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SC-223Optional

Declaration of Default in Payment of Judgment

California · Judicial Council of California · Effective July 1, 2025

This form is used in a small claims case when the court previously allowed payments on a judgment, but the person who was supposed to pay has stopped making those payments. It asks the court to declare the remaining balance of the judgment as immediately due and payable.

The court describes it as: Fill out and file this form in a Small Claims case if the other side lost, the judge gave them permission to make payments, and they stopped paying as ordered.

Open the official PDFfrom Judicial Council of California

Where this fits in a case

Judgment

Stage: Judgment

This form is used when a court has ordered that a judgment debtor can pay a small claims judgment in installments, and the debtor has failed to make the payments as scheduled.

Either party may file.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

Who should fill out this form?
The form is filled out by the person asking the court to declare the judgment due, which is the judgment creditor.
What happens if I disagree with this form?
If you are the judgment debtor and disagree, you may file form SC-224, Response to Declaration of Default in Payment of Judgment, within 10 days after the declaration was mailed to you.
Does this form require a filing fee?
The provided text does not mention any filing fees for this form.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect July 1, 2025.

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