Under Code of Civil Procedure 684.115 (effective January 1, 2013), most financial institutions must now post online a central place in California for service of process such as bank levies; otherwise parties, including judgment creditors, can serve the financial institution at any branch.
On January 1, 2013, new Code of Civil Procedure section 684.115 (AB 2364) went into effect. Previously, judgment creditors were required to serve legal process (such as bank levies) on the particular bank branch where the judgment debtor opened the account, which often caused delay and expense to determine such information. Under new Section 684.115, any financial institution with more than 9 branches is required to file with the California Department of Business Oversight (DBO) one or more central locations within California that are designated for service of legal process.
Judgment creditors and other parties can access an alphabetized bank listing with addresses for service of legal process on the DBO’s website or through this link.
Banks with nine or fewer branches may also elect to designate a central location through the DBO. If a bank with more than 9 branches fails to designate one or more central locations, then judgment creditors may serve legal process at any branch of that financial institution. The creditor must obtain a writ of execution for the county of the central location, or if no central location is designated, for any county where a branch is located.