California Mechanics Lien Statutes: Deadlines, Venues & Citations
Where California liens are filed and enforced
A California mechanics lien is filed with the County Recorder in the county where the project sits — 90 days from completion (60 after noc). Filing in the wrong county does not perfect the claim, which matters on projects that straddle county lines. Enforcement is a separate step in a different forum: suit must be commenced in the Superior Court within 90 days (recording). Those are two different clocks against two different offices, and California claimants lose rights far more often by missing the second one than the first.
California deadlines by claimant role
For subcontractors and suppliers: Preliminary notice — 20 days from first furnishing (Cal. Civ. Code § 8200); Record the lien — 90 days from project completion (Cal. Civ. Code § 8414); record lien noc — 30 days from noc recorded (Cal. Civ. Code § 8414); file suit — 90 days from lien recorded (Cal. Civ. Code § 8460); serve stop payment notice private — 90 days from project completion (Cal. Civ. Code § 8532); Preliminary notice — 20 days from first furnishing (Cal. Civ. Code § 9300). For general contractors: Record the lien — 90 days from project completion (Cal. Civ. Code § 8412); record lien noc — 60 days from noc recorded (Cal. Civ. Code § 8412); record notice of completion — 15 days from project completion (Cal. Civ. Code § 8182). For design professionals: Record the lien — 90 days from last furnishing (Cal. Civ. Code § 8300). Every window runs from the claimant's own dates, not the unpaid invoice date.
Rules specific to California
REQUIRED PREREQUISITE. No notice = no lien rights, no stop notice rights, no bond claim rights. Serve on owner, GC, AND lender. If served late, only covers work in 20 days before service and onward. Send by certified mail, express mail, or overnight delivery. NO NOC FILED: Sub/supplier has 90 days from completion of the entire work of improvement. Cannot file lien while still providing work on the project. If owner records NOC, deadline shortens to only 30 days — monitor for NOC recording. IF OWNER RECORDS NOC: Deadline shortens to ONLY 30 days from NOC recording date. This is the most commonly missed California deadline. Always monitor for NOC recording at the County Recorder's office. NO NOC FILED: GC has 90 days from completion of the entire work of improvement. If owner records NOC, deadline shortens to 60 days from NOC recording date. IF OWNER RECORDS NOC: GC deadline shortens to 60 days from NOC recording date. Always check if NOC has been recorded. CRITICAL: 90 days from RECORDING DATE not last furnishing. Missing this permanently extinguishes the lien. No exceptions. Can be extended if owner agrees to extend credit and both parties sign a filed Extension of Credit. STOP PAYMENT NOTICE on construction lender. Freezes loan funds. 90 days from completion if no NOC; 30 days from NOC if NOC recorded. Requires prior 20-day preliminary notice (§ 8200). Lender must withhold 125% of claimed amount. Required prerequisite for public works stop notice and bond rights.
How California notices must be served
California requires 20 days — Prelim from first furnishing. Accepted delivery for the notices tracked here: Certified Mail, Express Mail, or Overnight Delivery; Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested; Written notice. Service runs to the Owner AND Prime Contractor AND Construction Lender. Keep the proof of service in the project file — California disputes over whether a notice was properly served are decided on that documentation.
Public projects in California
No lien attaches to public property in California. On public state local and public federal work the remedy is a payment bond claim instead — Preliminary notice within 20 days of first furnishing, served on the Public Entity and Prime (Cal. Civ. Code § 9300). 7 public-project deadlines are tracked for California.
California statute citations
The California deadlines above come from Cal. Civ. Code § 8200, Cal. Civ. Code § 8414, Cal. Civ. Code § 8412, Cal. Civ. Code § 8460, Cal. Civ. Code § 8532, Cal. Civ. Code § 9300, Cal. Civ. Code § 9356, Cal. Civ. Code § 9554, Cal. Civ. Code § 9558, 40 U.S.C. § 3133(b)(2), 40 U.S.C. § 3133(b)(1), Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7108.5, Cal. Civ. Code § 8812, Cal. Civ. Code § 8520, Cal. Civ. Code § 8550, Cal. Civ. Code § 8300, Cal. Civ. Code § 8122, Cal. Civ. Code § 8182. Statutes are amended periodically — verify current text before relying on any date, and consult a licensed California construction attorney on a specific project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you have to file a mechanics lien in California?
90 days — From completion (60 after NOC). The filing goes to the County Recorder in the project's county. See Cal. Civ. Code § 8414. The clock runs from the claimant's own last furnishing or completion, not the invoice date.
Where do you file a mechanics lien in California?
With the County Recorder in the county where the property is located. Enforcement is separate — suit is filed in the Superior Court. Recording in the wrong county does not perfect the lien.
Does California require a preliminary notice?
Yes — 20 days. Prelim from first furnishing. Accepted service includes Certified Mail, Express Mail, or Overnight Delivery.
How long do you have to enforce a California mechanics lien?
90 days — From recording. Suit is commenced in the Superior Court. A recorded lien left unenforced past that window generally expires and can expose the claimant to slander-of-title risk if it stays on record.
Does California allow a stop notice?
Yes. California claimants can serve a stop notice within 30 days of project completion on the Public Entity (Cal. Civ. Code § 9356). It reaches project funds rather than the real property, and can run in parallel with the lien.