California Code
DIVISION 4 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
PART 6 - WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT

TITLE 1 - WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT GENERALLY

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

ARTICLE 1 - Definitions

Section 8000. - 8000. Unless the provision or context otherwise requires, the definitions...

Section 8002. - 8002. “Admitted surety insurer” has the meaning provided in Section...

Section 8004. - 8004. “Claimant” means a person that has a right under...

Section 8006. - 8006. “Construction lender” means either of the following: (a) A...

Section 8008. - 8008. “Contract” means an agreement that provides for all or...

Section 8010. - 8010. “Contract price” means the price agreed to in a...

Section 8012. - 8012. “Contractor” includes a direct contractor, subcontractor, or both. This...

Section 8014. - 8014. “Design professional” means a person licensed as an architect...

Section 8016. - 8016. “Direct contract” means a contract between an owner and...

Section 8018. - 8018. “Direct contractor” means a contractor that has a direct...

Section 8020. - 8020. For the purposes of Title 3 (commencing with Section...

Section 8022. - 8022. “Labor, service, equipment, or material” includes, but is not...

Section 8024. - 8024. (a) “Laborer” means a person who, acting as an...

Section 8026. - 8026. “Lien” means a lien under Title 2 (commencing with...

Section 8028. - 8028. “Material supplier” means a person that provides material or...

Section 8030. - 8030. (a) For the purposes of Title 2 (commencing with...

Section 8032. - 8032. “Person” means an individual, corporation, public entity, business trust,...

Section 8034. - 8034. (a) For the purposes of Title 2 (commencing with...

Section 8036. - 8036. “Public entity” means the state, Regents of the University...

Section 8038. - 8038. “Public works contract” has the meaning provided in Section...

Section 8040. - 8040. “Site” means the real property on which a work...

Section 8042. - 8042. “Site improvement” means any of the following work on...

Section 8044. - 8044. (a) (1) For the purposes of Title 2 (commencing...

Section 8046. - 8046. “Subcontractor” means a contractor that does not have a...

Section 8048. - 8048. “Work” means labor, service, equipment, or material provided to...

Section 8050. - 8050. (a) “Work of improvement” includes, but is not limited...

ARTICLE 2 - Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 8052. - 8052. (a) This part is operative on July 1, 2012....

Section 8054. - 8054. (a) This part does not apply to a transaction...

Section 8056. - 8056. Except as otherwise provided in this part, Part 2...

Section 8058. - 8058. For purposes of this part, “day” means a calendar...

Section 8060. - 8060. (a) If this part provides for filing a contract,...

Section 8062. - 8062. No act of an owner in good faith and...

Section 8064. - 8064. An owner may give a notice or execute or...

Section 8066. - 8066. An act that may be done by or to...

CHAPTER 2 - Notice

Section 8100. - 8100. Notice under this part shall be in writing. Writing...

Section 8102. - 8102. (a) Notice under this part shall, in addition to...

Section 8104. - 8104. (a) A direct contractor or subcontractor on a work...

Section 8106. - 8106. Except as otherwise provided by statute, notice under this...

Section 8108. - 8108. Except as otherwise provided by this part, notice under...

Section 8110. - 8110. Except as otherwise provided by this part, notice by...

Section 8114. - 8114. A notice required by this part to be posted...

Section 8116. - 8116. Notice under this part is complete and deemed to...

Section 8118. - 8118. (a) Proof that notice was given to a person...

Section 8119. - 8119. (a) With respect to a work of improvement on...

CHAPTER 3 - Waiver and Release

Section 8120. - 8120. The provisions of this chapter apply to a work...

Section 8122. - 8122. An owner, direct contractor, or subcontractor may not, by...

Section 8124. - 8124. A claimant’s waiver and release does not release the...

Section 8126. - 8126. An oral or written statement purporting to waive, release,...

Section 8128. - 8128. (a) A claimant may reduce the amount of, or...

Section 8130. - 8130. This article does not affect the enforceability of either...

Section 8132. - 8132. If a claimant is required to execute a waiver...

Section 8134. - 8134. If the claimant is required to execute a waiver...

Section 8136. - 8136. If the claimant is required to execute a waiver...

Section 8138. - 8138. If the claimant is required to execute a waiver...

CHAPTER 4 - Bonds

Section 8150. - 8150. The Bond and Undertaking Law (Chapter 2 (commencing with...

Section 8152. - 8152. None of the following releases a surety from liability...

Section 8154. - 8154. (a) A bond given under this part shall be...

TITLE 2 - PRIVATE WORKS OF IMPROVEMENT

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

ARTICLE 1 - Application of Title

Section 8160. - 8160. This title applies to a work of improvement that...

ARTICLE 2 - Construction Documents

Section 8170. - 8170. (a) A written direct contract shall provide a space...

Section 8172. - 8172. (a) A public entity that issues building permits shall,...

Section 8174. - 8174. (a) A mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument...

ARTICLE 3 - Completion

Section 8180. - 8180. (a) For the purpose of this title, completion of...

Section 8182. - 8182. (a) An owner may record a notice of completion...

Section 8184. - 8184. A notice of completion in otherwise proper form, verified...

Section 8186. - 8186. If a work of improvement is made pursuant to...

Section 8188. - 8188. (a) An owner may record a notice of cessation...

Section 8190. - 8190. (a) An owner that records a notice of completion...

CHAPTER 2 - Preliminary Notice

Section 8200. - 8200. (a) Except as otherwise provided by statute, before recording...

Section 8202. - 8202. (a) The preliminary notice shall comply with the requirements...

Section 8204. - 8204. (a) A preliminary notice shall be given not later...

Section 8206. - 8206. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a claimant...

Section 8208. - 8208. A direct contractor shall make available to any person...

Section 8210. - 8210. If one or more construction loans are obtained after...

Section 8212. - 8212. An agreement made or entered into by an owner...

Section 8214. - 8214. (a) Each person who has served a preliminary notice...

Section 8216. - 8216. If the contract of any subcontractor on a particular...

CHAPTER 3 - Design Professionals Lien

Section 8300. - 8300. For purposes of this chapter, a “design professional” is...

Section 8302. - 8302. (a) A design professional has, from the date of...

Section 8304. - 8304. A design professional is not entitled to a lien...

Section 8306. - 8306. (a) On recordation of the claim of lien, a...

Section 8308. - 8308. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no provision...

Section 8310. - 8310. This chapter does not affect the ability of a...

Section 8312. - 8312. A design professional shall record a claim of lien...

Section 8314. - 8314. The creation of a lien under this chapter does...

Section 8316. - 8316. (a) No lien created under this chapter affects or...

Section 8318. - 8318. A design professional may not obtain a lien under...

Section 8319. - 8319. (a) A design professional may convert a recorded design...

CHAPTER 4 - Mechanics Lien

ARTICLE 1 - Who is Entitled to Lien

Section 8400. - 8400. A person that provides work authorized for a work...

Section 8402. - 8402. A person that provides work authorized for a site...

Section 8404. - 8404. Work is authorized for a work of improvement or...

ARTICLE 2 - Conditions to Enforcing a Lien

Section 8410. - 8410. A claimant may enforce a lien only if the...

Section 8412. - 8412. A direct contractor may not enforce a lien unless...

Section 8414. - 8414. A claimant other than a direct contractor may not...

Section 8416. - 8416. (a) A claim of mechanics lien shall be a...

Section 8422. - 8422. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c),...

Section 8424. - 8424. (a) An owner of real property or an owner...

ARTICLE 3 - Amount of Lien

Section 8430. - 8430. (a) The lien is a direct lien for the...

Section 8432. - 8432. (a) A lien does not extend to work, whether...

Section 8434. - 8434. A direct contractor or a subcontractor may enforce a...

ARTICLE 4 - Property Subject to Lien

Section 8440. - 8440. Subject to Section 8442, a lien attaches to the...

Section 8442. - 8442. The following interests in real property to which a...

Section 8444. - 8444. (a) An owner of real property or a person...

Section 8446. - 8446. A claimant may record one claim of lien on...

Section 8448. - 8448. (a) As used in this section, “separate residential unit”...

ARTICLE 5 - Priorities

Section 8450. - 8450. (a) A lien under this chapter, other than a...

Section 8452. - 8452. A mortgage or deed of trust, otherwise subordinate to...

Section 8454. - 8454. If a site improvement is provided for in a...

Section 8456. - 8456. (a) This section applies to a construction loan secured...

Section 8458. - 8458. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a lien...

ARTICLE 6 - Enforcement of Lien

Section 8460. - 8460. (a) The claimant shall commence an action to enforce...

Section 8461. - 8461. After commencement of an action to enforce a lien,...

Section 8462. - 8462. Notwithstanding Section 583.420 of the Code of Civil Procedure,...

Section 8464. - 8464. In addition to any other costs allowed by law,...

Section 8466. - 8466. If there is a deficiency of proceeds from the...

Section 8468. - 8468. (a) This chapter does not affect any of the...

Section 8470. - 8470. In an action to enforce a lien for work...

ARTICLE 7 - Release Order

Section 8480. - 8480. (a) The owner of property or the owner of...

Section 8482. - 8482. An owner of property may not petition the court...

Section 8484. - 8484. A petition for a release order shall be verified...

Section 8486. - 8486. (a) On the filing of a petition for a...

Section 8488. - 8488. (a) At the hearing both (1) the petition and...

ARTICLE 8 - Removal of Claim of Lien from Record

Section 8490. - 8490. (a) A court order dismissing a cause of action...

Section 8494. - 8494. If a claim of lien expires and is unenforceable...

CHAPTER 5 - Stop Payment Notice

ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions

Section 8500. - 8500. The rights of all persons furnishing work for any...

Section 8502. - 8502. (a) A stop payment notice shall comply with the...

Section 8504. - 8504. A claimant that willfully gives a false stop payment...

Section 8506. - 8506. (a) A stop payment notice to an owner shall...

Section 8508. - 8508. A stop payment notice is not valid unless both...

Section 8510. - 8510. (a) A person may obtain release of funds withheld...

ARTICLE 2 - Stop Payment Notice to Owner

Section 8520. - 8520. (a) A person that has a lien right under...

Section 8522. - 8522. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), on receipt...

ARTICLE 3 - Stop Payment Notice to Construction Lender

Section 8530. - 8530. A person that has a lien right under Chapter...

Section 8532. - 8532. A claimant may give a construction lender a stop...

Section 8534. - 8534. (a) A construction lender that objects to the sufficiency...

Section 8536. - 8536. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), on receipt...

Section 8538. - 8538. (a) The claimant may make a written request for...

ARTICLE 4 - Priorities

Section 8540. - 8540. (a) Funds withheld pursuant to a stop payment notice...

Section 8542. - 8542. Notwithstanding Section 8540: (a) If funds are withheld pursuant...

Section 8544. - 8544. The rights of a claimant who gives a construction...

ARTICLE 5 - Enforcement of Claim Stated in Stop Payment Notice

Section 8550. - 8550. (a) A claimant shall commence an action to enforce...

Section 8552. - 8552. If more than one claimant has given a stop...

Section 8554. - 8554. Notwithstanding Section 583.420 of the Code of Civil Procedure,...

Section 8556. - 8556. A stop payment notice ceases to be effective, and...

Section 8558. - 8558. (a) In an action to enforce payment of the...

Section 8560. - 8560. If the claimant is the prevailing party in an...

CHAPTER 6 - Payment Bond

Section 8600. - 8600. (a) This section applies if, before the commencement of...

Section 8602. - 8602. Section 8600 does not preclude an owner from requiring...

Section 8604. - 8604. (a) If a lending institution requires that a payment...

Section 8606. - 8606. (a) A payment bond under this title shall be...

Section 8608. - 8608. (a) This title does not give a claimant a...

Section 8609. - 8609. Any provision in a payment bond attempting by contract...

Section 8610. - 8610. Notwithstanding Section 8609, if a payment bond under this...

Section 8612. - 8612. (a) In order to enforce a claim against a...

Section 8614. - 8614. Notice to the principal and surety under Section 8612...

CHAPTER 7 - Security for Large Project

ARTICLE 1 - Application of Chapter

Section 8700. - 8700. (a) This chapter applies if any of the following...

Section 8702. - 8702. This chapter does not apply to any of the...

Section 8704. - 8704. This chapter does not apply to any of the...

ARTICLE 2 - Security Requirement

Section 8710. - 8710. An owner described in subdivision (a) of Section 8700...

Section 8712. - 8712. If an owner fails to provide or maintain the...

Section 8714. - 8714. It is against public policy to waive the provisions...

Section 8716. - 8716. This chapter does not affect any statute providing for...

ARTICLE 3 - Form of Security

Section 8720. - 8720. An owner shall provide security by any of the...

Section 8722. - 8722. A bond under this chapter shall satisfy all of...

Section 8724. - 8724. An irrevocable letter of credit under this chapter shall...

Section 8726. - 8726. An escrow account under this chapter shall satisfy all...

Section 8728. - 8728. The following provisions govern a deposit to or disbursement...

Section 8730. - 8730. If the contract price for a work of improvement...

CHAPTER 8 - Prompt Payment

ARTICLE 1 - Progress Payment

Section 8800. - 8800. (a) Except as otherwise agreed in writing by the...

Section 8802. - 8802. (a) This section applies to a contract between a...

ARTICLE 2 - Retention Payment

Section 8810. - 8810. This article governs a retention payment withheld by an...

Section 8812. - 8812. (a) If an owner withholds a retention from a...

Section 8814. - 8814. (a) If a direct contractor has withheld a retention...

Section 8816. - 8816. (a) If the direct contractor gives the owner, or...

Section 8818. - 8818. If an owner or direct contractor does not make...

Section 8820. - 8820. It is against public policy to waive the provisions...

Section 8822. - 8822. This article does not apply to a retention payment...

ARTICLE 3 - Stop Work Notice

Section 8830. - 8830. “Stop work notice” means notice given under this article...

Section 8832. - 8832. If a direct contractor is not paid the amount...

Section 8834. - 8834. A direct contractor that gives an owner a stop...

Section 8836. - 8836. Within five days after receipt of a stop work...

Section 8838. - 8838. (a) The direct contractor or the direct contractor’s surety,...

Section 8840. - 8840. On resolution of the claim in the stop work...

Section 8842. - 8842. A direct contractor’s right to stop work under this...

Section 8844. - 8844. (a) If payment of the amount claimed is not...

Section 8846. - 8846. It is against public policy to waive the provisions...

Section 8848. - 8848. (a) This article applies to a contract entered into...

TITLE 3 - PUBLIC WORK OF IMPROVEMENT

CHAPTER 1 - General Provisions

ARTICLE 1 - Application of Title

Section 9000. - 9000. This title applies to a work of improvement contracted...

ARTICLE 2 - Claimants

Section 9100. - 9100. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), any of...

CHAPTER 2 - Completion

Section 9200. - 9200. For the purpose of this title, completion of a...

Section 9202. - 9202. (a) A public entity may record a notice of...

Section 9204. - 9204. (a) A public entity may record a notice of...

Section 9208. - 9208. A notice of completion in otherwise proper form, verified...

CHAPTER 3 - Preliminary Notice

Section 9300. - 9300. (a) Except as otherwise provided by statute, before giving...

Section 9302. - 9302. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), preliminary notice...

Section 9303. - 9303. The preliminary notice shall comply with the requirements of...

Section 9304. - 9304. A claimant may give a stop payment notice or...

Section 9306. - 9306. If the contract of any subcontractor on a particular...

CHAPTER 4 - Stop Payment Notice

ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions

Section 9350. - 9350. The rights of all persons furnishing work pursuant to...

Section 9352. - 9352. (a) A stop payment notice shall comply with the...

Section 9354. - 9354. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), a stop...

Section 9356. - 9356. A stop payment notice is not effective unless given...

Section 9358. - 9358. (a) The public entity shall, on receipt of a...

Section 9360. - 9360. (a) This chapter does not prohibit payment of funds...

Section 9362. - 9362. (a) Not later than 10 days after each of...

Section 9364. - 9364. (a) A public entity may, in its discretion, permit...

ARTICLE 2 - Summary Proceeding for Release of Funds

Section 9400. - 9400. A direct contractor may obtain release of funds withheld...

Section 9402. - 9402. The direct contractor shall serve on the public entity...

Section 9404. - 9404. The public entity shall serve on the claimant a...

Section 9406. - 9406. (a) A claimant that contests the direct contractor’s affidavit...

Section 9408. - 9408. (a) If a counteraffidavit, together with proof of service,...

Section 9410. - 9410. (a) The affidavit and counteraffidavit shall be filed with...

Section 9412. - 9412. (a) No findings are required in a summary proceeding...

Section 9414. - 9414. A determination in a summary proceeding under this article...

ARTICLE 3 - Distribution of Funds Withheld

Section 9450. - 9450. If funds withheld pursuant to a stop payment notice...

Section 9452. - 9452. Nothing in this chapter impairs the right of a...

Section 9454. - 9454. A person that willfully gives a false stop payment...

Section 9456. - 9456. (a) A stop payment notice takes priority over an...

ARTICLE 4 - Enforcement of Payment of Claim Stated in Stop Payment Notice

Section 9500. - 9500. (a) A claimant may not enforce payment of the...

Section 9502. - 9502. (a) The claimant shall commence an action against the...

Section 9504. - 9504. Within five days after commencement of an action to...

Section 9506. - 9506. If more than one claimant has given a stop...

Section 9508. - 9508. Notwithstanding Section 583.420 of the Code of Civil Procedure,...

Section 9510. - 9510. A stop payment notice ceases to be effective, and...

CHAPTER 5 - Payment Bond

Section 9550. - 9550. (a) A direct contractor that is awarded a public...

Section 9552. - 9552. If a payment bond is not given and approved...

Section 9554. - 9554. (a) A payment bond shall be in an amount...

Section 9558. - 9558. A claimant may commence an action to enforce the...

Section 9560. - 9560. (a) In order to enforce a claim against a...

Section 9562. - 9562. Notice to the principal and surety under Section 9560...

Section 9564. - 9564. (a) A claimant may maintain an action to enforce...

Section 9566. - 9566. (a) A claimant does not have a right to...