Free Tool — Florida Construction Law
Estimate the deadline to record a construction lien under Florida Chapter 713. Enter the last date you furnished labor, materials, or services to the project.
Florida Chapter 713 — 89-Day Early Filing Buffer
The final date you provided labor, materials, or services to the project.
Questions About Your Lien?
Lien rights are time-sensitive and easy to lose. If you have questions about your specific situation, contact Ready Legal for a consultation.
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Florida Chapter 713
Under Florida Statute § 713.08, a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier must record a claim of lien within 90 days after the final furnishing of labor, services, or materials to the project. Missing this deadline permanently extinguishes lien rights.
The clock starts on the last date you actually provided labor, services, or materials to the project — not the date of your invoice or contract. Warranty work, repairs, or corrective work after final completion may or may not extend the deadline depending on the circumstances.
Florida's Construction Lien Law protects contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, laborers, and material suppliers who furnish services or materials improving real property under a contract. Design professionals may also have lien rights in certain circumstances.
Certain lienors — particularly those without a direct contract with the property owner — must serve a Notice to Owner before or within 45 days of first furnishing to preserve lien rights. Failure to serve a timely Notice to Owner can eliminate your lien rights entirely, regardless of the 90-day deadline.
Recording a lien is not the end of the process. A lien must be enforced by filing a lawsuit within one year of recording, unless a shortened period is triggered by a Notice of Contest of Lien or other statutory event. Recording alone does not guarantee payment.
On bonded projects — typically public projects or private projects where the owner has obtained a payment bond — your remedy may be against the bond rather than the property. Different notice requirements and deadlines apply to payment bond claims under Florida Statute § 713.23.
Know the Variables
The 90-day rule is a starting point — not the whole picture. The following factors can shorten, complicate, or eliminate your lien rights under Florida law. An attorney can evaluate these issues in the context of your specific project.
Subcontractors and suppliers without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice to Owner within 45 days of first furnishing or risk losing all lien rights.
An owner can serve a Notice of Contest of Lien after you record, which shortens the enforcement deadline from one year to 60 days.
Liens cannot be recorded against public property. Public projects are governed by payment bond requirements with different rules and deadlines.
Some contracts include provisions that modify statutory rights or require additional notice steps before a lien can be recorded or enforced.
Whether punch list or warranty work extends the 90-day period is a fact-specific question. Not all post-completion work resets the lien clock.
Your relationship to the project — prime contractor, subcontractor, sub-sub, or supplier — affects which requirements apply and what rights you have.
This calculator is provided by Ready Legal as a free informational tool for general educational purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Florida attorney. The calculation provided is based on a conservative 89-day window and does not account for the many other legal requirements, exceptions, and factors that may affect your lien rights.
Use of this tool does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Ready Legal or any of its attorneys. No attorney-client relationship is formed until a written engagement agreement has been signed by both parties. Ready Legal makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy or completeness of the results produced by this tool.
Lien deadlines are strictly enforced under Florida law, and missing a deadline typically results in permanent loss of lien rights. If you have any doubt about your lien deadline or lien rights, you should consult a qualified Florida construction attorney immediately.