Cal. Civ. Code § 2922 : CALIFORNIA CIVIL CODE — OBLIGATIONS — OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM PARTICULAR TRANSACTIONS — LIEN — MORTGAGE — MORTGAGES IN GENERAL — Writing executed with formalities required in case of grant of real property TEXT PDF A mortgage can be created, renewed, or extended, only by writing, executed with the formalities required in the case of a grant of real property. Ca. Civ. Code § 2922 Enacted 1872.