ARTICLE 5. Declared Homesteads [704.910. - 704.995.]

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP 5.

in effect

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.910. Section 704.910.

As used in this article: (a) “Declared homestead” means the dwelling described in a homestead declaration. (b) “Declared homestead owner” includes both of the following: (1) The owner of an interest in the declared homestead who is named as a declared homestead owner in a homestead declaration recorded pursuant to this article. (2) The declarant named in a declaration of homestead recorded prior to July 1, 1983, pursuant to former Title 5 (commencing with Section 1237) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code and the spouse of such declarant. (c) “Dwelling” means any interest in real property (whether present or future, vested or contingent, legal or equitable) that is a “dwelling” as defined in Section 704.710, but does not include a leasehold estate with an unexpired term of less than two years or the interest of the beneficiary of a trust. (d) “Homestead declaration” includes both of the following: (1) A homestead declaration recorded pursuant to this article. (2) A declaration of homestead recorded prior to July 1, 1983, pursuant to former Title 5 (commencing with former Section 1237) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code. (e) “Spouse” means a “spouse” as defined in Section 704.710.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.920. Section 704.920.

A dwelling in which an owner or spouse of an owner resides may be selected as a declared homestead pursuant to this article by recording a homestead declaration in the office of the county recorder of the county where the dwelling is located. From and after the time of recording, the dwelling is a declared homestead for the purposes of this article.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.930. Section 704.930.

(a) A homestead declaration recorded pursuant to this article shall contain all of the following: (1) The name of the declared homestead owner. Spouses both may be named as declared homestead owners in the same homestead declaration if each owns an interest in the dwelling selected as the declared homestead. (2) A description of the declared homestead. (3) A statement that the declared homestead is the principal dwelling of the declared homestead owner or such person’s spouse, and that the declared homestead owner or such person’s spouse resides in the declared homestead on the date the homestead declaration is recorded. (b) The homestead declaration shall be executed and acknowledged in the manner of an acknowledgment of a conveyance of real property by at least one of the following persons: (1) The declared homestead owner. (2) The spouse of the declared homestead owner. (3) The guardian or conservator of the person or estate of either of the persons listed in paragraph (1) or (2). The guardian or conservator may execute, acknowledge, and record a homestead declaration without the need to obtain court authorization. (4) A person acting under a power of attorney or otherwise authorized to act on behalf of a person listed in paragraph (1) or (2). (c) The homestead declaration shall include a statement that the facts stated in the homestead declaration are known to be true as of the personal knowledge of the person executing and acknowledging the homestead declaration. If the homestead declaration is executed and acknowledged by a person listed in paragraph (3) or (4) of subdivision (b), it shall also contain a statement that the person has authority to so act on behalf of the declared homestead owner or the spouse of the declared homestead owner and the source of the person’s authority.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.940. Section 704.940.

A homestead declaration does not restrict or limit any right to convey or encumber the declared homestead. A homestead declaration, when properly recorded, is prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated, and conclusive evidence thereof in favor of a purchaser or encumbrancer in good faith and for a valuable consideration.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.950. Section 704.950.

(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), a judgment lien on real property created pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 697.310) of Chapter 2 does not attach to a declared homestead if both of the following requirements are satisfied: (1) A homestead declaration describing the declared homestead was recorded prior to the time the abstract or certified copy of the judgment was recorded to create the judgment lien. (2) The homestead declaration names the judgment debtor or the spouse of the judgment debtor as a declared homestead owner. (b) This section does not apply to a judgment lien created under Section 697.320 by recording a certified copy of a judgment for child, family, or spousal support. (c) A judgment lien attaches to a declared homestead in the amount of any surplus over the total of the following: (1) All liens and encumbrances on the declared homestead at the time the abstract of judgment or certified copy of the judgment is recorded to create the judgment lien. (2) The homestead exemption set forth in Section 704.730.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.960. Section 704.960.

(a) If a declared homestead is voluntarily sold, the proceeds of sale are exempt in the amount provided by Section 704.730 for a period of six months after the date of sale. (b) If the proceeds of a declared homestead are invested in a new dwelling within six months after the date of a voluntary sale or within six months after proceeds of an execution sale or of insurance or other indemnification for damage or destruction are received, the new dwelling may be selected as a declared homestead by recording a homestead declaration within the applicable six-month period. In such case, the homestead declaration has the same effect as if it had been recorded at the time the prior homestead declaration was recorded.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.965. Section 704.965.

If a homestead declaration is recorded prior to the operative date of an amendment to Section 704.730 which increases the amount of the homestead exemption, the amount of the exemption for the purposes of subdivision (c) of Section 704.950 and Section 704.960 is the increased amount, except that, if the judgment creditor obtained a lien on the declared homestead prior to the operative date of the amendment to Section 704.730, the exemption for the purposes of subdivision (c) of Section 704.950 and Section 704.960 shall be determined as if that amendment to Section 704.730 had not been enacted.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.970. Section 704.970.

Whether or not a homestead declaration has been recorded: (a) Nothing in this article affects the right of levy pursuant to a writ of execution. (b) Any levy pursuant to a writ of execution on a dwelling (as defined in Section 704.710) and the sale pursuant thereto shall be made in compliance with Article 4 (commencing with Section 704.710) and the judgment debtor and the judgment creditor shall have all the rights and benefits provided by that article.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.980. Section 704.980.

(a) A declared homestead may be abandoned by a declaration of abandonment under this section, whether the homestead declaration was recorded pursuant to this article or pursuant to former Title 5 (commencing with former Section 1237) of Part 4 of Division 2 of the Civil Code. (b) A declaration of abandonment shall be executed and acknowledged in the manner of an acknowledgment of a conveyance of real property. It shall be executed and acknowledged by a declared homestead owner or by a person authorized to act on behalf of a declared homestead owner. If it is executed and acknowledged by a person authorized to act on behalf of a declared homestead owner, the declaration shall contain a statement that the person has authority to act on behalf of the declared homestead owner and the source of the person’s authority. (c) The declaration of abandonment does not affect the declared homestead of any person other than the declared homestead owner named in the declaration of abandonment.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.990. Section 704.990.

(a) A declared homestead is abandoned by operation of law as to a declared homestead owner if the declared homestead owner or a person authorized to act on behalf of the declared homestead owner executes, acknowledges, and records a new homestead declaration for the declared homestead owner on different property. An abandonment under this subdivision does not affect the declared homestead of any person other than the declared homestead owner named in the new homestead declaration. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), if a homestead declaration is recorded which includes property described in a previously recorded homestead declaration, to the extent that the prior homestead declaration is still valid, the new homestead declaration shall not be considered an abandonment of the prior declared homestead.

Cal. Code of Civil Procedure - CCP § 704.995. Section 704.995.

(a) The protection of the declared homestead from any creditor having an attachment lien, execution lien, or judgment lien on the dwelling continues after the death of the declared homestead owner if, at the time of the death, the dwelling was the principal dwelling of one or more of the following persons to whom all or part of the interest of the deceased declared homestead owner passes: (1) The surviving spouse of the decedent. (2) A member of the family of the decedent. (b) The protection of the declared homestead provided by subdivision (a) continues regardless of whether the decedent was the sole owner of the declared homestead or owned the declared homestead with the surviving spouse or a member of the decedent’s family and regardless of whether the surviving spouse or the member of the decedent’s family was a declared homestead owner at the time of the decedent’s death. (c) The amount of the homestead exemption is determined pursuant to Section 704.730 depending on the circumstances of the case at the time the amount is required to be determined.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026