Any interest in real property which is capable of being transferred may be mortgaged.
Article 2 - Mortgage of Real Property
California Civil Code — §§ 2947-2955.5
Sections (30)
A mortgage of real property may be made in substantially the following form:
Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 554, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2004.
request for recording is made in connection with the disbursement, is more than one day prior to the date the loan proceeds are disbursed to the borrower, to a third party on behalf of the borrower, or to the lender to satisfy an existing obligation of the borrower.
Monday, or a day immediately following a bank holiday.
Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 698.
mortgage or deed of trust.
Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 19. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.
When a grant of real property purports to be an absolute conveyance, but is intended to be defeasible on the performance of certain conditions, such grant is not defeated or affected as against any person other than the grantee or his or her heirs or devisees, or persons having actual notice, unless an instrument of defeasance, duly executed and acknowledged, shall have been recorded in the office of the county recorder
of the county where the property is situated.
Added by Stats. 2024, Ch. 431, Sec. 1. (AB 3100) Effective January 1, 2025.
with multiple borrowers shall include provisions to allow for any of the existing borrowers to purchase the property interest of another borrower on the loan by assuming the seller’s portion of the mortgage in connection with a decree of dissolution of marriage, a legal separation agreement, or an incidental property settlement if the assuming borrower qualifies for the underlying loan, as determined by the lender.
Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 924, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.
Mortgages and deeds of trust of real property may be acknowledged or proved, certified and recorded, in like manner and with like effect, as grants thereof; provided, however, that a mortgage or deed of trust of real property may be recorded and constructive notice of the same and the contents thereof given in the following manner:
Any person may record in the office of the county recorder of any county fictitious mortgages and deeds of trust of real property. Those fictitious mortgages and deeds of trust need not
be acknowledged, or proved or certified to be recorded or entitled to record. Those mortgages and deeds of trust shall have noted upon the face thereof that they are fictitious. The county recorder shall index and record fictitious mortgages and deeds of trust in the same manner as other mortgages and deeds of trust are recorded, and shall note on all indices and records of the same that they are fictitious. Thereafter, any of the provisions of any recorded fictitious mortgage or deed of trust may be included for any and all purposes in any mortgage or deed of trust by reference therein to any of those provisions, without setting the same forth in full; provided, the fictitious mortgage or deed of trust is of record in the county in which the mortgage or deed of trust adopting or including by reference any of the provisions thereof is recorded. The reference shall contain a statement, as to each county in which the mortgage or deed of trust containing such a reference is recorded, of the date the fictitious
mortgage or deed of trust was recorded, the county recorder’s office wherein it is recorded, and the book or volume and the first page of the records in the recorder’s office wherein and at which the fictitious mortgage or deed of trust was recorded, and a statement by paragraph numbers or any other method that will definitely identify the same, of the specific provisions of the fictitious mortgage or deed of trust that are being so adopted and included therein. The recording of any mortgage or deed of trust which has included therein any of those provisions by reference as aforesaid shall operate as constructive notice of the whole thereof including the terms, as a part of the written contents of the mortgage or deed of trust, of those provisions so included by reference as though the same were written in full therein. The parties bound or to be bound by provisions so adopted and included by reference shall be bound thereby in the same manner and with like effect for all purposes as though those provisions
had been and were set forth in full in any mortgage or deed of trust.
The amendment to this section enacted by the 1957 Regular Session of the Legislature does not constitute a change in, but is declaratory of, the preexisting law.
Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 452, Sec. 36. (SB 1498) Effective January 1, 2023.
Any express agreement made or entered into by a borrower at the time of or in connection with the making of or renewing of any loan secured by a deed of trust, mortgage or other instrument creating a lien on real property, whereby the borrower agrees to waive the rights, or privileges conferred upon the borrower by Sections 2924, 2924b, or 2924c of the Civil Code or by Sections 580a or 726 of the Code of Civil Procedure, shall be void and of no effect. The provisions of this section shall not apply to any deed of trust, mortgage, or other liens given to secure the payment of bonds or other evidences of indebtedness authorized or permitted to be issued by the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation, or made by a public utility subject to the provisions of the Public Utilities Act.
Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1861.
As used in this section:
which would otherwise be of lower priority than his lien or security interest.
Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1861.
Every real property security instrument which contains or has attached a subordination clause shall contain:
of this section reading as follows: “Notice: This (insert description of real property security instrument) contains a subordination clause which may result in your security interest in the property becoming subject to and of lower priority than the lien of some other or later security instrument.”
whose security interest is to be subordinated, reading as follows: “Notice: This (insert description of real property security instrument) contains a subordination clause which allows the person obligated on your real property security instrument to obtain a loan a portion of which may be expended for other purposes than improvement of the land.”
Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1861.
Every subordination agreement shall contain:
“Notice: This subordination agreement (“may result” or “results” as appropriate) in your security interest in the property becoming subject to and of lower priority than the lien of some other or later security instrument.”
as follows: “Notice: This subordination agreement contains a provision which (“allows” or “may allow” as appropriate) the person obligated on your real property security to obtain a loan a portion of which may be expended for other purposes than improvement of the land.”
Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1861.
Sections 2953.1, 2953.2, and 2953.3.
Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 1861.
Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 328, Sec. 30. (SB 1330) Effective January 1, 2011.
(A) where required by a state
or federal regulatory authority, (B) where a loan is made, guaranteed, or insured by a state or federal governmental lending or insuring agency, (C) upon a failure of the purchaser or borrower to pay two consecutive tax installments on the property prior to the delinquency date for such payments, (D) where the original principal amount of such a loan is (i) 90 percent or more of the sale price, if the property involved is sold, or is (ii) 90 percent or more of the appraised value of the property securing the loan, (E) whenever the combined principal amount of all loans secured by the real property exceeds 80 percent of the appraised value of the property securing the loans, (F) where a loan is made in compliance with the requirements for higher priced mortgage loans established in Regulation Z, whether or not the loan is a higher priced mortgage loan, or (G) where a loan is refinanced or modified in connection with a lender’s homeownership preservation program or a lender’s participation in such a program
sponsored by a federal, state, or local government authority or a nonprofit organization. Nothing contained in this section shall preclude establishment of such an account on terms mutually agreeable to the parties to the loan, if, prior to the execution of the loan or sale agreement, the seller or lender has furnished to the purchaser or borrower a statement in writing, which may be set forth in the loan application, to the effect that the establishment of such an account shall not be required as a condition to the execution of the loan or sale agreement, and further, stating whether or not interest will be paid on the funds in such an account.
An impound, trust, or other type of account for the payment of taxes, insurance premiums, or other purposes relating to property established in violation of this subdivision is voidable, at the option of the purchaser or borrower, at any time, but shall not otherwise affect the validity of the loan or sale.
impound or trust account, if any, for payment of taxes on the property, insurance premiums, or other purposes relating to the property subject to the mortgage, deed of trust, or real property sale contract. The mortgagor, trustor, or vendee shall be entitled to receive one such accounting for each calendar year without charge and shall be entitled to additional similar accountings for one or more months upon written request and on payment in advance of fees as follows:
If the mortgagee, beneficiary, or vendor transmits to the mortgagor, trustor, or vendee a monthly statement or passbook showing moneys received for interest and principal repayment and received and held in and disbursed from an impound or trust account, if any, the mortgagee, beneficiary, or vendor shall be deemed to have complied with this section.
No increase in the monthly rate of payment of a mortgagor, trustor, or vendee on a real property sale contract for impound or trust accounts shall be effective until after the mortgagee, beneficiary, or vendor has furnished the mortgagor, trustor, or vendee with an itemized accounting of the moneys presently held by it in the accounts, and a statement of the new monthly rate of payment, and an explanation of the factors necessitating the increase.
The provisions of this section shall be in addition to the obligations of the parties as
stated by Section 2943.
Every person who willfully or repeatedly violates this subdivision shall be subject to punishment by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200).
Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 74, Sec. 1.
No lender or person who purchases obligations secured by real property, or any agent of such lender or person, who maintains an impound, trust, or other type of account for the payment of taxes and assessments on real property, insurance premiums, or other purposes relating to such property shall do any of the following:
2609), as amended.
Nothing contained herein shall prohibit requiring additional amounts to be paid into an impound account in order to recover any deficiency which may exist in the account.
Any person harmed by a violation of this section shall be entitled to sue to recover
his or her damages or for injunctive relief; but such violation shall not otherwise affect the validity of the loan or sale.
This section applies to all such accounts maintained after the effective date of this act.
Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 774.
if any. The written statement required to be furnished by this section shall be deemed furnished if the mortgagee of record transmits to the mortgagor of record cumulative statements or receipts which, for each calendar year, provide in one of the statements or receipts the information required by this section. The mortgagor, trustor or vendee shall be entitled to receive one such statement for each calendar year without charge and without request. Such statement shall include a notification in 10-point type that additional accountings can be requested by the mortgagor, trustor, or vendee, pursuant to Section 2954.
beneficiary.
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 159, Sec. 35. Effective January 1, 2002.
payment does not eliminate or supersede late charges imposed on prior late payments. A payment is not a “late payment” for the purposes of this section until at least 10 days following the due date of the installment.
construed to alter in any way the duty of the borrower to pay any installment then due or to alter the rights of the lender to enforce the payment of the installments.
secured by the dwelling within 90 days of the execution of the mortgage or deed of trust.
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 159, Sec. 36. Effective January 1, 2002.
loan, of the date after which this charge will be assessed.
The notice provided in either paragraph (1) or (2) shall contain the amount of the charge or the method by which it is calculated.
to one shall be deemed to comply with this section.
The amendments to this section made at the 1975–76 Regular Session of the Legislature shall only apply to loans executed on and after January 1, 1976.
Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 137, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002. Operative July 1, 2002, by Sec. 2 of Ch. 137.
the following:
the private mortgage insurance or mortgage guaranty insurance.
servicer, and paid for by the borrower, and (2) the borrower may contact the lender or person making, arranging, or servicing the loan at a designated address and telephone number to determine whether the borrower has a right of cancellation and, if so, the conditions and procedure to effect cancellation. The notice or statement required by this subdivision shall be provided in or with each written statement required by Section 2954.2.
of the loan nor to any insurance issued pursuant to Part 4 (commencing with Section 51600) of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code, or loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration or Veterans Administration.
Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1099, Sec. 2.
Within 30 days after notice of cancellation from the insured, a private mortgage insurer or mortgage guaranty insurer shall, if the policy is cancellable, refund the remaining portion of the unused premium to the person or persons designated by the insured.
Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 538, Sec. 56. Effective January 1, 2007.
Except when a statute, regulation, rule, or written guideline promulgated by an institutional third party applicable to notes or evidence of indebtedness secured by a deed of trust or mortgage purchased in whole or in part by an institutional third party specifically prohibits cancellation during the term of the indebtedness, if a borrower so requests and the conditions established by paragraphs (1) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) are met, a borrower may terminate future payments for private mortgage insurance, or mortgage guaranty insurance as
defined in subdivision (a) of Section 12640.02 of the Insurance Code, issued as a condition to the extension of credit in the form of a loan evidenced by a note or other evidence of indebtedness that is secured by a deed of trust or mortgage on the subject real property.
family, household, or purchase money purposes, secured by a deed of trust or mortgage on owner-occupied, one- to four-unit, residential real property.
paid for by the borrower. The appraisal shall be ordered and the appraiser shall be selected by the lender or servicer of the loan.
trust or mortgage, or mortgage insurance, executed under the authority of Part 3 (commencing with Section 50900) or Part 4 (commencing with Section 51600) of Division 31 of the Health and Safety Code.
the institutional third party’s standards for termination of future payments for private mortgage insurance or mortgage guaranty insurance shall be deemed in compliance with the requirements of this section.
Amended by Stats. 1979, Ch. 803.
section do not apply to any of the following:
The amendment of this section made by the 1979–80 Regular Session of the Legislature shall only apply to loans executed on or after January 1, 1980.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 103, Sec. 1. (AB 493) Effective August 29, 2025.
securing loans made by the financial institution that will result in an interest rate of less than 2 percent per annum being paid on the hazard insurance proceeds held.
hazard insurance proceeds in an interest-bearing account in a federally insured depository institution, a federal home loan bank, a federal reserve bank, or another similar government-sponsored enterprise.
Amended by Stats. 1990, Ch. 663, Sec. 2.
prepayment charge and then solely as herein set forth. An amount not exceeding 20 percent of the original principal amount may be prepaid in any 12-month period without penalty. A prepayment charge may be imposed on any amount prepaid in any 12-month period in excess of 20 percent of the original principal amount of the loan which charge shall not exceed an amount equal to the payment of six months’ advance interest on the amount prepaid in excess of 20 percent of the original principal amount.
and the prepayment is causally related thereto.
Amended by Stats. 1989, Ch. 698, Sec. 11.
An obligee which accelerates the maturity date of the principal and accrued interest, pursuant to contract, on any loan secured by a mortgage or deed of trust on real property or an estate for years therein, upon the conveyance of any right, title, or interest in that property, may not claim, exact, or collect any charge, fee, or penalty for any prepayment resulting from that acceleration.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a loan other than a loan secured by residential real property or any interest therein containing four units or less, in which the obligor has expressly waived, in
writing, the right to repay in whole or part without penalty, or has expressly agreed, in writing, to the payment of a penalty for prepayment upon acceleration. For any loan executed on or after January 1, 1984, this waiver or agreement shall be separately signed or initialed by the obligor and its enforcement shall be supported by evidence of a course of conduct by the obligee of individual weight to the consideration in that transaction for the waiver or agreement.
Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 32, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1997.
provides for a separate subaccount of the open-end credit plan pursuant to which the principal of, and interest on, the loan associated with that subaccount are to be repaid in substantially equal installments over a specified period without regard to the amount outstanding under any other feature of the open-end credit plan or the payment schedule with respect to the other feature.
subject to a prepayment charge and then solely as herein set forth. An amount not exceeding 20 percent of the original principal amount of the installment loan may be prepaid in any one 12-month period without incurring a prepayment charge. A prepayment charge may be imposed on any amount prepaid in any 12-month period in excess of 20 percent of the original principal amount of the installment loan, which charge shall not exceed an amount equal to the payment of six months’ advance interest on the amount prepaid in excess of 20 percent of the original principal amount of the installment loan.
pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code, that the residential structure cannot be occupied and the prepayment is causally related thereto.
prepayment charge obligation, the conditions under which the prepayment charge shall be payable, and the method by which the amount of the prepayment charge shall be determined. If subdivision (f) provides the borrower with a right to rescind the installment loan and the related obligation to pay a prepayment charge, the disclosure required by this subdivision shall also inform the borrower of this right to rescind, how and when to exercise the right, and where to mail or deliver a notice of rescission.
the lender for the installment loan, or no earlier than 30 days before nor later than 10 days following the making of the installment loan, if made without the borrower having to sign an agreement or other documentation, such as may be the case if the installment loan may be made on the basis of telephone or other discussions between the lender and the borrower not taking place in person. If the installment loan is made before the borrower has been furnished with the disclosure required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), the borrower shall have the right to rescind the installment loan and the related obligation to pay a prepayment charge by personally delivering or mailing notice to that effect to the lender, by first-class mail with postage prepaid, at the lender’s location stated in its disclosure concerning the right to rescind within 10 days following the furnishing of the disclosure.
subdivision (e) is included in the agreement or other document signed by the borrower for the installment loan, the disclosure shall be deemed given at that time. In other cases, the disclosure shall be deemed furnished when personally delivered to the borrower or three days after it is mailed to the borrower, first-class mail with postage prepaid, at the address to which billing statements for the open-end credit plan are being sent.
subdivision with respect to all of them.
of the Business and Professions Code.
Added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 62, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1998.
or collect future payments from a borrower for private mortgage insurance or mortgage guaranty insurance as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 12640.02 of the Insurance Code, if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
principal, interest, and escrow obligations is current at the time the right to cancellation of mortgage insurance accrues.
apply to any of the following:
party’s standards for termination of future payments for private mortgage insurance or mortgage guaranty insurance shall be deemed in compliance with the requirements of this section.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1055, Sec. 3) by Stats. 1995, Ch. 564, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1996.
engaged in business within this state.
or savings association holding company or subsidiary thereof, credit union, industrial bank or industrial loan company, commercial finance lender, personal property broker, consumer finance lender, or insurer doing business under the authority of and in accordance with the laws of this state, any other state, or of the United States relating to banks, trust companies, savings banks or savings associations, credit unions, industrial banks or industrial loan companies, commercial finance lenders, personal property brokers, consumer finance lenders, or insurers, as evidenced by a license, certificate, or charter issued by the United States or a state, district, territory, or commonwealth of the United States.
Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 181, Sec. 41) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 605, Sec. 18. (SB 752) Effective January 1, 2014.
Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 412, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000. Operative July 1, 2000, by Sec. 2 of Ch. 412.
documents.
against loss or damage from fire and other perils covered within the scope of a standard extended coverage endorsement.