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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 7Ch. 4§ 7403 Bailee Delivery To Title Holder

§ 7403 Bailee Delivery To Title Holder

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 7403 Bailee Delivery To Title Holder

Key Takeaways

  • •If you have the right papers (like a receipt) for stuff stored somewhere (like a warehouse), the storage place must give you your stuff back if you follow the rules.
  • •The storage place doesn’t have to give your stuff back if they already gave it to the right person, it got lost/damaged (not their fault), they sold it to pay a debt, or there’s another good reason.
  • •You must pay any money you owe the storage place before they give you your stuff, if they ask for it or if the law says so.
  • •If you have the papers for the stuff, you must give them to the storage place so they can mark them as ‘paid’ or ‘partly given back’—otherwise, they can get in trouble.

Example

You store your bike in a storage unit and have the receipt. Later, you go to pick it up.

The storage place must give you your bike if you show the receipt and pay any money you owe them. But if they already sold your bike because you didn’t pay your storage bill, they don’t have to give it back.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 7403 Bailee Delivery To Title Holder

(a) A bailee shall deliver the goods to a person entitled under a document of title if the person complies with subdivisions (b) and (c), unless and to the extent that the bailee establishes any of the following: (1) delivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the claimant; (2) damage to or delay, loss, or destruction of the goods for which the bailee is not liable; (3) previous sale or other disposition of the goods in lawful enforcement of a lien or on a warehouse’s lawful termination of storage; (4) the exercise by a seller of its right to stop delivery pursuant to Section 2705 or by a lessor of its right to stop delivery pursuant to Section 10526; (5) a diversion, reconsignment, or other disposition pursuant to Section 7303; (6) release, satisfaction, or any other personal defense against the claimant; or (7) any other lawful excuse. (b) A person claiming goods covered by a document of title shall satisfy the bailee’s lien if the bailee so requests or if the bailee is prohibited by law from delivering the goods until the charges are paid. (c) Unless a person claiming the goods is a person against which the document of title does not confer a right under subdivision (a) of Section 7503: (1) the person claiming under a document shall surrender possession or control of any outstanding negotiable document covering the goods for cancellation or indication of partial deliveries; and (2) the bailee shall cancel the document or conspicuously indicate in the document the partial delivery or the bailee is liable to any person to which the document is duly negotiated. (Repealed and added by Stats. 2006, Ch. 254, Sec. 49. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

baileedocument of titlelawful excusebailee’s liennegotiable document

Related Statutes

  • § 7401 Issuer Obligations Despite Defects
  • § 7404 Bailee Good Faith Protection
  • § 7402 Duplicate Document Title Invalidity
  • § 2503 Seller Delivery Obligations
  • § 7601 Lost Document Replacement Orders

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 7403.
View Official Source