Question 1

What is a preliminary notice in construction?

Accepted Answer

A preliminary notice is a simple document you send at the beginning of a construction project to let the property owner know you're involved. It's NOT a lien, NOT a lawsuit, and NOT aggressive — it's a normal business practice, like an introduction. The notice basically says: "I'm providing labor or materials on this project, and I expect to be paid." The reason it matters is that in many states, if you don't send this notice on time, you lose your right to file a mechanics lien later — which is your strongest tool to get paid if someone stiffs you. Different states call it different things: "preliminary notice," "notice to owner," "notice of furnishing," or "pre-lien notice" — but they all serve the same purpose.

Question 2

Why should I send a preliminary notice even if my state doesn't require one?

Accepted Answer

Even when it's optional, sending a preliminary notice is one of the smartest things you can do on every project. Here's why: (1) It puts your name on the property owner's radar — owners are more likely to make sure everyone gets paid when they know who's working on their property. (2) It creates a paper trail that proves you were part of the project — invaluable if there's ever a dispute. (3) It often speeds up payment — studies show that contractors who send preliminary notices get paid faster and more consistently. (4) It's professional and builds trust — it signals that you run a well-organized operation. Think of it as cheap insurance that protects potentially large payments.

Question 3

How many states require a preliminary notice?

Accepted Answer

Roughly half of U.S. states require some form of preliminary notice, but the requirements vary widely. Some states (like California, Arizona, and Florida) require nearly everyone on a project — subcontractors, suppliers, and sometimes even general contractors — to send a notice. Others only require it from certain types of claimants. And some states (like New York and Pennsylvania) don't require any advance notice at all. To make things more confusing, deadlines range from 8 days (Oregon) to 120 days (Maryland), and the required recipients differ from state to state. That's why knowing your specific state's rules is critical — use the state pages on this site to find yours.

Question 4

When do I need to send the preliminary notice?

Accepted Answer

The clock usually starts ticking on the day you FIRST provide labor or deliver materials to the project. In most states that require it, you have between 20 and 60 days from that first day. For example, if your state has a 20-day deadline and you first deliver lumber on January 5th, your notice must be sent by January 25th. The best practice? Send it on the same day you start a new project or make your first delivery. Don't wait — there's no benefit to delaying, and forgetting could cost you your lien rights on the entire project.

Question 5

What information do I need to include in a preliminary notice?

Accepted Answer

While specifics vary by state, most preliminary notices need to include: (1) Your name, address, and contact information. (2) A description of the work you're doing or materials you're supplying (e.g., "electrical installation" or "lumber and hardware"). (3) The name and address of who hired you (your direct customer). (4) The property owner's name and address. (5) The project address or property description. (6) An estimate of the total amount of your contract. Some states also require specific warning language that's spelled out in the law — this language must be included word-for-word. Getting the content wrong can invalidate the notice, so many people use tools like LienGrid to generate notices automatically.

Question 6

Who do I send the preliminary notice to?

Accepted Answer

This depends on your state and your role. In general: if you're a subcontractor, you typically need to send the notice to the property owner and the general contractor (and sometimes the construction lender). If you're a material supplier, the list is similar — the owner, the GC, and sometimes the lender. If you're the general contractor, many states don't require you to send one (since you already have a direct contract with the owner), but some do. The key point: missing even ONE required recipient can weaken your lien rights. Always verify the complete list for your specific state and role.

Question 7

I missed the deadline — is sending a late preliminary notice worth it?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, yes! Many states (including California, Arizona, Michigan, and others) allow late preliminary notices with partial protection. Here's how it usually works: a late notice protects your lien rights for work done within a certain number of days BEFORE you sent the notice (often 20 days), plus all work AFTER. You only lose protection for the earliest work. So if you're owed $100,000 and you send a late notice, you might be protected on $80,000 of that — much better than losing everything. Even in states that don't explicitly allow late notices, sending one still creates a paper trail. Bottom line: if you missed the deadline, send the notice NOW rather than giving up.

Question 8

Is there a simple way to handle preliminary notices on every project?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that's exactly what LienGrid is built for. Instead of manually tracking deadlines for every project across every state, researching who needs to receive notices, and worrying about using the right legal language, LienGrid automates the entire process. When you start a new project, LienGrid identifies the state requirements, generates a compliant notice with the correct statutory language, tells you exactly who needs to receive it, tracks your deadline, and can even send the notice via certified mail on your behalf. Thousands of contractors and suppliers use it to protect their lien rights without the hassle. Start a free trial — no credit card required.

				Notice Name
Alabama	Required (subs/suppliers)	6 months	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to Claim Lien
Alaska	Not required	120 days	None Required	Notice of Right to Lien
Arizona	20 days	120 days	Preliminary Notice	20-Day Preliminary Notice
Arkansas	Not required	120 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to Lien
California	20 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	20-Day Preliminary Notice
Colorado	10 days (NTO)	4 months	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to File Lien Statement
Connecticut	Not required	90 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to Lien
Delaware	Not required	6 months	None Required	List of Persons Notice
Florida	45 days (NTO)	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Owner
Georgia	60 days (NTC)	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Contractor
Hawaii	Not required	45 days	None Required	Application for Lien
Idaho	Not required	90 days	None Required	Claim of Lien
Illinois	Not required	4 months	Intent to Lien	Notice of Claim
Indiana	60 days	30-60 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Intent to Hold Lien
Iowa	30 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Prime Contractor
Kansas	Not required	4 months	Preliminary Notice	Warning Statement
Kentucky	Not required	6 months	Intent to Lien	Notice to Owner
Louisiana	Not required	60 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Contract
Maine	Not required	90 days	None Required	Lien Statement
Maryland	120 days (NIF)	180 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intention to Claim Lien
Massachusetts	60 days (NIC)	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Contract
Michigan	20 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Furnishing
Minnesota	45 days	120 days	Preliminary Notice	Preliminary Notice
Mississippi	Not required	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Contractor
Missouri	Not required	6 months	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to File Lien
Montana	20 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Right to Claim a Lien
Nebraska	Not required	120 days	None Required	Notice of Right to Assert Lien
Nevada	31 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Right to Lien
New Hampshire	Not required	120 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Lien Rights
New Jersey	Not required	90 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Unpaid Balance and Right to File Lien
New Mexico	Not required	120 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Right to Claim a Lien
New York	Not required	8 months	None Required	Notice of Lien
North Carolina	15 days (NTC)	120 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Lien Agent
North Dakota	Not required	90 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intent to Claim Lien
Ohio	21 days (NFC)	60-75 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Furnishing
Oklahoma	75 days	90 days	Intent to Lien	Pre-Lien Notice
Oregon	8 days	75 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Right to a Lien
Pennsylvania	Not required	6 months	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Furnishing
Rhode Island	Not required	120 days	Intent to Lien	Notice of Intention to Claim Lien
South Carolina	Not required	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Furnishing Labor and Materials
South Dakota	Not required	120 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Furnishing
Tennessee	90 days (NIF)	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Nonpayment
Texas	15 days (monthly)	4 months	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Claim for Unpaid Labor or Materials
Utah	20 days	180 days	Preliminary Notice	Preliminary Notice
Vermont	Not required	180 days	None Required	Notice of Lien
Virginia	30 days (Lien Agent Notice)	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice to Mechanics' Lien Agent
Washington	60 days	90 days	Preliminary Notice	Notice of Right to Claim Lien
West Virginia	Not required	6 months	None Required	Notice of Lien
Wisconsin	60 days	6 months	Preliminary Notice	Preliminary Notice
Wyoming	30 days (subs)	150 days	Preliminary Notice	Preliminary Notice of Right to Lien

Preliminary Notice Requirements by State

Select Your State

What Is a Preliminary Notice and Why Does It Matter?

The Three Types of Notice Systems

Common Mistakes That Cost Contractors Money

How LienGrid Eliminates These Risks

50-State Preliminary Notice Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions About Preliminary Notices

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