Notice of Commencement
In a handful of states, a public record filed at the start of a construction project names the people behind the job: the property owner, the contractor, the surety, and often the construction lender. Five states use one: Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa. For an unpaid subcontractor or supplier, that single record can answer the two questions that matter most: who owns the property, and who is funding the work.
The Five States That Use a Notice of Commencement
Most states have no notice of commencement at all. In those states, an owner can start a project without putting anything on the public record, and a subcontractor learns who the owner and lender are through deeds, mortgages, and building permits. The five highlighted states are different. They require, or rely on, a notice of commencement that names the parties up front. Hover any state for the document name and where it is recorded, or click for that state's full lien law.
Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan record the notice in the county land records; Iowa posts a commencement-of-work notice on its statewide registry. Rules vary by project type and tier. Confirm the exact requirement for your project with counsel before relying on this map.
What a Notice of Commencement Entails
A notice of commencement is a document the property owner records when a construction project begins. It puts the project on the public record before the first invoice is ever sent. In Florida a construction lender records it before releasing loan funds, and in Iowa the general contractor posts it on a statewide registry, but the function is the same everywhere: it tells the world that work is starting and identifies the parties behind it.
Depending on the state, the notice contains the legal description and address of the property, the owner's name and interest, the general contractor, any payment bond and its surety, and the name and address of a person designated to receive notices. In Florida, Georgia, and Ohio, it also names any construction lender financing the job. That is the detail that makes the notice so valuable to anyone chasing payment. A subcontractor several tiers down who has never met the owner can read the notice and learn exactly whom to serve, where to send it, and whether a bond or a construction loan stands behind the project.
The core value: it publicly identifies the owner and the lender. Knowing the true owner and the construction lender is often the hardest part of protecting a claim from the bottom of the contracting chain. A notice of commencement puts both on the public record, with service addresses, before a payment problem ever arises.
Where It Gets Recorded
In four of the five states, the notice lives in the county land records, the same place deeds and mortgages are recorded, and the owner also posts a copy at the job site. Iowa is the exception. It does not use county recording for this at all. Iowa runs a single statewide Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry, maintained by the Secretary of State, and the commencement-of-work notice is posted there online.
| State | Recording Office | Where It Lives |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | Clerk of the Circuit Court | County land records, plus a copy posted at the site |
| Georgia | Clerk of the Superior Court | County land records, plus a copy posted at the site |
| Ohio | County Recorder | County land records, plus a copy posted at the site |
| Michigan | Register of Deeds | County land records, plus a copy posted at the site |
| Iowa | Secretary of State (MNLR) | One statewide online registry, no county filing |
Why Notices of Commencement Matter
For contractors, subs, and suppliers
The notice is a map. It names the owner and, in Florida, Georgia, and Ohio, the construction lender. It gives the correct addresses for valid service and tells you whether a payment bond exists. Serving the right notice on the right party at the right address is the difference between a perfected claim and a lost one.
It also starts the clock. A filed notice triggers a 30-day Notice to Contractor in Georgia, a 21-day notice of furnishing in Ohio, and a 20-day notice of furnishing in Michigan. Miss the deadline the notice starts, and lien rights can disappear.
For owners and lenders
Recording is a compliance step, and in several states it controls real consequences. In Florida the notice is tied to lien priority, and the construction lender records it before releasing loan funds.
In Ohio and Michigan, recording the notice forces subcontractors and suppliers to serve a notice of furnishing within a short window, which surfaces hidden claims early. The trade-off is strict: in Ohio, if the owner never records the notice, subcontractors and suppliers are excused from serving a notice of furnishing at all.
State by State
The five states share the same idea, but the mechanics differ on who files, where, by when, and what the filing triggers. Here is how each one works.
Florida
What it entails. The owner or the owner's agent records the notice before any work starts, and a construction lender must record it before releasing loan funds. It names the property, the owner and the owner's interest, the contractor, any payment bond and its surety, the construction lender, and a person designated to receive notices.
Why it matters. It is the backbone of Florida's lien law. It tells every subcontractor and supplier where to serve the 45-day Notice to Owner, and it stays effective for one year unless it states a longer period. A certified copy is posted at the job site.
View Florida Mechanic Lien LawGeorgia
What it entails. The owner, the owner's agent, or the contractor files the notice within 15 days after the contractor physically starts work, and posts a copy at the project site. It names the contractor, the true owner, the property, any payment bond surety, and any construction lender.
Why it matters. Filing it triggers the Notice to Contractor requirement. A subcontractor or supplier without a direct contract with the prime must serve a Notice to Contractor within 30 days of the filing, or 30 days after first furnishing, whichever is later, or lose lien rights. If no notice of commencement is filed, that requirement does not apply.
View Georgia Mechanic Lien LawOhio
What it entails. The owner, part owner, or lessee who contracts for the work records the notice before any labor or materials are furnished. It names the owner, the contractor, any lending institution, any payment bond surety, and the person on whom a notice of furnishing must be served.
Why it matters. Once it is recorded, subcontractors and suppliers must serve a notice of furnishing within 21 days to preserve lien rights. The flip side protects claimants: if the owner fails to record a notice of commencement, a subcontractor or supplier does not have to serve a notice of furnishing at all.
View Ohio Mechanic Lien LawMichigan
What it entails. The owner or lessee contracting for the improvement records the notice before work begins, with a blank notice of furnishing attached. It gives the legal description and names the owner or lessee, the owner's designee, and the general contractor.
Why it matters. A subcontractor or supplier not in direct contract with the owner must serve a notice of furnishing on the designee and the general contractor within 20 days of first furnishing to preserve lien rights. The notice tells the claimant exactly who that designee is and where to send it.
View Michigan Mechanic Lien LawIowa
What it entails. Iowa is the outlier. Instead of county recording, the general contractor or owner-builder posts a commencement-of-work notice on the statewide Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry within 10 days of starting work on a residential project. It names the owner, the general contractor or owner-builder, and the property.
Why it matters. A general contractor or owner-builder who fails to post it can lose the right to lien the residential property, and the posted notice is what lets unknown subcontractors find the project on the registry.
Recent ruling. In Borst Bros. Construction v. Finance of America Commercial (Iowa 2022), the Iowa Supreme Court held that the 10-day deadline applies to general contractors and owner-builders, not subcontractors. A subcontractor keeps its lien rights even if no commencement-of-work notice was posted.
How to Find a Notice of Commencement
A notice of commencement is a public record, so anyone can pull it. The steps are the same whether you are a subcontractor confirming who the owner is or a supplier checking for a payment bond before you ship.
Pin down the county and the property
The notice is filed where the property sits. Start with the project's street address, the county, and, if you have it, the parcel or tax folio number. For Iowa, you can skip straight to the statewide registry.
Search the right public office
Florida: the Clerk of the Circuit Court's official records. Georgia: the Clerk of the Superior Court's notice index. Ohio: the County Recorder. Michigan: the Register of Deeds. Most counties offer a free online search by owner name, address, or parcel number.
For Iowa, search the statewide registry
Iowa keeps commencement-of-work notices and mechanic's liens on the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry, maintained by the Secretary of State and searchable online by property or owner. There is no county filing to chase down.
Read off the parties
Pull the names and service addresses for the owner, the contractor, any payment bond and surety, the construction lender (in Florida, Georgia, and Ohio), and the person designated to receive notices. That is the list of who controls the money and who must be served.
Act on the deadline it starts
Use the information to serve your notice to owner, notice of furnishing, or notice to contractor on the correct party at the correct address, and to decide whether to pursue the property, a payment bond, or the construction loan. In Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan, the recorded notice starts a short clock, so do not sit on it.
We Pull the Records and Serve the Right Party
National Lien & Bond locates the notice of commencement, reads off the owner, lender, and surety, and serves every required notice on the correct party within the statutory window, in all 50 states. You submit the project; we handle the compliance.
Related Resources
Explore more guides to protect your construction payment rights.
Preliminary Notice Requirements by State
See which states require a preliminary notice and the deadline for each.
Notice to Owner vs. Preliminary Notice
Understand the core differences between these two foundational notice types.
State Lien Laws
Browse mechanic lien statutes and deadlines for every state.
Notice of Commencement FAQ
What is a notice of commencement?
A notice of commencement is a public record filed at the start of a construction project. It identifies the property, the owner and the owner's interest, the general contractor, any payment bond and its surety, and, in several states, the construction lender. It also names the party designated to receive notices and other documents on the project. Its purpose is to put everyone involved on record before the first invoice is sent, so that a subcontractor or supplier who has no direct contact with the owner still knows whom to deal with and where to send required notices.
Which states require a notice of commencement?
Five states use one: Florida (Fla. Stat. § 713.13), Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.5), Ohio (Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.04), Michigan (Mich. Comp. Laws § 570.1108), and Iowa (Iowa Code § 572.13A). In Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan the notice is recorded in the county land records where the property sits. Iowa is the exception: instead of county recording, the commencement-of-work notice is posted on a single statewide online registry maintained by the Secretary of State.
Who records the notice of commencement?
In Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan the property owner or the owner's authorized agent records it, and in Georgia the contractor may file it as well. In Florida, a construction lender must record the notice before it disburses loan funds. Iowa works differently: the general contractor or owner-builder posts the commencement-of-work notice on the statewide registry within 10 days of starting a residential project.
Does a notice of commencement identify the construction lender?
In Florida, Georgia, and Ohio, yes. The statute requires the notice to name any person or institution financing the construction, along with the owner and any payment bond surety. That makes the notice one of the fastest ways for an unpaid contractor or supplier to learn who is funding a job. Michigan's notice centers on the owner, the owner's designee, and the general contractor, and Iowa's commencement-of-work notice names the owner, the contractor, and the property.
Where do I find a notice of commencement?
For Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan, search the county land records for the county where the property is located: the Clerk of the Circuit Court in Florida, the Clerk of the Superior Court in Georgia, the County Recorder in Ohio, and the Register of Deeds in Michigan. Most counties offer a free online records search by owner name, address, or parcel number. For Iowa, search the statewide Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry on the Secretary of State's website. In the four county-recording states, the owner also posts a copy at the job site.
What happens if no notice of commencement is recorded?
The consequence depends on the state. In Ohio, if the owner fails to record a notice of commencement, a subcontractor or material supplier does not have to serve a notice of furnishing to preserve lien rights. In Georgia, the notice to contractor requirement only applies on a project where a notice of commencement has been filed, so if none is filed, that requirement does not bind the claimant. In Florida, the notice of commencement is tied to lien priority and to the release of construction loan funds, so a missing or defective notice can create serious problems for the owner and the lender. In Iowa, the Supreme Court held in Borst Bros. Construction v. Finance of America Commercial (2022) that the 10-day posting deadline applies to general contractors and owner-builders, not subcontractors, so a subcontractor keeps its lien rights even when no commencement notice was posted.
Is a notice of commencement the same as a preliminary notice?
No. A notice of commencement is filed by the owner (or the contractor or lender) at the start of the project and is recorded in the public records. A preliminary notice, notice to owner, or notice of furnishing is sent by a subcontractor or supplier to preserve its own lien rights. The two are connected: in Georgia, Ohio, and Michigan, recording the notice of commencement is what starts the clock on the claimant's notice and tells the claimant exactly whom to serve and where.