LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 2Ch. 7§ 2705 Seller'S Right To Stop Delivery

§ 2705 Seller'S Right To Stop Delivery

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

§ 2705 Seller'S Right To Stop Delivery

This law lets a seller stop a shipment of goods that’s already with a carrier if the buyer can’t pay or has broken the deal.

Key Takeaways

  • •Seller can stop delivery when the buyer is insolvent or doesn’t pay before delivery.
  • •Seller must give the carrier a clear notice so the carrier can try to keep the goods.
  • •The carrier must hold the goods as the seller directs, and the seller pays any extra costs the carrier incurs.
  • •If the seller has given a negotiable title document, the carrier only has to stop delivery when that document is turned in.

Example

A furniture store sells a whole truckload of sofas to a restaurant, but the restaurant goes bankrupt before paying.

The store can tell the truck driver to hold the sofas and not deliver them. The driver must keep the sofas until the store gets them back or gives the driver a proper paper showing ownership.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 2705 Seller'S Right To Stop Delivery

(1) The seller may stop delivery of goods in the possession of a carrier or other bailee when he discovers the buyer to be insolvent (Section 2702) and may stop delivery of carload, truckload, planeload or larger shipments of express or freight when the buyer repudiates or fails to make a payment due before delivery or if for any other reason the seller has a right to withhold or reclaim the goods. (2) As against such buyer the seller may stop delivery until (a) Receipt of the goods by the buyer; or (b) Acknowledgment to the buyer by any bailee of the goods except a carrier that the bailee holds the goods for the buyer; or (c) Such acknowledgment to the buyer by a carrier by reshipment or as a warehouse; or (d) Negotiation to the buyer of any negotiable document of title covering the goods. (3) (a) To stop delivery the seller must so notify as to enable the bailee by reasonable diligence to prevent delivery of the goods. (b) After such notification the bailee must hold and deliver the goods according to the directions of the seller but the seller is liable to the bailee for any ensuing charges or damages. (c) If a negotiable document of title has been issued for goods the bailee is not obliged to obey a notification to stop until surrender of possession or control of the document. (d) A carrier who has issued a nonnegotiable bill of lading is not obliged to obey a notification to stop received from a person other than the consignor. (Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 254, Sec. 43. Effective January 1, 2007.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

stop deliverybuyerinsolventrepudiatesbaileecarriernegotiable document of title

Related Statutes

  • § 2702 Seller Rights For Insolvent Buyers
  • § 2703 Seller Remedies For Breach
  • § 2712 Buyer Cover After Breach
  • § 2717 Buyer'S Damage Deduction Right
  • § 10526 Lessor Right To Stop Delivery

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 2705.
View Official Source