Notice Guide, Forms & Resources
What construction notices are, who must send them, and the deadlines in Texas, California, and Florida — cited to statute.
A preliminary notice is the document a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier sends early on a job to preserve the right to file a mechanics lien later. Most states make the notice a condition of the lien: no notice, no lien — even for work already performed.
The names vary by state. California calls it a preliminary notice, Florida calls it a Notice to Owner, and Texas runs a monthly notice cycle keyed to each unpaid month. The deadlines are counted from first furnishing or from the unpaid month, so the notice clock starts early in the job.
Who must send what
Direct contractors (general contractors)
Usually exempt from serving the owner. In Texas the monthly notice duty applies to derivative claimants, not the original contractor. In California a direct contractor serves any construction lender, if there is one, instead of the owner (§8200(e)(2)). In Florida, direct contractors are exempt from the Notice to Owner (§713.05).
Subcontractors and suppliers
The notice duty lands here. Texas: one notice per unpaid month, due by the 15th of the 3rd month on commercial jobs (§53.056(a-1)(1)) or the 2nd month on residential jobs (§53.056(a-1)(2)), served on the owner and the original contractor. California: within 20 days after first furnishing, served on the owner, the direct contractor, and any construction lender (§8200(a), §8204(a)). Florida: before work starts or within 45 days after first furnishing, served on the owner (§713.06(2)(a)).
Laborers and other exempt roles
California laborers are exempt from the preliminary notice (§8200(e)(1)). Florida laborers are exempt from the Notice to Owner (§713.06(2)(a)), and Florida design professionals are exempt under §713.03(3).
Notice deadlines by state
Each state page carries the full notice table — who must send what, to whom, and by when — alongside the lien and suit deadlines for the same state.
Texas
A monthly cycle: one notice per unpaid month, each due on a 15th-day deadline, served on both the owner and the original contractor.
See the Texas rules →California
20 days after first furnishing. A late notice protects only the 20 days before service and everything after.
See the California rules →Florida
45 days after first furnishing. The statute contains no late-service cure, and service must precede the owner’s final payment.
See the Florida rules →Statute references verified 10/09/2026. Rules change — confirm the current text with the official state source before relying on a date.
Preliminary notices questions, answered straight.
What is a preliminary notice?
A notice a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier sends at the start of a job — or early in it — to preserve mechanics lien rights. Most states treat it as a condition of the lien: without timely service, the lien right for that work is lost.
Is a preliminary notice the same as a Notice to Owner?
Same family, different names. Florida’s statute calls the document a Notice to Owner (§713.06(2)(a)); California calls it a preliminary notice (§8204(a)); Texas runs a monthly notice keyed to unpaid months (§53.056(a-1)(1)). The function is the same in each: put the owner on notice before the lien exists.
Who has to send a preliminary notice?
It depends on the state and the role. Subcontractors and suppliers carry the duty in all three states we cover. Direct contractors are exempt in Texas and Florida and serve only a construction lender in California; laborers are exempt in California and Florida.
Pages in this section
State-specific forms and generators
Free forms, generators, and the deadline rules for every state we cover.