Pre-lien Notice / Notice to Owner - Kentucky

Kentucky Notice of Intention to Claim Mechanic's Lien

When This Notice Is Required

This notice is for a claimant who did not contract directly with the owner, the owner's authorized agent, or the lessee, if applicable. See KRS 376.010(4). A direct contractor should not use this worksheet without legal review.

Select the applicable deadline:

☐ General property; claim below $1,000: notice within 75 days after the last item of material or labor.

☐ General property; claim above $1,000: notice within 120 days after the last item of material or labor.

☐ Claim exactly $1,000: KRS 376.010(4) states “less than” and “in excess of” $1,000; obtain counsel to resolve the statutory gap and use the earliest defensible deadline.

☐ Owner-occupied single- or double-family dwelling, or covered agricultural/personal-use improvement: notice within 75 days after the last item of material or labor, regardless of amount, under KRS 376.010(5). This notice replaces the subsection (4) notice.

Part 1 — Deadline and Eligibility Worksheet

☐ Property classification and deadline reviewed by Kentucky counsel.

Part 2 — Notice to Owner, Authorized Agent, or Lessee

DATE: [__/__/____]

Recipient

Claimant and Project

Statutory Notice

Claimant gives written notice that it furnished the labor or material described above and intends to hold the identified property liable for a mechanic's lien in the amount stated above.

For an owner-occupied or other property covered by KRS 376.010(5), the lien does not apply to the extent the owner paid the contractor, subcontractor, architect, or authorized agent for the work or materials before receiving this notice.

Part 3 — Delivery Record

KRS 376.010(4)(b) and (5)(b) make proof of mailing to the owner's last-known address, or to the authorized agent, sufficient. The statute does not require certified mail, but a trackable method may provide useful proof.

☐ Mailed to the last-known address on [__/__/____].

☐ Tracking or certificate number: [________________________________].

☐ Personally delivered on [__/__/____] to [________________________________].

☐ Copy of notice and proof of mailing/delivery retained.

Part 4 — Later Lien Statement

This preliminary notice is not the lien statement.

Under KRS 376.080(1), the claimant generally must file a sworn lien statement with the county clerk within six months after ceasing labor or furnishing materials. The statement includes:

☐ Amount due after known credits and setoffs.

☐ Property description sufficient to identify it.

☐ Owner's name, if known.

☐ Whether the labor/material was furnished by contract with the owner, contractor, or subcontractor.

☐ Claimant's name and address and, for a corporate claimant, the required process-agent or service address.

☐ Subscription and oath by the claimant or someone on the claimant's behalf.

The claimant must send a copy of the filed statement to the owner at the owner's last-known address by regular mail within seven days after filing. Failure to send it dissolves the lien.

Part 5 — Enforcement Deadline

Under KRS 376.090, the lien is dissolved unless an enforcement action is brought within 12 months after the lien statement is filed, subject to the statute's decedent exception.

☐ Six-month lien-statement deadline calendared.

☐ Seven-day post-filing owner-copy deadline calendared.

☐ Twelve-month enforcement deadline calendared.

Sources and References

• KRS 376.010 — current official text
• KRS 376.080 — current official text
• KRS 376.090 — current official text
• KRS Chapter 376 — current official table