FLFlorida
Florida Lien Deadlines for Material Suppliers
Florida's Notice to Owner timing is unforgiving. If your notice is late, your lien rights can disappear even if the job is still active.
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Risk context
Florida is High Risk for Suppliers
Florida requires many suppliers (those not contracted directly with the owner) to send a Notice to Owner within a short window. If your Notice to Owner is late, it can wipe out lien leverage before collections even starts. Florida also generally requires recording within 90 days after final furnishing. Eligibility, payment and project documents must be checked before relying on those periods.
Deadline schedule
Florida Mechanics Lien Deadlines (Updated 2026)
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| Deadline Type | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to Owner | Within 45 days of first furnishing | For suppliers not in direct contract with the owner, serve before commencing or no later than 45 days after first furnishing, and in any event before the owner disburses final payment after the contractor has furnished the final payment affidavit (§713.06(2)(a)). |
| Lien Filing | 90 days from last furnishing | Record no later than 90 days after final furnishing. Corrective work does not restart that clock; a certificate of occupancy or final completion is not a substitute for the supplier's actual final furnishing (§ 713.01(12), § 713.08(5)). |
| Supplier Eligibility | Confirm the buyer and the work | The materialman route covers qualifying supply without installation labor to an owner, contractor, subcontractor or sub-subcontractor. A sale only to another materialman is outside that list (§ 713.01(19), (21)). |
| Small Direct Contracts | Separate statutory treatment | If the improvement's direct contract price is $2,500 or less, § 713.02(5) exempts it from this part except § 713.05. Check the owner's direct contract price and your role before using ordinary downstream notice and filing rules (§ 713.02). |
| Notice Method | Hand delivery; common carrier; registered, Global Express Guaranteed, or certified mail | Use a method permitted by §713.18(1). For common carrier or the listed mail methods, pay postage or shipping and retain evidence of delivery, which may be electronic. Posting is permitted only if hand delivery or those delivery/mail methods cannot be accomplished. |
| NTO Mailing-Date Rule | Mail within 40 days after first furnishing | Service is effective on mailing only if all §713.18(2) conditions are met: registered, Global Express Guaranteed, or certified mail with postage prepaid, an address prescribed by §713.18(3), and the required USPS mail log or tracking record. |
| Weekend / Holiday End Date | Next business day | Under §713.011(1), a time period ending on a Saturday, Sunday, a §110.117(1) holiday, or a holiday observed by the clerk or designated by the circuit chief judge extends to the end of the next business day. |
| Enforcement Period | 1 year from lien filing | After recording the lien, enforcement typically must begin within 1 year from the lien filing date. |
| Statutes | Florida Statutes | Fla. Stat. §713.08; §713.06; §713.09; §713.18; §713.011 |
Supplier pitfalls
Common Supplier Mistakes in Florida
Sending the Notice to Owner Too Late
Florida's Notice to Owner timing is strict. If you wait until payment is overdue, the 45-day window may already be gone.
Using Invoice Dates Instead of First/Last Furnishing
Deadlines are tied to when materials were first delivered and last furnished—not when invoices were issued or when a statement was sent.
Not Noticing the "Direct Contract" Exception
Many notice requirements depend on whether you are contracted directly with the owner. If you're supplying through a contractor or sub, assume notice is required unless you've confirmed otherwise.
No Proof of Mailing / Delivery
Keep the service evidence for the method you use. To rely on the mailing-date rule, keep either a mail log showing the USPS registered or certified number, recipient name and address, and USPS date stamp, or USPS-approved/generated tracking records showing the tracking number and the date USPS received the notice (§713.18(2)(c)).
Ignoring a stopped and restarted project
If construction stops or the direct contract ends and work recommences, obtain the recorded documents promptly. An owner's recommencement affidavit can create a 30-day period to record a prior lien to preserve priority against later interests under § 713.07(4). This is a priority issue requiring document review, not a new universal 90-day deadline measured from termination.
Waiting Until the 90th Day to Act
The 90-day lien filing deadline can arrive fast—especially on jobs with staggered deliveries. Build your timeline while the job is active.
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Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Florida Notice to Owner due?
For suppliers not in direct contract with the owner, serve before commencing or no later than 45 days after first furnishing, and in any event before the owner disburses final payment after the contractor has furnished the final payment affidavit (§713.06(2)(a)). A weekend or specified holiday at the end of the 45-day period moves that end date to the next business day under §713.011(1); the final-payment event remains a separate cutoff.
What is the Florida lien filing deadline for suppliers?
The general recording limit is 90 days after final furnishing under § 713.08(5). Track actual furnishing rather than invoices or corrective work. Review any cessation, termination and recommencement documents because § 713.07(4) can affect priority.
How should suppliers send the Notice to Owner?
Section 713.18(1) allows hand delivery to the person to be served (or the specified representative), common carrier delivery service, or registered, Global Express Guaranteed, or certified mail with postage or shipping paid and evidence of delivery, which may be electronic. A return receipt is not the only way to document delivery. Posting on the improvement site is allowed only if hand delivery or the listed delivery/mail methods cannot be accomplished.
When does mailing count as service of the Notice to Owner?
Under §713.18(2), mailing counts as service if you mail within 40 days after first furnishing by registered, Global Express Guaranteed, or certified mail with postage prepaid to an address prescribed by §713.18(3), and maintain the required USPS mail log or tracking record. Use the last address shown in the Notice of Commencement or an amendment, the building permit application if there is no Notice of Commencement, or the recipient’s last known address. A common carrier shipment does not qualify for this specific mailing-date rule.
How long do I have to enforce a Florida lien?
Enforcement is typically required within 1 year from the lien filing date. Filing a lien is not the final step—enforcement timing matters.
What if I missed the Notice to Owner deadline?
Missing notice timing can eliminate lien leverage even if you're still supplying the project. If you're close to the 45-day window, use the calculator now and prioritize notice tracking immediately.
Important note