Michigan Notice of Commencement — Filing Guide & Form (2026)
✓ Verified against Michigan statutes · Reviewed August 2026 · By Michael Evan — Founder · 50 states · 799 rules
Michigan mechanics lien deadlines at a glance
Preliminary Notice
20 days — Notice of Furnishing
Mechanics Lien
90 days — From last date of furnishing
Enforcement
1 year — From filing
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Who Records the Michigan NOC
The owner or lessee contracting for the improvement (not the contractor) records the Notice of Commencement under MCL § 570.1108. This is the structural reverse of Georgia (contractor-filed) and aligns Michigan with the Florida owner-filed approach. The owner with the construction contract has the statutory duty, and the owner bears the consequence if the Notice is not timely recorded and posted. Where the contracting party is a lessee or land contract vendee, the Notice must also identify the underlying fee owner.
When the Michigan NOC Must Be Recorded
Before the actual physical improvement of the real property commences. Michigan does not use a fixed day-count window like Georgia's 15 days — the test is whether the Notice is on file before any physical work begins. Site clearing, mobilization, demolition, and the first delivery of materials to the jobsite all count as physical commencement. The owner must also post a copy of the Notice at the project site.
Required Information on the Michigan NOC
MCL § 570.1108(2) requires the Notice to identify the legal description of the real property, the name and address of the owner or lessee contracting for the improvement, the name and address of the fee owner (if different from the contracting party), the name and address of the general contractor, the name and address of the designee for Notices of Furnishing and Sworn Statements, and a statement of the 20-day Notice of Furnishing requirement.
Where to Record and Recording Fees
Record with the register of deeds in the Michigan county where the real property is located. Michigan has 83 counties — major filing offices include Wayne (Detroit), Oakland (Pontiac), Macomb (Mt. Clemens), Kent (Grand Rapids), Washtenaw (Ann Arbor), and Genesee (Flint). Recording fees were standardized statewide in late 2016 — most documents recorded under MCL § 600.2567 are subject to a flat $30 fee regardless of page count, simplifying cost forecasting compared to Georgia's per-page model.
Consequences of Failing to Record
Under MCL § 570.1108(6), if the owner fails to timely record and post the Notice, downstream claimants may be excused from the 20-day Notice-of-Furnishing requirement, and the lien-limitation mechanism in § 570.1109 may not apply against those claimants. The penalty falls on the owner — not on subs and suppliers. Owners on financed Michigan projects are generally required by their lender to record the Notice as a closing condition.
Connection to the 20-Day Notice of Furnishing
When a valid Notice of Commencement is recorded and posted, every subcontractor, sub-subcontractor, and supplier without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the owner's designee and the GC within 20 days of first furnishing labor or material under MCL § 570.1109. Late notice limits the claimant's lien to amounts furnished within 20 days before, and any time after, the Notice was actually served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who records the Michigan Notice of Commencement?
The owner or lessee contracting for the improvement files the Notice under MCL § 570.1108 — not the contractor. The Notice must be recorded with the county register of deeds and posted at the jobsite before physical improvement begins.
When must the Michigan NOC be recorded?
Before the physical improvement of the real property commences. Michigan does not use a fixed day-count window — the test is whether the Notice is on file before any physical work begins.
What information is required on the Michigan NOC?
MCL § 570.1108(2) requires legal description, owner/lessee name and address, fee owner name and address (if contracting party is vendee/lessee), general contractor name and address, designee name and address, and a statement of the 20-day Notice of Furnishing requirement.
Where do I record a Michigan NOC?
Record with the register of deeds in the Michigan county where the property is located. Michigan has 83 counties — major filing offices include Wayne (Detroit), Oakland (Pontiac), Macomb (Mt. Clemens), Kent (Grand Rapids), Washtenaw (Ann Arbor), and Genesee (Flint). The recording fee under MCL § 600.2567 is a flat $30 statewide for most documents recorded after October 1, 2016.
What happens if a Michigan owner does not record a Notice?
Under MCL § 570.1108(6), downstream claimants may be excused from the 20-day Notice-of-Furnishing requirement, and the lien-limitation mechanism in § 570.1109 may not apply against those claimants. The penalty falls on the owner — not on subs and suppliers.
How does the Michigan NOC connect to the Notice of Furnishing?
When a valid NOC is on file, subs and suppliers without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the designee and GC within 20 days of first furnishing under § 570.1109. Late notice limits lien rights to amounts furnished within 20 days before, and after, actual service.