A contractor must provide an owner with a "Notice to Owner" (preliminary notice) primarily to:
Explanation
Civil Code §8200 makes the preliminary notice a condition of lien rights: give it and the claimant may record a mechanics' lien if the bill goes unpaid; skip it and the lien is lost no matter what the work was worth. It is not a demand for payment and not a stop payment notice - that is the separate remedy served to freeze undisbursed construction funds. The building permit is issued by the building department for code compliance and has nothing to do with it. And the notice buys no time: the 90-day window to record a lien after completion runs on its own schedule under §8412.
Law Reference: Civil Code §8200; §8412This topic, taught in full in the CSLB Law & Business guide. CSLB Law & Business — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 · 14-day refund →
Practice all 1632 questions free — no signup required.
Own the complete CSLB Law & Business guide — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 →
Related questions on this topic
- Who is primarily responsible for obtaining building permits on a construction project?
- A contract clause that shifts responsibility for delays outside the contractor's control to the owner is called:
- An owner includes a liquidated damages clause of $500 per day for late completion. This clause is enforceable if:
- Under a "time and materials" (T&M) contract, the owner pays:
- Which contract type places the MOST financial risk on the contractor?
- A subcontractor fails to complete their scope of work on a project. The prime contractor's primary recourse is:
Last reviewed: · editorial process