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California Preliminary Notice Rules & FAQs

Last updated July 24, 2023
Sending a California preliminary notice is an effective way to speed up payment on a construction project. A preliminary notice is an informational document typically sent to the property owner near the beginning of a construction project. Here's what you need to know about the rules and requirements for sending preliminary notice in California.

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California 20-day preliminary notice requirements for:

Private projects

General contractors in California must send preliminary notice if the job has a lender on it.

  • Due within 20 days
  • Must be sent to the lender
  • Can be sent late

General contractors in California must send a preliminary 20-day notice if the job has a lender on it. The notice must be sent to the lender. GCs must send this notice within 20 days from the start of the job.

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Public projects

On public projects in California, General Contractors are not required to send preliminary notice.

Since GCs will not make a claim against their own bond for non-payment, they do not have bond claim rights, and have no preliminary notice requirement.

Private projects

Subcontractors and suppliers must send notice.

  • Due within 20 days
  • Must be sent to the owner, prime contractor, and lender (if any)
  • Can be sent late

California subcontractors, material suppliers, and equipment lessors must send preliminary 20-Day notices to the owner, prime contractor, and lender (if any). The notice must be sent within 20 days of first providing materials or labor.

Send a Notice

Public projects

Subcontractors and suppliers must send notice.

  • Due within 20 days
  • Must be sent to the public entity, prime contractor, and surety (if any)
  • Can be sent late

On public construction projects, California subcontractors, material suppliers, and equipment lessors must send preliminary 20-Day notices to the public agency in charge, the prime contractor, and surety (if any). The notice must be sent within 20 days of first providing materials or labor.

Send a Notice