Notice to owner, state by state.
25 states want an early notice before you can lien a private job. Here's who sends it, when, and to whom. Open a state for the date calculator.
| State | Notice | Who sends it, and when |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Preliminary 20-day notice | GC: 20 days after your first day on the job · Subcontractor: 20 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 20 days after your first day on the job |
| Arkansas | Notice to owner and GC | Subcontractor: 75 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 75 days after your first day on the job |
| California | 20-day preliminary notice | Subcontractor: 20 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 20 days after your first day on the job |
| Florida | Notice to Owner | Subcontractor: 45 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 45 days after your first day on the job |
| Georgia | Notice to Contractor | Supplier: 30 days after your first day on the job |
| Illinois | 90-day notice to owner | Subcontractor: 90 days after your last day on the job · Supplier: 90 days after your last day on the job |
| Kentucky | Notice of intent to hold a lien | Subcontractor: 120 days after your last day on the job · Supplier: 120 days after your last day on the job |
| Louisiana | Notice of nonpayment | Supplier: 75 days after the end of the month you started |
| Massachusetts | Notice of identification | Supplier: 30 days after your first day on the job |
| Michigan | Notice of furnishing | Subcontractor: 20 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 20 days after your first day on the job |
| Minnesota | Pre-lien notice | GC: 10 days after your first day on the job · Subcontractor: 45 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 45 days after your first day on the job |
| Montana | Notice of right to claim a lien | Subcontractor: 20 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 20 days after your first day on the job |
| Nevada | Notice of right to lien | Subcontractor: 31 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 31 days after your first day on the job |
| New Hampshire | Notice to owner before you start | Subcontractor: by your first day on the job · Supplier: by your first day on the job |
| New Mexico | Preliminary notice | Subcontractor: 60 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 60 days after your first day on the job |
| North Carolina | Notice to lien agent | GC: 15 days after your first day on the job · Subcontractor: 15 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 15 days after your first day on the job |
| Ohio | Notice of furnishing | Subcontractor: 21 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 21 days after your first day on the job |
| Oklahoma | Pre-lien notice | Subcontractor: 75 days after your last day on the job · Supplier: 75 days after your last day on the job |
| Oregon | Notice of right to a lien | Supplier: 8 days after your first day on the job |
| Tennessee | Notice of nonpayment | Subcontractor: 90 days after the end of the month you started · Supplier: 90 days after the end of the month you started |
| Texas | Notice of claim for unpaid work | Subcontractor: by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month you started · Supplier: by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month you started |
| Utah | Preliminary notice on the State Construction Registry | GC: 20 days after your first day on the job · Subcontractor: 20 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 20 days after your first day on the job |
| Washington | Notice to owner | Supplier: 60 days after your first day on the job |
| Wisconsin | Preliminary notice | GC: 10 days after your first day on the job · Subcontractor: 60 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 60 days after your first day on the job |
| Wyoming | Notice of right to lien | Subcontractor: 30 days after your first day on the job · Supplier: 30 days after your first day on the job |
This is not legal advice. Lien deadlines are strict and they change with the contract, the type of project (a home vs. a commercial job), and what the owner records. Public jobs don't take liens at all: you make a bond claim instead. Check the statute we cite, or call a construction lawyer in that state, before you count on a date.
Questions crews ask
What is a notice to owner or preliminary notice?
An early notice to the property owner (and often the GC and lender) that you're working on their job and could lien it if you're not paid. In the states that require one, skipping it can cost you your lien rights.
Which states require a preliminary notice?
25 states have one for at least some roles on private jobs: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Does a GC have to send one?
Usually not, because the GC already has a contract with the owner. A few states require one from GCs too; the table shows each state's rule by role.
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