The California Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) has issued a new policy about release of judgment liens. LSCAs are required to record real property liens as part of enforcing child support orders. LCSA must release real property liens when closing a case.
Existing regulations allow Local Child Support Agencies (LCSAs) to either record lien releases or provide lien releases to obligors to record. Effective January 1, 2018, the fee to record a release of lien is $75. LCSAs are exempt from the new fee. For that reason, LCSAs must now record record Release of Judgment Liens on behalf of the obligor unless an obligor asks to record it themselves or through an escrow transaction.
LCSA can record lien releases without a notary certificate. Obligors must still provide a notary certificate if they record a lien release themselves. (CSSP Letter 17-11, December 29, 2017.)