Florida lien deadlines for material suppliers
Florida is strict about the Notice to Owner: a supplier who is not in contract with the owner and misses it has no lien to enforce.
Florida Statutes, Chapter 713, Part I. Last checked November 10, 2026.
The deadlines
- 01Serve the Notice to OwnerBefore you start furnishing, or no later than 45 days after you start.Served on the owner. A supplier to a subcontractor also serves a copy on the contractor. The time limit is strict: failing to serve it on time is a complete defense to the lien.Fla. Stat. § 713.06(2)(a)
- 02Record the claim of lienNo later than 90 days after your final furnishing of materials.Fla. Stat. § 713.08(5)
- 03Serve the claim of lien on the ownerBefore recording, or within 15 days after recording.Fla. Stat. § 713.08(4)(c)
- 04Start an action to enforce the lienWithin 1 year after the claim of lien is recorded.The owner can shorten this to 60 days by serving a Notice of Contest of Lien.Fla. Stat. § 713.22
Example. First delivery to a subcontractor's job on March 1: serve the Notice to Owner by April 15, with a copy to the contractor.
Worth knowing
- Suppliers who contract with the owner, a contractor, a subcontractor or a sub-subcontractor have lien rights. A supplier to another supplier does not (§ 713.01).
- Final furnishing cannot be measured by a certificate of occupancy or final completion (§ 713.01).
General information, not legal advice. Lien law is strict, it changes, and the details depend on your contract and project. Check the statute linked on each step, and talk to a construction attorney before you rely on a deadline. Last checked November 10, 2026. Source: The 2026 Florida Statutes, read from the Florida Legislature's official site.
Before the lien
Most of the risk is decided when the account opens: who signed, whether there is a personal guarantee, and what the trade references said. Valtis Desk collects all of it from a link, emails the references for you, and keeps a signed audit file for every account.
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