by this string.
Plaintiff: ABC Property Management, LLC dba Sunrise Apartments. If the original judgment misspelled the plaintiff’s name, copy the misspelling — do not “correct” it on the renewal, because the clerk’s docket reads the file as it is.
The edge case most filers miss is a name change after judgment. If your business reorganized, file an EJ-185 assignment before MC-320, then list the original plaintiff here and yourself as assignee further down. The common mistake is dropping “Inc.” or “LLC,” which produces a caption mismatch and a vacated renewal. The misconception is that a married plaintiff who changed names should use the new surname; use the surname on the judgment, not the current one.
Defendant (Caption — Below Plaintiff)
Type the defendant’s name exactly as it appears on the original judgment, including any “and DOES 1–10” language and any aliases (AKA). Accuracy here drives everything downstream, because the wage garnishment and bank levy will run on this exact name.
Defendant: Robert J. Carter, aka Bob Carter. If multiple defendants are jointly and severally liable, list each one on its own line.
A nuance: if one defendant has paid in full but another has not, you still list both, then handle the credit on the EJ-190’s Item 5. The common mistake is leaving off a defendant who is now the only solvent one, which produces no enforceable renewal against that person. The misconception is that you must serve only the “main” defendant; you must serve every defendant separately under CCP §683.160.
Case Number
Enter the original case number, character for character, including any letter prefixes and dashes. Los Angeles cases look like 23STCV01234; San Diego cases look like 37-2015-00012345-CL-CL-CTL; small claims look like 24SC00567.
Case Number: 22STLC09876. Pull the number directly from the conformed-filed copy of the judgment, not from your own notes, because a single transposed digit will route the filing to the wrong file.
The nuance is consolidated cases — list the lead case number only. The common mistake is using the small claims sticker number instead of the docket number. The misconception is that the case number changes upon renewal; it does not. The renewed judgment keeps the original case number for its entire enforceable life.
Title of the Form (NOTICE OF RENEWAL OF JUDGMENT)
This title is pre-printed; you do not edit it. The title appears in bold caps below the case number block.
Confirm the title reads exactly NOTICE OF RENEWAL OF JUDGMENT. If you are looking at a form that says Application instead of Notice, you have the wrong form — that is EJ-190.
The edge case is a creditor who tries to combine the application and the notice into one document. They are two separate forms by Judicial Council rule, and the clerk will reject a hybrid. The mistake is filing only the EJ-190 and skipping MC-320, which means the debtor never gets formal notice and the renewal can be vacated under CCP §683.170. The misconception is that filing alone serves the debtor; it does not.
Item 1 — Judgment Creditor
Item 1 asks for the name and address of every judgment creditor entitled to enforce the judgment. List each one with a complete mailing address. If there is an assignee of record, list both the original creditor and the assignee.
1. Judgment creditor (name and address): Maria L. Hernandez, 482 Pine Street, Apt. 3, Sacramento, CA 95814. If two plaintiffs co-own the judgment, list both names and addresses with a clear “and” between them.
A nuance is a creditor who has died — the personal representative of the estate must first substitute in under CCP §377.41 before MC-320 can be filed. The common mistake is using a P.O. Box that the post office has closed, which makes service of any debtor response impossible. The misconception is that the creditor’s lawyer’s address can stand in for the creditor’s; it cannot, because the creditor is the real party in interest.
Item 2 — Judgment Debtor
Item 2 asks for the name and last known address of every judgment debtor against whom the renewal runs. The address you write here will be the address you serve in the certificate of mailing on page 2.
2. Judgment debtor (name and last known address): Robert J. Carter, 1750 Oak Avenue, Apt. 12, Fresno, CA 93721. If you have skip-traced the debtor to a new address, use the new one and keep the skip-trace report in your file in case you need to prove diligence later.
The edge case is a debtor in custody — list the prison or jail facility and CDCR number. The mistake is using a stale address that returns “undeliverable,” which can void service and force you to redo it before the 30-day clock starts. The misconception is that you must use the address from the original case; you must use the last known address, which is often newer.
Item 3 — Total Renewed Judgment (and Sub-Items 3a–3f)
This is the math heart of the form. Item 3 totals the renewed judgment and breaks it into six sub-amounts that mirror the EJ-190.
- 3a — Total judgment. The principal amount entered on the original judgment.
- 3b — Costs after judgment. Post-judgment costs already added through MC-012, such as levy fees and process server fees.
- 3c — Subtotal. 3a + 3b.
- 3d — Credits after judgment. Every dollar the debtor has paid or that has been collected through levy.
- 3e — Subtotal. 3c − 3d.
- 3f — Interest after judgment. 10% simple per year on the unpaid principal under CCP §685.010.
Then add the Fee for filing renewal application ($45) and write the Total renewed judgment at the bottom of Item 3. 3a $10,000.00; 3b $325.00; 3c $10,325.00; 3d $1,500.00; 3e $8,825.00; 3f $7,942.50; Fee $45.00; Total renewed judgment $16,812.50.
The nuance most creditors botch is interest math. Use only the unpaid principal as the base, not the running balance, because California uses simple interest, not compound. The mistake is compounding interest year over year, which inflates the renewal and gives the debtor an automatic ground to vacate. The misconception is that you can include attorney’s fees not awarded in the original judgment; you cannot, unless a separate post-judgment order awarded them under CCP §685.040.
Notice to Judgment Debtor (Page 2 — Pre-Printed Block)
Page 2 contains a Judicial Council notice block telling the debtor what the renewal means and how to fight it. You do not edit this block, but you must read it so you know what the debtor is reading.
Confirm the block includes the 30-day window to file MC-321, the warning that the renewed judgment is enforceable for another 10 years, and the statement that interest continues to run.
The edge case is a debtor who claims the notice was incomplete. As long as you used the current MC-320 from the Judicial Council site, the language is correct. The mistake is downloading an old MC-320 from a third-party blog, which may carry outdated statutory cross-references. The misconception is that you can edit this block to scare the debtor; doing so voids the form.
Date and Signature Block
Sign and date the form on the line beneath Item 3. Print your name to the right. Only the judgment creditor or the creditor’s attorney of record may sign — not a paralegal, not a relative.
Date: 03/14/2026. Signature: /s/ Maria L. Hernandez. Print: Maria L. Hernandez. Use a blue pen if you are filing on paper, so the clerk can tell the original from a photocopy.
The edge case is a corporate creditor — sign as Maria L. Hernandez, Authorized Agent for ABC Property Management, LLC. The common mistake is signing in the wrong color or photocopying the signature, which some clerks reject. The misconception is that an electronic signature is never valid; under California Rule of Court 2.257, a valid /s/ block is accepted in every e-filing county.
Certificate of Mailing (Bottom of Page 2)
The certificate of mailing is the form’s built-in proof that you mailed MC-320 to the debtor. A non-party adult — anyone over 18 who is not the creditor — completes it.
The signer fills in their name, the date of mailing, the city and state of mailing, the debtor’s name and mailing address, and signs at the bottom. I certify that on 03/16/2026, at Sacramento, California, I mailed a true copy of this Notice of Renewal of Judgment to Robert J. Carter, 1750 Oak Avenue, Apt. 12, Fresno, CA 93721. /s/ Anna Park.
The nuance is that the signer must be 18 or older and not a party. The common mistake is having the creditor sign the certificate, which voids the proof of mailing because the creditor is a party. The misconception is that you can mail it yourself and just have a friend sign; you cannot, because the signer is certifying personal knowledge of the act of mailing.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
Each named creditor below walks through MC-320 for a different fact pattern.
Scenario 1 — Maria Hernandez, Small Claims Creditor
Maria won a $7,500 small claims judgment in 2017 against a former roommate who never paid. The judgment is about to hit its 10-year mark in early 2027, and she is renewing in 2026 to be safe.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney/Party Without Attorney | Maria L. Hernandez, 482 Pine St #3, Sacramento, CA 95814, (916) 555-0142 |
| Attorney For | Judgment Creditor in Pro Per |
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento — Carol Miller Justice Center, 301 Bicentennial Cir., Sacramento, CA 95826 |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | Maria L. Hernandez / Robert J. Carter |
| Case Number | 17SC04421 |
| Item 1 (Creditor) | Maria L. Hernandez, 482 Pine St #3, Sacramento, CA 95814 |
| Item 2 (Debtor) | Robert J. Carter, 1750 Oak Ave Apt 12, Fresno, CA 93721 |
| Item 3 Math | 3a $7,500; 3b $185; 3c $7,685; 3d $0; 3e $7,685; 3f $6,750; Fee $45; Total $14,480 |
| Signature | 03/14/2026 — /s/ Maria L. Hernandez |
Scenario 2 — Sunrise Apartments, Landlord with Unlawful Detainer Money Judgment
Sunrise Apartments holds a 2016 unlawful detainer money judgment of $4,200 in unpaid rent against a former tenant. The landlord garnished wages briefly in 2019, recovered $900, and now needs to renew before the 10-year deadline.
| Form Section | What Sunrise Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney/Party Without Attorney | Janet Wu, Property Manager, ABC Property Management LLC, 99 Sunrise Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| Attorney For | Judgment Creditor ABC Property Management, LLC |
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles — Long Beach Courthouse, 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | ABC Property Management, LLC dba Sunrise Apartments / Devon T. Miles |
| Case Number | 16LBUD03127 |
| Item 1 (Creditor) | ABC Property Management, LLC, 99 Sunrise Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| Item 2 (Debtor) | Devon T. Miles, 4408 Cherry Ave Apt 2B, Long Beach, CA 90807 |
| Item 3 Math | 3a $4,200; 3b $410; 3c $4,610; 3d $900; 3e $3,710; 3f $4,200; Fee $45; Total $7,955 |
| Signature | 03/18/2026 — /s/ Janet Wu, Authorized Agent |
Scenario 3 — Pacific Coast Lending, Business Creditor with Wage Garnishment
Pacific Coast Lending obtained a $150,000 limited civil judgment in 2017. A wage garnishment under CCP §706.022 has collected $22,000 over the years. Counsel is filing electronically through Los Angeles County’s Odyssey eFileCA portal.
| Form Section | What Pacific Coast’s Counsel Enters |
|---|---|
| Attorney/Party Without Attorney | David Park, Esq. (SBN 234567), Park & Lee LLP, 800 Wilshire Blvd #1500, Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
| Attorney For | Judgment Creditor Pacific Coast Lending, Inc. |
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles — Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
| Plaintiff / Defendant | Pacific Coast Lending, Inc. / Sandra K. Ortiz |
| Case Number | 17STLC11203 |
| Item 1 (Creditor) | Pacific Coast Lending, Inc., 1200 Ocean Dr Ste 4, Santa Monica, CA 90401 |
| Item 2 (Debtor) | Sandra K. Ortiz, 612 Maple St, Glendale, CA 91205 |
| Item 3 Math | 3a $150,000; 3b $1,820; 3c $151,820; 3d $22,000; 3e $129,820; 3f $135,000; Fee $45; Total $264,865 |
| Signature | 03/20/2026 — /s/ David Park, Esq. |
How to File the Completed Form
Filing MC-320 is a two-track process: file with the court and serve on the debtor. You file the application (EJ-190) and the notice (MC-320) together, then mail the conformed copy to the debtor.
In Person at the Clerk’s Window
Bring two copies of EJ-190 and MC-320, your $45 filing fee, and a photo ID. The clerk file-stamps both and hands one copy back. Keep the conformed copy forever; it is the only proof the renewal exists. Cash, check, money order, and most credit cards are accepted at large counties such as Los Angeles and San Diego, though smaller branches may be card-only.
By Mail
Mail two copies of each form, a self-addressed stamped envelope, and a check for $45 made out to the Clerk of the Superior Court to the courthouse address. Processing usually takes 2–4 weeks. Use certified mail with return receipt so you have proof the clerk got the package before the 10-year deadline.
By E-Filing
Counties such as Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Sacramento, Riverside, and San Bernardino require or allow e-filing through vendors like Odyssey eFileCA, One Legal, or File & ServeXpress. Upload the PDF, pay the $45 plus a small vendor fee (usually $5–$15), and the conformed copy is emailed back within 1–3 court days. The conformed PDF is your proof of filing.
Service on the Debtor
After the clerk renews the judgment, mail MC-320 to every debtor listed on the form. Use first-class mail per CCP §683.160, have a non-party adult complete the Certificate of Mailing on page 2, and keep the original in your file. Personal service via POS-020 is also valid and is the safer route for a high-dollar renewal.
What Happens After You File
Once the clerk file-stamps the EJ-190 and MC-320, the renewal is immediately effective and the new 10-year clock starts. Interest keeps running at 10% simple under CCP §685.010, and you can keep enforcing through wage garnishment, bank levy, and till tap.
The debtor has 30 days from service to file a Motion to Vacate Renewal (MC-321) under CCP §683.170. Common debtor arguments are that the underlying judgment was paid, that credits were not subtracted, or that interest was miscalculated. If the motion succeeds, the renewal is vacated, but the original judgment stays alive — you may refile a corrected EJ-190 if the 10-year window has not closed.
If no motion is filed within 30 days, the renewal becomes unassailable. You can then record an Abstract of Judgment (EJ-001) in any California county to create a real-property lien, or issue a fresh Writ of Execution (EJ-130) for sheriff levies. The renewal can itself be renewed every 10 years under CCP §683.110, so a diligent creditor can keep a judgment alive indefinitely.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Each mistake below has a direct consequence, often vacating the renewal entirely.
- Filing after the 10-year deadline. The judgment is permanently extinguished under CCP §683.020.
- Compounding interest. California uses simple interest; compounding inflates the total and gives an automatic ground to vacate.
- Forgetting to subtract credits on Item 3d. The debtor will move to vacate, and the court will grant it.
- Misspelling a party’s name. A caption mismatch breaks the link to the original case file.
- Using the wrong case number. The clerk routes the filing to the wrong file or rejects it outright.
- Listing the debtor’s old address. Mail comes back undeliverable and the 30-day clock never starts.
- Skipping MC-320 and filing only EJ-190. The debtor never gets notice and the renewal is vacatable.
- Letting the creditor sign the Certificate of Mailing. The proof of mailing is void.
- Leaving Item 1 or Item 2 blank. The clerk rejects the filing.
- Filing in the debtor’s new county. Renewal must occur in the original court under CCP §683.140.
- Forgetting the $45 fee or a granted FW-001. The clerk holds the filing and the deadline ticks.
- Editing the pre-printed notice block on page 2. Voids the form.
Do’s and Don’ts
- Do file at least 30 days before the 10-year anniversary so a clerk rejection still leaves time to refile.
- Do keep the conformed copy of MC-320 for the full 10-year renewal period.
- Do use the most current address for the debtor, even if you must skip-trace.
- Do itemize post-judgment costs on a fresh MC-012 before adding them to Item 3b.
- Do double-check interest math by hand using simple interest, not a compound calculator.
- Do serve every debtor separately, even spouses sharing an address.
- Don’t file MC-320 without first filing EJ-190 — the notice depends on the application.
- Don’t sign the Certificate of Mailing yourself; you are a party.
- Don’t include unawarded attorney’s fees in Item 3.
- Don’t rely on a third-party blog’s PDF — only use the Judicial Council version.
- Don’t assume e-filing is optional; many counties require it for represented parties.
- Don’t ignore a debtor’s MC-321 motion; respond on time to preserve the renewal.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Filing pro se is realistic for most MC-320 renewals because the form is short and the rules are well-defined.
- Pro — Cost. A pro se filing costs $45; a lawyer can run $500–$1,500 for the same task.
- Pro — Speed. You control the timing and can file the day you decide.
- Pro — Familiarity. You know the case history better than anyone.
- Pro — Free help available. Every superior court has a Self-Help Center.
- Pro — Simple math. Most renewals involve interest, costs, and credits — nothing exotic.
- Con — Interest math errors. Pro se filers often compound by accident and lose the renewal.
- Con — Service mistakes. A bad Certificate of Mailing voids notice and the 30-day clock.
- Con — Assignment complexity. If the judgment was sold or inherited, you need EJ-185 first, and most pro se filers miss it.
- Con — Multi-debtor cases. Joint and several judgments with partial credits are easy to miscalculate.
- Con — High-dollar exposure. A six-figure judgment justifies the cost of a lawyer because the cost of a vacated renewal is the entire judgment.
Renewal vs. New Lawsuit on the Judgment
| Path | Key Difference |
|---|---|
| Renewal under CCP §683.110 | Same case number, same court, $45 fee, 10-year extension |
| New action on the judgment | New case, new filing fee (often $300+), full lawsuit, new statute of limitations |
EJ-190 vs. MC-320
| Form | Role |
|---|---|
| EJ-190 — Application for and Renewal of Judgment | Triggers the renewal; filed first; pays the $45 fee |
| MC-320 — Notice of Renewal of Judgment | Tells the debtor renewal happened; served after EJ-190 is filed |
FAQs
Do I file MC-320 by itself or with EJ-190?
No — never file MC-320 alone. File EJ-190 first, and serve MC-320 on the debtor after the clerk processes the application.
How long do I have to renew a California judgment?
Yes — you must renew before the 10-year anniversary of the judgment under CCP §683.020. Missing the deadline by even one day extinguishes the judgment forever.
What is the filing fee for MC-320 in 2026?
Yes — the statewide fee is $45 under Government Code §70626(b). Some e-filing vendors add a small electronic surcharge.
Can I e-file MC-320 in Los Angeles County?
Yes — Los Angeles requires e-filing for represented parties through Odyssey eFileCA. Self-represented filers may e-file or use the clerk’s window.
What goes in Item 3b if I had no post-judgment costs?
Yes — write $0.00 in 3b. Leaving it blank is a common reason clerks bounce filings back to the creditor.
Do I list the debtor’s old address from the original case in Item 2?
No — list the last known address, even if newer than the case file. Service must reach the debtor, and stale addresses void the 30-day clock.
Can interest be calculated on accrued interest each year?
No — California uses simple interest at 10% per year on the unpaid principal under CCP §685.010. Compounding gives the debtor automatic grounds to vacate.
Can the creditor sign the Certificate of Mailing on page 2?
No — only a non-party adult age 18 or older may sign, because the signer is certifying personal knowledge of the mailing as a non-party.
What happens if the debtor files an MC-321 motion to vacate?
Yes — the court will hold a hearing. If the debtor wins, only the renewal is vacated; the original judgment stays alive if the 10-year window remains open under CCP §683.170.
Do I need a new MC-012 for post-judgment costs in Item 3b?
Yes — file a fresh MC-012 for any costs not previously memorialized. Otherwise, the debtor can challenge those costs as unsupported.
Can the renewed judgment itself be renewed again later?
Yes — a renewed judgment can be renewed every 10 years for as long as you keep filing on time, allowing a diligent creditor to maintain enforcement indefinitely.
Does the 30-day debtor response window start at filing or service?
Yes — the 30-day deadline runs from the date of service on the debtor under CCP §683.170(b), not the date the clerk file-stamps the application.
If the debtor lives in another state now, do I still file in California?
Yes — renewal must occur in the original California court under CCP §683.140. Out-of-state collection then proceeds through that state’s sister-state judgment process.
Can I renew a small claims judgment with MC-320?
Yes — small claims money judgments use the same MC-320 and EJ-190, filed in the same small claims division that entered the judgment.
What if I cannot afford the $45 fee?
Yes — file a Fee Waiver (FW-001) at the same time. Approval is based on income and public-benefits status under California Rules of Court 3.50–3.58.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out California Form AT-115 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CIV-010 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form EJ-100 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form MC-010 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form MC-012 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form MC-051 (w/Examples) + FAQs