Which document is recorded to assert a lien against the property by a subcontractor?

Which document is recorded to assert a lien against the property by a subcontractor?

• A. Notice of Completion
• B. Claim of Lien
• C. Stop Payment Notice
• D. Release of Lien

Answer: (B)

A subcontractor asserts a lien by recording a claim of lien. In California, when a subcontractor’s labor or materials are used and payment is not received, the claimant files a recorded claim of lien (often called a mechanics lien) with the county recorder. This creates a legal encumbrance on the property to secure payment and gives the subcontractor a path to enforce the debt if needed. The other documents serve different roles: a Notice of Completion marks the project’s completion and starts statutory timelines, but it is not the lien itself; a Stop Payment Notice directs funds to be withheld but does not record a lien on the property; and a Release of Lien removes the lien once payment is made.

A subcontractor asserts a lien by recording a claim of lien. In California, when a subcontractor’s labor or materials are used and payment is not received, the claimant files a recorded claim of lien (often called a mechanics lien) with the county recorder. This creates a legal encumbrance on the property to secure payment and gives the subcontractor a path to enforce the debt if needed.

The other documents serve different roles: a Notice of Completion marks the project’s completion and starts statutory timelines, but it is not the lien itself; a Stop Payment Notice directs funds to be withheld but does not record a lien on the property; and a Release of Lien removes the lien once payment is made.