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Will a handwritten doc provide prelim notice for a mechanic's lien, or is standardized CA Prelim Notice form required?

CaliforniaMechanics Lien

Is a STANDARDIZED "CA Preliminary Notice" form required in order to effectuate a mechanics lien, or will a handwritten/holographic document with the same information suffice?

1 reply

Nov 20, 2019
California preliminary notices are governed by CA Civ. Code §§8100-8119. Under §8100, the statute specifically states that:
  • Notice under this part shall be in writing. Writing includes printing and typewriting.
The state of California is fairly strict when it comes to enforcing mechanics lien laws. Although the issue of handwritten notices has yet to be discussed by the California courts, it's best to err on the side of caution and use a printed, standardized form. We do provide a free, downloadable copy of a California preliminary notice here. For further information, you may want to check out our Ultimate Guide to California's 20-Day Preliminary Notice.
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