Guide for Contractors

The State Construction Registry (SCR) helps original contractors stay informed about who is working on their project. The SCR provides a list of all parties that have provided goods, services and/or equipment to a project, and have preserved their lien rights by filing a Preliminary Notice. Contractors can minimize liability and risk through joint check arrangements and/or lien waivers.

Contractors should file

Notice of Commencement: Only Government jobs require a Notice of Commencement. All other jobs no longer require a Notice of Commencement. A notice of Commencement must be filed within 15 days after work on the job site has begun. If it is not filed on time or accurately, anyone working on the job is not required to file a Preliminary Notice to make a claim on the payment bond.

Preliminary Notice: Original Contractors are now required to file a Preliminary Notice within 20 days after starting work to maintain their lien rights. The lien priority date for everyone working on the job is now set by the date the first Preliminary Notice is filed and not on the date that actual work began.

Intent to Complete: Original Contractors may file an Intent to Complete at least 45 days before a project is able to be Completed. After an Intent to Complete is filed, anyone who has filed a Preliminary Notice must file a Remaining to Complete stating if they have not been paid or if they owe others. The Intent to Complete only applies to non-bonded jobs over $500,000.

Notice of Completion: Original Contractors file a Notice of Completion after the final inspection, certificate of occupancy, or all substantial work is complete. After a Notice of Completion is filed, all remaining Preliminary Notices must be filed within 10 days after the Notice of Completion is filed and the time to file a lien is reduced to 90 days instead of 180 days.

Filing Tips

• File a Preliminary Notice promptly. If the original contractor files a Preliminary Notice promptly at the beginning of the job, subcontractors and suppliers will file their Preliminary Notices with information from the contractor's filing. This will help the contractor more easily locate all Preliminary Notices tied to this job.
• Post the QR code for your Preliminary Notice on the Job Site. If the Contractor posts the QR code for their Preliminary Notice from the SCR, subcontractors and suppliers will be able to scan the QR code from their mobile phone. This will allow anyone working on the job to file a Preliminary Notice based on the information in that filing.
• Search by Tax Parcel ID to find all filings tied to a Private Job.
• Search by Entry Number to find all Notices tied to a Government Job. If you use the entry number search for Non-Government jobs, you may not see all filings tied to that property.