Preliminary Notice Requirements by State

Published October 3, 2026.

A preliminary notice tells the property owner, and often the general contractor and the lender, that you are working on the project and may claim a lien if you are not paid. States call it different things: preliminary notice, notice to owner, notice of furnishing, or pre-lien notice.

The notice mainly protects subcontractors and suppliers, who have no contract with the owner. It puts the owner on notice that they are on the job, so the owner can make sure they are paid before paying the general contractor. In states that require it, missing the notice usually forfeits lien rights for the parties it applies to. In some, such as New Hampshire, a late notice still works but covers less of your work.

The table shows who must send one in each state, the deadline, who receives it and how to deliver it. Each state page has the full rules and the statute behind them.

Preliminary notice rules in all 50 states

Preliminary notice requirement, deadline, recipients and delivery method by state
State	Required for	Deadline	Sent to	How
Alabama	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Alaska	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Arizona	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	Within 20 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner, the general contractor, and the construction lender	Certified mail
Arkansas	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: Before work begins on a residential project of four or fewer units, the contractor must deliver the statutory pre-construction notice to the owner by personal delivery or certified mail. Not required if the contractor provides a performance and payment bond, or on a direct sale to the owner. Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers to the general contractor, and suppliers to a subcontractor: within 75 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
California	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 20 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner, the general contractor, and the construction lender	Certified mail
Colorado	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Connecticut	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: within 15 days after first furnishing labor or materials Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers to the owner, suppliers to the general contractor, and suppliers to a subcontractor: within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Registered mail
Delaware	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Florida	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 45 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner, the general contractor, and the construction lender	Certified mail
Georgia	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
Hawaii	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Idaho	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: Before signing a contract over $2,000 with a homeowner or residential buyer (1 to 4 dwelling units), the general contractor must give the statutory lien disclosure statement and keep the signed acknowledgment of receipt	The property owner	Personal delivery
Illinois	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the construction lender	Any method that proves receipt
Indiana	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Certified mail
Iowa	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: within 10 days after first furnishing labor or materials Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers to the general contractor, and suppliers to a subcontractor: within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Any method that proves receipt
Kansas	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	On work on an owner-occupied home (one or two families), mail the owner the statutory warning statement before filing a lien; there is no fixed deadline, but the owner is protected for payments made to the contractor before receiving it. Not needed if the claim is $250 or less. On new homes, file a notice of intent to perform with the district court clerk before the deed to a buyer is recorded	The property owner	Certified mail
Kentucky	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Louisiana	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: Before work begins, file a notice of contract, signed by the owner and general contractor, with the parish recorder of mortgages. If the contract price is over $100,000, a general contractor without a timely notice of contract has no privilege and cannot file a statement of claim	The parish recorder	Any method that proves receipt
Maine	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Maryland	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Massachusetts	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	Within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
Michigan	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 20 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
Minnesota	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	General contractors: Put the statutory lien notice in the written contract. If there is no written contract, deliver the notice to the owner personally or by certified mail within 10 days after the work is agreed upon. Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers to the owner, suppliers to the general contractor, and suppliers to a subcontractor: within 45 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Certified mail
Mississippi	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Certified mail
Missouri	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	Give the owner the statutory notice before receiving any payment: when the contract is signed, when materials are delivered, when work starts, or with the first invoice.	The property owner	Any method that proves receipt
Montana	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 20 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner, with a copy recorded with the county	Certified mail
Nebraska	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Nevada	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 31 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
New Hampshire	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Subcontractors and sub-subcontractors: Before you start work or deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the contractor who hired you. Suppliers to the general contractor: Before you deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the contractor who bought from you. Suppliers to a subcontractor: Before you deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the subcontractor who bought from you.	The property owner	Any method that proves receipt
New Jersey	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
New Mexico	Required for sub-subcontractors and suppliers	Within 60 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
New York	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
North Carolina	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 15 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The project lien agent	Any method that proves receipt
North Dakota	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Ohio	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 21 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner, the general contractor, and the construction lender	Certified mail
Oklahoma	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 75 days after last furnishing labor or materials	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
Oregon	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 8 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Any method that proves receipt
Pennsylvania	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Rhode Island	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
South Carolina	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
South Dakota	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Tennessee	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Texas	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	By the 15th day of the 3rd month after each month in which unpaid labor or materials were provided (the 2nd month on residential projects)	The property owner and the general contractor	Certified mail
Utah	Required for every claimant, including the general contractor	Within 20 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The state construction registry	Any method that proves receipt
Vermont	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Virginia	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Washington	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 10 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Any method that proves receipt
West Virginia	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable
Wisconsin	Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers	Within 60 days after first furnishing labor or materials	The property owner	Certified mail
Wyoming	Not required to preserve lien rights	No preliminary notice	Not applicable	Not applicable

States with no preliminary notice

These 21 states do not require a preliminary notice to preserve lien rights: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Sending one anyway can still help you get paid. Some of these states require a notice of intent before the lien is recorded, which the mechanics lien deadlines guide lists.

States where everyone must send one

In these 10 states, every claimant must send a preliminary notice, including the general contractor: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri and Utah.

In the other states that require a notice, it applies to subcontractors and suppliers, or only to those further down the chain, as the table shows. In several of the states above, the general contractor's notice is a disclosure given before work starts or with the contract, so read the deadline column closely.

What the notice must say

Most lien statutes list what the notice must contain. Common elements are:

Your name and address, and the name of the party that hired you.
The owner's name and the property's address or legal description.
The general contractor and the lender, where known.
A description of the labor or materials you are furnishing.
In some states, an estimate of their value.
Warning language, where the statute prescribes the exact wording.

Some states publish a required form. Use the state's wording where it has one, and confirm with counsel when the statute is unclear.

Send it early

The safest time to send a preliminary notice is when you start work or make your first delivery. Many deadlines count from first furnishing, so the clock may already be running on day one. Sending it early also tells the owner who you are before any payment problem exists.

Keep proof of delivery. The table lists the method each state requires. Our preliminary notice service prepares and sends the notice for you, and each state page in the table has the full rules.

Frequently asked questions

Which states do not require a preliminary notice?

In 21 states, no preliminary notice is required to preserve lien rights: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. Sending one anyway can still help you get paid, and some of these states require a notice of intent before the lien.

Which states have the shortest preliminary notice deadline?

Among deadlines counted from first furnishing, Oregon has the shortest: 8 days. Iowa (general contractors) and Washington come next, at 10 days. Some states set the deadline another way, such as before work starts, so check the table for your state.

How must a preliminary notice be delivered?

It depends on the state. Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin call for certified mail. Connecticut calls for registered mail. Idaho calls for personal delivery. In the other states that require a notice, any method that proves receipt is accepted. Keep proof of delivery either way.

Does the notice always go to the property owner?

No. In Louisiana it goes to the parish recorder, in North Carolina it goes to the project lien agent and in Utah it goes to the state construction registry. In the other states that require a notice, it goes to the property owner, and in many of them to the general contractor or lender as well.

Sources

Each row comes from that state's page on this site, which shows the full notice rules. These are the statutes those pages cite.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Lien rules turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.