We have a discrepancy with contractor in amount of $ owed from final invoice. The job was not completed to satisfaction and multiple punch list items were not addressed.
"Completion" is an amorphous term. How long your contractor has to record a lien will depend on various factors such as whether you are completing the work with another contractor, the nature of the "punch list" work, and whether there was a cessation of labor for 60 continuous days (a notice of cessation recorded after 30 continuous days of no work can shorten the time to record a lien to 30 days). More information is needed to properly answer this question.
California Civil Code Section 8412 says: “A direct contractor may not enforce a lien unless the
contractor records a claim of lien … before the earlier of the following times:
(a) Ninety days after completion of the work of improvement. (b) Sixty days
after the owner records a notice of completion or cessation.” For a sub, it is 90 days and 30 days.