Preliminary notice generator

A preliminary notice is the cheapest insurance on a construction job. It tells the owner, the general and the lender that you are on site, and in most states it is a precondition to a lien — not a nice-to-have. It is not a complaint, and it does not mean anyone is behind.

Served on the owner, the direct contractor and the construction lender.

Claimant (you)

Claimant address

Property owner

Property description

Customer you contract with

Job name

Construction lender, if any

Estimated value of your work

As of date

Preliminary notice

PN · 2026-08-31

Property1400 Kestrel Avenue, Unit A-3

JobKestrel Avenue mixed-use — mechanical package

OwnerHarbor Point Holdings LLC

LenderMeridian Construction Finance

CustomerVantage Construction Group

ClaimantIronline Mechanical LLC, 220 Foundry Row, Suite 4

Amount$48,450.00

The claimant named below is furnishing labor, services, equipment or materials to the property described above. This notice is given so that the recipients know work is being performed and by whom. It is not a claim that anyone is behind on payment. The claimant's estimated value of the work is $48,450.00 as of 2026-08-31. If the claimant is not paid, it may record a claim of lien, give a stop payment notice, or make a claim against a payment bond.

Signature ____________________ Title ____________ Date ____________

Geometric abstraction of a flat black envelope shape with one green diagonal across it

Who has to receive it

California is explicit: before recording a lien, giving a stop payment notice or claiming against a payment bond, the claimant must give preliminary notice to the owner, to the direct contractor it works under, and to the construction lender if there is one. A laborer is exempt. Miss one recipient and the notice may not do its job.

The 20-day rule is not a cliff — it is a sliding window. Serve late and you keep lien rights only for work furnished in the 20 days before service, plus everything after. That makes a late notice worth sending anyway, and makes a same-week notice worth a great deal more. Florida sets a different clock: a lienor not in privity with the owner serves the Notice to Owner before starting, or within 45 days of starting.

What to serve, and how

Preliminary notice mechanics
Field	What goes in it	Why it matters
Owner	Owner or reputed owner	The party whose property the lien would attach to.
Lender	Construction lender, if any	California names the lender as a required recipient.
Prime	Direct contractor you work under	Puts the general on notice of your tier.
Value	Estimated value of your work	An estimate is fine; it is not a claim for payment.
Service	Certified or tracked delivery	Proof of service is the half people forget.

Serving a preliminary notice on every job, on every tier, on the day you mobilise, is the single habit that separates subs who collect from subs who litigate. It costs a stamp. Track the date with the deadline calculator.

State notes

CACalifornia. Serve the owner, the direct contractor and the construction lender. A laborer is exempt. Civ. Code § 8200
FLFlorida. The Notice to Owner is served before commencing, or not later than 45 days after commencing to furnish. Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a)
TXTexas. A claimant who is not the original contractor must send a notice of claim to the owner and the original contractor. Prop. Code § 53.056

Sources

Cal. Civ. Code § 8200
Before recording a lien, giving a stop payment notice or claiming against a payment bond, a California claimant must give preliminary notice to the owner, the direct contractor and the construction lender. A laborer is exempt.
Read 2026-09-04
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
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
Tex. Prop. Code § 53.056
A Texas claimant who is not the original contractor must send a notice of claim for unpaid labor or materials to the owner and the original contractor for the lien to be valid.
Read 2026-09-04