Cal. Civ. Code § 307
Liens
Operative Text
§ 307. Liens. Every fine imposed by judgment under section three hundred four upon an owner shall be a lien upon the premises in relation to which the fine is imposed from the time of the filing of a certified copy of said judgment in the office of the clerk of the county in which such premises are situated, subject only to taxes, assessments and water rates and to such mortgage and mechanics' liens as may exist thereon prior to such filing; and it shall be the duty of the department upon the entry of said judgment to file such certified copy forthwith, and such copy shall be forthwith indexed by such clerk in the index of mechanics' liens.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 307, when a court enters a judgment imposing a fine on a property owner under Section 304, that fine automatically becomes a lien attached to the specific property once a certified copy of the judgment is filed with the county clerk. The lien ranks behind pre-existing taxes, assessments, water rates, and prior mortgage or mechanics' liens, but takes priority over later encumbrances. The relevant department is required to file the certified copy promptly upon entry of judgment, and the county clerk must index it among mechanics' liens.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners subject to a Section 304 judgment should be aware that N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 307 creates an automatic lien on the affected premises the moment the certified judgment copy is filed with the county clerk — an action the department is obligated to take immediately. Compliant operators generally monitor outstanding code-enforcement proceedings closely, since an unresolved lien can affect the ability to sell, refinance, or transfer the property. Keeping records of any satisfied judgments and confirming their release with the county clerk's office is a practice commonly associated with sound property management.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 307 establishes that fines levied against a property owner through a Section 304 judgment become liens on the building itself, creating a public record of enforcement actions tied to that property. Tenants can search county clerk records to learn whether such liens have been filed against their building, which may provide useful context about a landlord's compliance history. Those with concerns about building conditions or enforcement may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or a local rent board to understand how Section 307 liens interact with broader housing-code enforcement in their situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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