Arizona contractors

The 20-day notice, and the lien clock after it

This is general information, not legal advice. This is a plain-language summary of A.R.S. §§ 33-981, 33-992.01, 33-992.02, 33-993, 33-998, 33-1002, and 33-1003. It is not a lien form. Lien law is strict about dates and wording, so use the statute's own form and talk to an Arizona construction attorney before you record a lien. The Registrar of Contractors does not regulate liens.

Who has to send it

§ 33-992.01(B) says every person who furnishes labor, professional services, materials, machinery, fixtures, or tools for which a lien may be claimed, except a person performing actual labor for wages, must serve the notice as a necessary prerequisite to the validity of any claim of lien. Serve it on the owner or reputed owner, the original contractor or reputed contractor, the construction lender if there is one, and the person you contracted with.

Without the notice and proof of service, you cannot enforce the lien. (§ 33-981(D)) You must also be validly licensed if the work requires a license. An unlicensed contractor has no lien rights. (§ 33-981(C)) See license renewal.

Twenty days from first delivery to the jobsite

§ 33-992.01(C) says give the notice no later than twenty days after you first furnish labor, services, materials, machinery, fixtures, or tools to the jobsite. If the notice is late, § 33-992.01(E) says you can still send it, but you can then lien only for what you furnished within 20 days before serving it, and after.

One notice usually covers the job, unless your estimated total grows by 30 percent or more over the prior notice, or you are supplying under contracts with more than one subcontractor. In either case, send a new one. (§ 33-992.01(G))

What the notice must say

§ 33-992.01(C) requires:

A general description of what you furnished or will furnish, and an estimate of the total price.
Your name and address.
The name of the person who contracted for your work or materials.
A description of the jobsite sufficient to identify it.
The statute's bold-faced statement, including the line that this is not a lien, and the notice to the property owner about conditional and unconditional waivers under § 33-1008.

The notice must follow substantially the form in § 33-992.01(D). Use that form. This page does not reprint it. A notice that otherwise complies is not defective just because the bold or type-size formatting is missing. (§ 33-992.01(I))

How to serve it

§ 33-992.01(F) says mail it first class with a certificate of mailing, or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to each party's residence or business address. Service is complete when you deposit it in the mail. Email is not listed.

§ 33-992.02 says proof is the signed acknowledgment of receipt. If it is not returned within 30 days of mailing, prove service with an affidavit of mailing and attach the certificate of mailing or the certified or registered receipt.

Within 10 days after receiving the notice, or a written request, the owner or other interested person must give you the jobsite description, the names and addresses of the owner, original contractor, and lender, and a copy of any recorded payment bond. (§ 33-992.01(J)) If that information shows the notice was wrong, send an amended notice within 30 days of receiving it. (§ 33-992.01(K))

Lien deadlines after the notice

Record the notice and claim of lien with the county recorder within 120 days after completion, or within 60 days after a notice of completion is recorded. Then serve a copy on the owner within a reasonable time. (§ 33-993(A))
Completion is the earliest of 30 days after final inspection and written final acceptance, or 60 consecutive days with no labor, except strikes, material shortages, or acts of God. With no permit or no final inspection, it is the last date anything was furnished. (§ 33-993(C)–(D))
If the owner records a notice of completion, they must mail it within 15 days, certified or registered, to the original contractor and everyone who sent a preliminary notice. If they do not, the 120-day window remains. (§ 33-993(I))
The lien claim must state the date the preliminary notice was given and attach a copy of it and the proof of mailing. (§ 33-993(A)(6))
Foreclose within six months after recording, and record a notice of pendency of action, or the lien expires. (§ 33-998(A))
On a multi-building residential project, each separate building has its own completion clock. (§ 33-993(B))

Two situations that change the lien

Owner-occupied homes

§ 33-1002(B)–(C) says no lien may be recorded against the dwelling of an owner-occupant except by a person who has a written contract directly with the owner-occupant. Waivers of that protection are void. Read § 33-1002(A) for who counts as an owner-occupant.

Payment bonds

§ 33-1003(A) says that if the owner records a payment bond and the contract, generally only those who contracted in writing directly with the owner can lien. Others look to the bond. The owner must furnish the bond information within 10 days, as described above.

A supplier or sub who was required to give the preliminary notice can recover from a contractor's ROC license bond only if they gave it and proved service. (§ 32-1152(E)) See the bond page.

Public-works bond rules are not covered here. Lien waiver forms are in § 33-1008. Use the statute's forms.

Write the first-delivery date down the day it happens. The 20-day clock starts when you first furnish labor or materials to the jobsite, not when you sign. In the Job & Lead Tracker, the Scheduled Date and Notes columns can hold the first day on site and the date you mailed the notice. Keep the certificate of mailing with the job. The tracker's Completed Date is not the same thing as statutory completion in § 33-993(C). The estimate already carries the customer, jobsite address, and price the notice asks for.

Common questions

Is a preliminary 20-day notice a lien?

No. The statute's required text says this is not a lien and this is not a reflection on the integrity of any contractor or subcontractor. (§ 33-992.01(C)(5))

When is it due?

No later than 20 days after you first furnish labor or materials to the jobsite. (§ 33-992.01(C))

What if the 20 days have passed?

You can still send it, but it only covers what you furnished in the 20 days before you served it, and after. (§ 33-992.01(E))

Can I email it?

The statute lists first class mail with a certificate of mailing, or registered or certified mail. (§ 33-992.01(F)) Email isn't listed.

How long do I have to record a lien?

120 days after completion, or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion if the owner mailed it as required. (§ 33-993(A), (I))

How long does a recorded lien last?

Six months, unless you file suit and record a notice of pendency of action. (§ 33-998(A))

Can a subcontractor lien an owner-occupant's house?

Generally not if you did not contract with the owner-occupant directly in writing. (§ 33-1002(B))

Does the ROC handle liens?

No. ROC's FAQ says it does not regulate liens. They are in Title 33.

Last checked: October 11, 2026

Sources: the Title 33 sections linked above, § 32-1152, and the ROC FAQ. Phone (602) 542-1525, toll-free (877) 692-9762.

Next step

Get the paperwork right from the estimate on. See the contract checklist, the free estimate, the job packet, and a free website preview. Also see contract requirements, license renewal, the ROC bond.