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Lien and Notice Research: Road Construction Projects

By on March 1, 2013

When performing work on a public road construction project and you want to send a preliminary notice to the “owner” of the project, who should receive this notice? The answer to this question is the public entity that is issuing the road construction work. For subcontractors or suppliers on a road project, it can sometimes [...]

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Color Coded Map of Nationwide Notice Requirements

By on December 26, 2012

Filing a mechanics lien is a great credit and collections tool, but there are a lot of compliance requirements tied to the remedy. Sometimes, notices must be sent at the start of construction (preliminary notices).  Sometimes, notices must be sent at the end of construction before a mechanics lien is filed (notice of intent to [...]

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Free California Mechanics Lien and 20-Day Preliminary Notice Forms

By on May 22, 2012

Here are a few California forms that are helpful to anyone furnishing materials, labor or services to construction projects in that state, as well as a description of each. All forms are provided subject to Zlien’s terms of use.  These forms relate only to private projects in the state of California. Free California Mechanics Lien [...]

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Effective Now: New California Preliminary Notice Requirement for Public Work Projects

By on January 3, 2012

The preliminary notice requirements on private construction projects in California are simple: if you didn’t contract directly with the property owner, you must deliver a 20-day preliminary notice within 20 days of first furnishing labor and/or materials to the project. The same rule, however, did not exactly apply to those working on state or county [...]

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FAQ: Are There Any Exceptions to California’s Preliminary Notice Requirements?

By on September 9, 2011

Short answer:  Yes, there is a limited exception recognized by California Courts…but you should be very careful when relying upon it. Long answer:  As a general rule, if you did not contract directly with the property owner on a California construction project, you must deliver a “20 Day Preliminary Notice” within 20 days of first [...]

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California Preliminary Notice

By on June 3, 2008

Update:  This article updated on July 14, 2012, to conform with the new preliminary notice requirements in California. In California, if you provide materials or labor to a construction project, you are generally allowed to lien that project in the event of non-payment. In some circumstances, however, California law requires that a claimant provide notice [...]

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