Florida Construction Lien Law

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Florida's Construction Lien Law (Chapter 713, Florida Statutes) gives contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals a powerful tool for getting paid, but only if every notice and deadline is met. Missing a single step can forfeit lien rights entirely. Andrew V. Cobbe, P.A. represents lienors and owners in preserving, enforcing, defending, and removing construction liens throughout South Florida.

For lienors: Notices to Owner and Notices to Contractor, claims of lien, contractor's final payment affidavits, lien foreclosure, and payment bond claims.

For owners and contractors: Notices of Commencement, review of lien releases and waivers, Notices of Contest of Lien, transferring liens to a bond, and challenging fraudulent or overstated liens.

Notice to Owner: generally within 45 days of first furnishing labor, services, or materials, for lienors who do not contract directly with the owner.

Claim of Lien: generally must be recorded within 90 days after final furnishing and served on the owner within 15 days after recording.

Contractor's Final Payment Affidavit: a contractor in privity with the owner must serve it at least 5 days before filing suit to enforce a lien.

Lien enforcement: an action generally must be filed within 1 year of recording, or within 60 days if the owner records a Notice of Contest of Lien.

These are general rules. Deadlines depend on the facts and the type of project, so talk to counsel early.

Generally no. Liens cannot attach to public property, so contractors and suppliers on public projects rely on the payment bond required by section 255.05, Florida Statutes, which has its own notice and deadline requirements.

Schedule a consultation: call (954) 501-4454 or email info@generalcontractorlawyer.com. Lien deadlines are short, so reach out as soon as a payment problem appears. Andrew V. Cobbe, P.A. is based in Weston and handles construction lien matters throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

About the attorney: Andrew V. Cobbe is a Florida Bar Board Certified construction lawyer and a licensed Certified General and Roofing Contractor. Before practicing law, he spent six years as Vice President and Primary Qualifier of a general contracting firm, so he knows how payment moves through a project and where lien rights are won or lost. Read more about Andrew V. Cobbe