1. State and project type
Project type changes the dates only in Texas and Washington. You are assumed to contract directly with the general contractor (first tier).
2. Your dates
Completion and notice-of-completion dates only matter in California and Arizona. If you leave completion blank the tool uses your last day on the job, which gives the cautious (earlier) date.
Choose a state, enter your first and last dates, then click Check deadlines.
Result
What this does not cover
- Not legal advice, and lien rights are lost by missing a deadline. Confirm every date against the current statute or with a construction attorney before relying on it.
- First-tier claimants only. Second-tier and lower suppliers and subcontractors often have different or shorter clocks — not modeled.
- Five states only. Every other state has its own rules; none are guessed here.
- No public projects. Bond-claim and payment-bond deadlines on public work are separate and not modeled.
- No weekend or holiday extensions. Weekend dates are flagged with the last business day before them as the safe date; holidays are not modeled.
- No notice content or delivery rules. A notice has to be correctly worded and served, not just sent on time, and contracts can add their own notice terms.
- No foreclosure or suit deadlines. Filing a lien is not the last step; enforcing it has its own clock.
- Point-in-time figures. Verified 2026-09-30 against published explainers; statutes change.
Common questions
What is a preliminary notice in a mechanics lien claim?
A preliminary notice (called a Notice to Owner in Florida, a notice of unpaid balance in Texas, and a 20-day preliminary notice in Arizona) is a written notice a subcontractor or supplier sends to the owner and general contractor early in a job, to preserve the right to file a lien later. Several states make it a condition of lien rights, so a missed deadline can cost the claim.
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien after finishing the work?
It depends on the state. California allows 90 days after completion of the project, or 30 days after the owner records a notice of completion. Florida allows 90 days after your last furnishing, Washington 90 days after your last furnishing, Arizona 120 days after completion or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion, and Texas the 15th day of the 4th month on commercial work or the 3rd month on residential work.
When does the preliminary notice clock start?
For California, Arizona, Florida, and Washington it starts on the day you first furnished labor or materials: 20 days in California and Arizona, 45 days in Florida, and 60 days in Washington (10 days on new single-family residential work). Texas instead counts months: the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month of unpaid work on commercial jobs, or the 2nd month on residential jobs.
Why does the calculator use my last furnishing date when I do not know the completion date?
Some states measure the lien deadline from completion of the whole project. Your own last day on the job can only be the same as or earlier than completion, so using it gives the same date or an earlier, safer one. Entering the real completion date can only move the deadline later.
Is this legal advice?
No. This tool applies a simplified reading of published state timing rules to the dates you enter, for a first-tier subcontractor or supplier. It does not model second-tier claimants, public projects, required notice content, delivery method, or foreclosure deadlines, and lien rights can be lost by missing a deadline. Confirm every date with a construction attorney or the current statute before relying on it.