California’s mechanics lien deadlines are short and strictly enforced. Miss one, and a contractor can lose the right to secure payment against the property — or an owner can miss the chance to clear an invalid lien quickly. Here is how the timeline works.
By Scott A. Kron · Updated October 2026
| Step | Who | Deadline | Civil Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serve preliminary notice | Subcontractors, suppliers, and most other claimants | Within 20 days after first furnishing work | § 8204 |
| Record claim of lien | Direct contractor (contracts with the owner) | After completing your contract, and before the earlier of 90 days after completion of the project or 60 days after a notice of completion/cessation is recorded | § 8412 |
| Record claim of lien | Subcontractors, suppliers, laborers | After you stop providing work, and before the earlier of 90 days after completion or 30 days after a notice of completion/cessation is recorded | § 8414 |
| File suit to foreclose the lien | Any lien claimant | Within 90 days after recording the claim of lien | § 8460 |
Most claimants who don’t contract directly with the owner — subcontractors, suppliers, and equipment lessors — must serve a preliminary notice no later than 20 days after they first furnish work or materials to the project (Civil Code § 8204). The preliminary notice is what preserves the right to record a lien, serve a stop payment notice, or make a payment bond claim later.
A late notice isn’t worthless, but it is limited: it generally covers only work furnished within the 20 days before the notice was served, and work furnished afterward. On a long project, a missed preliminary notice can put months of unpaid work out of reach. Serving it at the start of every job is one of the simplest protections a subcontractor or supplier has.
The lien-recording deadline depends on two things: who you are and whether the owner recorded a notice of completion or cessation.
Under Civil Code § 8180, completion occurs at the earliest of: actual completion of the work; the owner’s occupation or use of the project accompanied by a cessation of labor; a cessation of labor for 60 continuous days; or the recording of a notice of cessation after labor has stopped for 30 continuous days. On public projects requiring acceptance by a public entity, completion occurs on acceptance.
A direct contractor (one who contracts with the owner) must record its claim of lien after completing its contract and before the earlier of 90 days after completion of the project or 60 days after the owner records a notice of completion or cessation (Civil Code § 8412).
All other claimants must record after they stop providing work and before the earlier of 90 days after completion or 30 days after the owner records a notice of completion or cessation (Civil Code § 8414). That 30-day window is the one that most often catches subcontractors and suppliers by surprise.
An owner may record a notice of completion on or within 15 days after completion (Civil Code § 8182). Recording one shortens the lien deadlines above — but only for people the owner properly notifies. The owner must send a copy, within 10 days after recording, to the direct contractor and to every claimant who served a preliminary notice. If the owner doesn’t, the notice is ineffective to shorten that person’s time to record a lien (Civil Code § 8190). This notice requirement does not apply to certain owners, including an owner-occupant of a residence with four or fewer units.
Recording a lien is not the end of the process. The claimant must file a lawsuit to enforce the lien within 90 days after recording it. If no action is filed in time, the lien expires and is unenforceable (Civil Code § 8460). If the owner and claimant agree to extend credit and record notice of that agreement, the deadline can be extended — but never beyond one year after completion of the project.
Owners have options, and timing matters here too:
Mechanics liens can’t be recorded against public property. On public projects, unpaid contractors and suppliers rely instead on stop payment notices and payment bond claims, each with its own notice requirements and deadlines. If you work on public projects, confirm those deadlines at the start of the job.
Generally 90 days after the project is completed. That window shrinks to 60 days for a direct contractor, and to 30 days for subcontractors and suppliers, if the owner records a notice of completion or cessation (Civil Code §§ 8412, 8414). Whatever the deadline, you must record after you have stopped providing work.
You can still serve a late preliminary notice, but your lien, stop payment notice, and payment bond rights generally cover only work you provided within the 20 days before you served it, and afterward (Civil Code § 8204).
90 days after recording the claim of lien. If no lawsuit is filed in time, the lien expires and can no longer be enforced (Civil Code § 8460).
After the 90-day enforcement deadline passes, you can demand that the claimant release the lien and, if they don’t, petition the court to release your property after giving at least 10 days’ notice. The prevailing party may recover reasonable attorney’s fees (Civil Code §§ 8480, 8482, 8488).
This article provides general information about California law as of its update date and is not legal advice for any particular situation. Deadlines depend on the specific facts of each project, and the law can change. Contact us to discuss your circumstances.
