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Mail a mechanics lien notice by certified mail to the property owner (and often the general contractor and lender too), and keep the signed receipt as proof of delivery. Most states require a preliminary notice before you can file a lien at all, with strict deadlines that vary by state. This is general information, not legal advice.
A preliminary notice, sometimes called a pre-lien notice or notice to owner, is a short letter telling the property owner that you are furnishing labor or materials on their project and preserving your right to file a lien if you are not paid. It is not the lien itself; it is the step that keeps the lien option alive. Here is the part contractors learn the hard way: in many states, missing the preliminary notice deadline kills your lien rights entirely, even if the debt is real and documented. The notice does not start a fight; owners expect these as routine paperwork, and many pay faster once they know a lien is possible.
| Recipient | Why | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Property owner | They are the one whose property the lien would attach to | Required in nearly every state; use the owner's legal name and address |
| General contractor | They hired you or your subcontractor | Required for subs and suppliers in many states |
| Construction lender | The bank funding the project often must be notified too | Required in several states; check yours |
| Your own records | Proof of what you sent and when | Keep a copy of the notice plus every mailing receipt |
The deadlines are where people get hurt. They are measured from when you first furnished labor or materials, not from when the invoice went unpaid, and they differ by state and by your role on the job. A subcontractor in one state may have 20 days from first furnishing; a supplier in another may have a different window entirely. Calendar the deadline the day you start work, not the day payment is late.
Because the whole point of the notice is proof. Certified mail gives you a mailing receipt and a delivery record with a date, and the signed green card (or its electronic equivalent) proves the recipient got it. If the owner later claims they never received notice, that receipt is your answer. Regular first-class mail gives you no proof at all. Send it early enough that delivery happens before your deadline expires; the delivery date, not the mailing date, is usually what counts.
Keep it plain and complete: your name and address, the property owner's name, a description of the property or project address, a general description of the labor or materials you are furnishing, and the name of the person who hired you. Many states have statutory language the notice should track, so use your state's form or a template from a construction attorney rather than writing one from scratch. Sign and date it.
LetterAgent prints letters on 8.5x11 paper, single-sided, and mails them with first-class postage, which works for a preliminary notice as a printed document. One honest limit: lien notices usually need certified mail with proof of delivery, and LetterAgent's standard service does not provide certified mail with a return receipt. For the notice that protects your lien rights, go to the post office and send it certified, return receipt requested, so you hold the signed proof yourself.
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