Mechanics lien deadline calculator
Lien rights die on a date, not on a judgement about fairness. The dates come from statute, they differ by state and by your position on the job, and they run from when you furnished work — not from when the invoice went unpaid. This turns two dates into the whole schedule.
Enter your two job dates. Deadlines come from the statute text read on 2026-09-04; the citation is printed beside every date so you can check it.
| Step | Statute | Days | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve preliminary notice | Civ. Code § 8204 | 20 | 2026-05-24 |
| Record claim of lien | Civ. Code § 8414 | 90 | 2026-11-29 |
| …or after a notice of completion | Civ. Code § 8414 | 30 | 2026-09-30 |
| File suit after recording | Civ. Code § 8460 | 90 | 2026-11-29 |
Texas deadlines run from the 15th day of a later month, not a fixed day count; the day figures above approximate the outside edge of that window. Read the statute before you rely on the exact date, and file early.
Why two dates, not one
Preliminary and pre-lien notices run from the day you first furnish work — California's 20 days, Florida's 45. Recording deadlines run from the day you last furnish it, or from a notice of completion the owner records, whichever comes first. That last clause is the trap: an owner who records a notice of completion can cut a California non-prime claimant's window down to 30 days without telling anyone.
Recording is not the end. California gives 90 days from recording to file suit; miss it and the claim of lien expires and is unenforceable. On a federal job the Miller Act replaces the lien entirely: written notice to the prime within 90 days of last work if you are below the first tier, and suit no later than one year after last work.
What resets, what does not
| Event | Effect on the clock | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Punch list | Usually does NOT restart the clock | Warranty and corrective work rarely counts as furnishing. |
| Notice of completion | Shortens the window | California: 60 days for a prime, 30 for everyone else. |
| Change order work | Can extend last-furnished date | Only if it is contract work, not a favour. |
| Partial payment | No effect on the deadline | A payment on account buys goodwill, not time. |
| Notice of intent | No effect on the deadline | Send it, but keep recording on schedule. |
Lien deadline
The dates this tool prints are derived from the statute text read on 2026-09-04 and are a planning aid, not legal advice. Texas in particular counts to the 15th day of a later month rather than a fixed number of days. Read the citation, and file early enough that a counting argument never matters.
State notes
- CACalifornia. Preliminary notice is due within 20 days of first furnishing, and a late notice reaches back only 20 days. Civ. Code § 8204
- TXTexas. The affidavit deadline is the 15th day of a later month, not a fixed day count — read the section before relying on a date. Prop. Code § 53.052
- FLFlorida. A lienor not in privity with the owner serves the Notice to Owner before starting, or within 45 days of starting. Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a)
Sources
- Cal. Civ. Code § 8204
The California preliminary notice is due no later than 20 days after the claimant first furnishes work. A late notice still works, but it reaches back only 20 days before service.
Read 2026-09-04
- Cal. Civ. Code § 8412
A California direct contractor must record its claim of lien before the earlier of 90 days after completion of the work of improvement, or 60 days after the owner records a notice of completion or cessation.
Read 2026-09-04
- Cal. Civ. Code § 8414
A California claimant who is NOT the direct contractor must record before the earlier of 90 days after completion, or 30 days after the owner records a notice of completion or cessation.
Read 2026-09-04
- Cal. Civ. Code § 8460
A California claimant must file suit to enforce the lien within 90 days of recording it, or the lien expires and is unenforceable.
Read 2026-09-04
- Tex. Prop. Code § 53.052
A Texas original contractor files its lien affidavit by the 15th day of the fourth month after the month work was completed, terminated or abandoned — the 15th day of the third month on residential projects.
Read 2026-09-04
- Tex. Prop. Code § 53.103
A Texas claimant reaches the reserved funds by sending the required notices and filing a lien affidavit no later than the 30th day after the work is completed, the contract terminated, or performance abandoned.
Read 2026-09-04
- Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a)
A Florida lienor not in privity with the owner must serve the Notice to Owner before commencing, or not later than 45 days after commencing, to furnish labor, services or materials.
Read 2026-09-04
- Fla. Stat. § 713.08(5)
A Florida claim of lien may be recorded at any time during the work but not later than 90 days after the final furnishing of labor, services or materials by the lienor.
Read 2026-09-04
- 40 U.S.C. § 3133(b)(2)
A claimant with a contract with a subcontractor but none with the prime must give the prime written notice within 90 days of its last labor or material, stating the amount claimed and who it was furnished to.
Read 2026-09-04
- 40 U.S.C. § 3133(b)(4)
A Miller Act bond action must be brought no later than one year after the day the claimant last performed labor or supplied material.
Read 2026-09-04