Property & exemptions

California bankruptcy exemptions

Selected key California exemptions — the homestead, vehicle, wildcard categories below are quoted from the statute that states them. This is not a complete list of everything California protects.

Which exemption list applies in California

California law only. California has opted out of the federal exemption set, so a filer who uses California exemptions cannot instead choose the list in 11 U.S.C. § 522(d).

Cal. Civ. Proc. Code §§ 703.130–.140

This page is still being completed

No completeness decision has been recorded for California. We show what has been verified rather than filling the gap with something we have not checked — but treat what follows as partial.

Homestead — your home

California publishes more than one current amount here. Which applies depends on your circumstances — compare the conditions below rather than assuming the largest.

California Article 4 homestead — annual county-median formulaNo single dollar figure — see the rule
The statute uses the greater of an annually inflation-adjusted floor or the prior-calendar-year countywide median single-family-home sale price, capped by an annually adjusted ceiling. No single statewide amount is asserted.
Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 704.730
California § 703.140(b)(1) residence interest$36,750
Available only under the alternative § 703.140(b) bankruptcy set; covers the listed real, personal, cooperative, or burial-plot residence interest.
Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 703.140(b)(1); Form EJ-156

Motor vehicle

California § 703.140(b)(2) motor vehicles$8,625
Available only under the alternative § 703.140(b) bankruptcy set; the amount is an aggregate interest in one or more motor vehicles.
Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 703.140(b)(2); Form EJ-156

Wildcard and general personal property

California § 703.140(b)(5) wildcardNo single dollar figure — see the rule
Available only under the alternative § 703.140(b) set; the base amount may be increased by the unused portion of paragraph (1).
Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 703.140(b)(5); Form EJ-156

What these amounts do and do not mean

An exemption protects your EQUITY — what the property is worth beyond what you still owe on it — not the item’s sticker price.
More than one amount can apply in the same category. Where that is true the entries below are listed separately with the condition that selects each one; we do not pick for you.
Federal limits can still apply on top of state law. 11 U.S.C. § 522(p) and (q) can cap a homestead claim for someone who moved recently or in specific circumstances.
Which set of exemptions you may use depends on where you were domiciled during the period 11 U.S.C. § 522(b)(3)(A) measures, which is not always the state you live in today.

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