CA · Construction payment counsel
California Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce California mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted California local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on California projects
All claimants except direct contractors and laborers must serve a 20-day Preliminary Notice on the owner, direct contractor, and construction lender within 20 days of first furnishing.
Direct contractors: 90 days after completion (or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion or cessation). Subcontractors and suppliers: 90 days after completion (or 30 days after a recorded notice of completion). We verify lien rights under California Civil Code §§ 8000–9566 (Works of Improvement) before anything is recorded.
Suit to enforce the lien must be filed within 90 days of recording. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
Public-works stop notices and payment-bond claims have separate deadlines under Civil Code §§ 9100 et seq.; bond claims generally require notice within 15 days of a notice of completion or 75 days of completion.
Know your California deadlines first
California mechanics lien law is governed by Civil Code §§ 8000–9566. The 20-day Preliminary Notice is the gateway to all lien and stop-notice rights for subcontractors and suppliers.
A law firm, not a notice service
Filing bureaus and online lien tools mail documents on request. They cannot give you a legal opinion on whether you hold California lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every California matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your California lien and bond rights before filing
- Certified mailing with proof of service retained in your file
- Deadline calendaring with reminders ahead of every statutory cutoff
- Foreclosure suit and collections handled by the same firm
See why a law firm matters, side by side with a filing service.
California mechanics lien questions
Do I need a California attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in California, fix a defective claim, or foreclose the lien if the money still does not come. My Lien Lawyer handles the analysis, the filing, and the enforcement as one engagement.
What are the key California mechanics lien deadlines?
Direct contractors: 90 days after completion (or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion or cessation). Subcontractors and suppliers: 90 days after completion (or 30 days after a recorded notice of completion). All claimants except direct contractors and laborers must serve a 20-day Preliminary Notice on the owner, direct contractor, and construction lender within 20 days of first furnishing. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our California mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a California public project?
Yes. Public-works stop notices and payment-bond claims have separate deadlines under Civil Code §§ 9100 et seq.; bond claims generally require notice within 15 days of a notice of completion or 75 days of completion. The controlling statute is California Civil Code §§ 9100–9510 (Public Works).
Who has to send a 20-day Preliminary Notice in California?
Every claimant except direct contractors and W-2 laborers. This includes subcontractors, material suppliers, equipment rental companies, and design professionals.
How long do I have to record a mechanics lien?
Direct contractors: 90 days after completion of the work of improvement (or 60 days after a recorded Notice of Completion or Cessation). Subcontractors and suppliers: 90 days (or 30 days after a recorded Notice of Completion).
Unpaid on a California project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what California deadlines are still open and what it takes to protect the money. The first call is free.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fred Shestopal is licensed in Illinois (with nationwide network of licensed local counsel).