of days from the date that labor or materials were first furnished on a project. Some states (Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee) require that Preliminary Notice be sent every month that payment is not received. Other states (Nevada and Colorado) require that lien claimants send more than one type of Preliminary Notice. In certain cases, sending Preliminary Notice late results in the forfeiture of lien rights. However, some states accept late Preliminary Notice. For example, California requires that the California Preliminary 20-Day Notice is sent within 20 days of first furnishing labor and/or materials on a project to fully protect lien rights. If a notice is sent late, it will apply to work done after the date of submission and work done in the 20 days prior to the date of submission, but will not apply to any work done before the 20 days preceding submission. How to Send Preliminary Notice Most states specify acceptable mailing methods in their lien statute. For example, the Texas lien statute states: "If notice is sent by registered or certified mail, deposit or mailing of the notice in the United States mail in the form required constitutes compliance with the notice requirement." Often, states require that Preliminary Notice is sent via registered or certified mail, sometimes with return receipt requested. References Property law