# California — Mechanics lien filing deadlines, preliminary notice requirements, and enforcement windows by US state and party role

For California, preliminary notice required is conditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 20 days of first furnishing; notice name is Preliminary 20-Day Notice; notice deadline — gc (days) is not required; notice deadline — sub/supplier (days) is 20; lien recording deadline — gc (days) is 90, recorded from its source on 2026-08-14.

- **State:** California
- **Preliminary notice required:** conditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 20 days of first furnishing _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Notice name:** Preliminary 20-Day Notice
- **Notice deadline — GC (days):** not required
- **Notice deadline — sub/supplier (days):** 20 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Lien recording deadline — GC (days):** 90
- **Lien recording deadline — sub/supplier (days):** 90
- **Enforcement deadline (days):** 90
- **Lien scope:** full price lien _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Late notice consequence:** partial _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Statute:** West's Civil Code §8000–9566

## What the source says

> Subcontractors and materialmen must serve a written preliminary notice to the owner, contractor, and construction lender within 20 days of first furnishing labor or materials. If sent late, it relates back only to 20 days before it was sent. CC §8102, §8200.

## Source

- https://mechanicslien.com/california

Last verified: 2026-08-14. Review by: 2027-08-14.
Part of [Mechanics lien filing deadlines, preliminary notice requirements, and enforcement windows by US state and party role](https://referencesource.org/mechanics-lien-deadlines-by-state/).