Cal. Commercial Code § 5118

(a) An issuer or nominated person has a security interest in a document presented under a letter of credit to the extent that the issuer or nominated person honors or gives value for the presentation. (b) So long as and to the extent that an issuer or nominated person has not been reimbursed or has not otherwise recovered the value given with respect to a security interest in a document under subdivision (a), the security interest continues and is subject to Division 9 (commencing with Section 9101), subject to all of the following: (1) A security agreement is not necessary to make the security interest enforceable under paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of section 9203. (2) If the document is presented in a medium other than a written or other tangible medium, the security interest is perfected. (3) If the document is presented in a written or other tangible medium and is not a certificated security, chattel paper, a document of title, an instrument, or a letter of credit, the security interest is perfected and has priority over a conflicting security interest in the document so long as the debtor does not have possession of the document.