Fla. Stat. § 55.205 — Florida Code / Title VI / Chapter 55 / Section 55.205
55.205 Effect of judgment lien.
Status: in_force

(1) A judgment creditor who has not acquired a judgment lien as provided in s. 55.202 or whose lien has lapsed may nevertheless proceed against the judgment debtor’s property through any appropriate judicial process, subject to the priority of conflicting rights under chapter 679 of a secured party as defined in s. 679.1021(1). Such judgment creditor proceeding by writ of execution acquires a lien as of the time of levy and only on the property levied upon.

(2) A buyer in the ordinary course of business as defined in s. 671.201(9) takes free of a judgment lien acquired as provided in s. 55.202 or s. 55.204 even though the buyer knows of its existence. A valid security interest as defined in chapter 679 in after-acquired property of the judgment debtor which is perfected before the debtor acquires an interest in the property takes priority over the judgment lien on the after-acquired property.

(3) An individual buyer of goods for personal, family, or household use who buys the goods from a seller who held the goods for personal, family, or household use, and who pays value without knowledge that the goods are subject to a judgment lien, is entitled, to the extent of the value paid, to a lien on the goods superior to the judgment lien. If the buyer has made improvements to the goods, or other reasons justify doing so, a court may adjust the amount secured by the lien as the equities may require. This subsection shall not apply to: (a) A transfer to a relative or an insider of the judgment debtor, as such are defined at s. 726.102; (b) A fraudulent transfer, as defined by s. 726.105, s. 726.106, or 11 U.S.C. s. 548; (c) A fraudulent asset conversion as defined by s. 222.30; (d) Twenty-five percent of the transfer of goods by a judgment debtor the value of which, in the aggregate, exceeds $10,000; (e) Fifty percent of the transfer of goods by a judgment debtor the value of which, in the aggregate, exceeds $20,000; (f) Seventy-five percent of the transfer of goods by a judgment debtor the value of which, in the aggregate, exceeds $25,000; or (g) Any transfer of goods by a judgment debtor the value of which, in the aggregate, exceeds $30,000.

(4) A buyer of stock in a corporation takes free of a judgment lien hereunder if the buyer pays value in good faith without notice as defined in s. 678.1051.

(5)(a) If the judgment debtor’s personal property, to the extent not exempt from execution, includes a motor vehicle or a vessel for which a Florida certificate of title has been issued, a judgment lien acquired under this section on such property not yet noted on the certificate of title is valid and enforceable against the judgment debtor. However, enforceability under this chapter of such judgment lien against creditors or subsequent purchasers is determined as provided under s. 319.27(2), s. 328.14, or chapter 679, as applicable. (b) A judgment lienholder may obtain an order instructing the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to note the lien on the certificate of title through a court of competent jurisdiction conducting proceedings supplementary to execution under s. 56.29(6)(b).

(6) A judgment lien acquired under s. 55.202 may be enforced only through judicial process, including attachment under chapter 76; execution under chapter 56; garnishment under chapter 77; a charging order under s. 605.0503, s. 620.1703, or s. 620.8504; or proceedings supplementary to execution under s. 56.29. A holder of a judgment lien acquired under s. 55.202, who is not enforcing separate lien rights in a judgment debtor’s property, may not enforce his or her rights under this section through self-help repossession or replevin without a court order or without the express consent of the judgment debtor contained in a record authenticated in accordance with s. 668.50 or s. 679.1021(1) after the judgment lien attaches.

(7) Notwithstanding the attachment of a judgment lien acquired under s. 55.202 to payment intangibles or accounts and the proceeds thereof, the account debtor may, absent receipt of notice under s. 679.607(1)(a) from a secured party, discharge the account debtor’s obligation to pay payment intangibles or accounts or the proceeds thereof by paying the judgment debtor until, but not after, the account debtor is served by process with a complaint or petition by the judgment creditor seeking judicial relief with respect to the payment intangibles or accounts. Thereafter, the account debtor may discharge the account debtor’s obligation to pay payment intangibles or accounts or the proceeds thereof under this section only in accordance with a settlement agreement, final order, or judgment issued in such judicial process that complies with this section.

History: s. 12, ch. 2000-258; s. 5, ch. 2001-154; s. 4, ch. 2005-241; s. 3, ch. 2023-300; s. 2, ch. 2024-233; s. 133, ch. 2025-92.