California Private Time Frames

  • Notify the owner, original contactor and lender, if any, within 20 days of first furnishing.
  • A late notice may be served but will only retroactively trap 20 days from the date the late notice is served.

  • Serve the Owner the Mechanic’s Lien and Notice of Mechanic’s Lien prior to filing.
  • Within 90 days after completion of the entire work unless the owner has recorded a Notice of Completion or a Notice of Cessation. If either of these notices has been recorded the original contractor must file within 60 days after recording, other claimants must file within 30 days after the recording.

  • File suit action within 90 days of recording lien and record notice of pendency within 20 days after the filing of the foreclosure action unless extended by a statutory Notice of Credit but, in any case, not more than a year after completion of the work of improvement.

California Private Stop Notice Time Frames

  • Within 20 days of first furnishing labor or material.


  • After completion, and within 90 days of completion of the entire work, unless the owner has recorded a Notice of Completion or a Notice of Cessation. If either of these notices has been recorded, 60 days30 days for all other lien claimants.

  • Within 90 days of the last day to record the mechanics’ lien.

National Association
of Credit Management
8840 Columbia 100 Pkwy.
Columbia, MD 21045
Phone: 410-740-5560
Fax: 410-740-5574

Let's Get Social!

NACM's Preferred
Software Providers

Discover More About NACM

Credit Congress
NACM's Annual Conference

Our History
Over 100 Years of History