Stop-Notice - Minnesota
MINNESOTA OWNER PAYMENT / WITHHOLDING REQUEST
Important limitation
Minnesota Statutes chapter 514 does not make this document a claimant-enforced “stop payment notice.” Sections 514.011 and 514.07 describe specified rights of the property owner to pay a qualifying supplier directly, deduct that payment, or withhold qualifying amounts from the owner's contractor. This request asks the owner to consider those rights; it does not compel action.
This document does not:
- bind a construction lender, escrow agent, title company, or other non-owner;
- create, perfect, enlarge, extend, foreclose, release, or discharge a lien;
- replace the exact notice text, type-size, timing, delivery, recording, service, or court requirements of chapter 514;
- create a 25% reserve, 150% bond, five-day cure, fee award, injunction, indemnity, liability cap, or personal liability; or
- amend the construction contract or require the owner to acknowledge the claim.
1. Project and participant record
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Claimant legal name and address | [________________________________] |
| Claimant role | ☐ Direct contractor ☐ Subcontractor ☐ Material supplier ☐ Other: [____] |
| Property owner and address | [________________________________] |
| Owner's authorized agent, if any | [________________________________] |
| Contractor that engaged Claimant | [________________________________] |
| Project and property address | [________________________________] |
| Legal description / property identifier | [________________________________] |
| Labor, skill, material, or machinery furnished | [________________________________] |
| First furnishing date | [__/__/____] |
| Last furnishing date | [__/__/____] |
| Amount invoiced / paid / disputed / unpaid | [________________________________] |
2. Statutory-notice status
Do not use this request to cure a missing or late notice.
| Question | Record |
|---|---|
| Which part of Minn. Stat. § 514.011 applies? | [________________________________] |
| Direct-contractor notice included in written owner contract? | ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Not applicable |
| If no written owner contract, separate notice delivery date and method | [________________________________] |
| Subcontractor/supplier statutory notice delivery date and method | [________________________________] |
| First-furnishing date used for any 45-day calculation | [__/__/____] |
| Statutory text and type-format compared verbatim | ☐ Yes, by [____] on [__/__/____] |
| Exception or good-faith-compliance issue | [________________________________] |
| Delivery proof retained | [________________________________] |
3. Lien-status and deadline record
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Claimed lien basis under Minn. Stat. § 514.01 | [________________________________] |
| Section 514.08 deadline calculated from last furnishing | [__/__/____] |
| Lien statement recorded? | ☐ No ☐ Yes, on [__/__/____] |
| Recording office and document number | [________________________________] |
| Copy-service date, recipient, method, and proof | [________________________________] |
| Amount in recorded statement | $[________] |
| Foreclosure deadline and current authority | [________________________________] |
| Pending action / court / case number | [________________________________] |
4. Request to property owner
Date: [__/__/____]
To: [OWNER NAME AND ADDRESS]
Re: [PROJECT / PROPERTY / CONTRACTOR]
Claimant states that it furnished the labor, skill, material, or machinery identified above and that $[________] remains unpaid, subject to the attached account and any good-faith dispute described here: [________________________________].
Minn. Stat. § 514.07 says the owner may withhold from the owner's contractor as much of the contract price as may be necessary to meet the demands of qualifying persons, other than the contractor, having liens for which the contractor is liable. Section 514.011's statutory notices separately describe specified direct-payment, deduction, and withholding rights.
Claimant therefore requests that the Owner and counsel review the attached records and consider a lawful direct payment or withholding of no more than the amount supported under current law and the relevant contracts. This is a request, not a directive or admission that the claim or lien is valid.
5. Owner review record
| Item | Owner entry |
|---|---|
| Contract balance presently payable to contractor | [________________________________] |
| Competing notices, liens, waivers, offsets, or disputes | [________________________________] |
| Direct-payment and deduction analysis | [________________________________] |
| Withholding analysis under Minn. Stat. § 514.07 | [________________________________] |
| Counsel / title / lender coordination | [________________________________] |
| Decision | ☐ No action ☐ Request information ☐ Direct payment ☐ Withhold ☐ Other: [____] |
An owner receipt or response does not validate the claim, waive defenses, promise payment, or create personal liability.
6. Lien-release security
Do not demand a fixed-percentage bond through this request. Minn. Stat. § 514.10 applies after a lien-enforcement or adverse-claim action has begun. On application and notice, the district court fixes the required money or qualifying surety-bond amount. Record any actual proceeding:
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Action commenced and case number | [________________________________] |
| Applicant and application date | [________________________________] |
| Court-set notice / hearing | [________________________________] |
| Court-fixed money or bond amount | $[________] |
| Deposit, bond, and release order filed | [________________________________] |
7. Attachments and delivery
- ☐ Applicable statutory notice and proof of delivery
- ☐ Contract, purchase order, and change orders
- ☐ Itemized account, invoices, delivery tickets, and time records
- ☐ Payment ledger and identified disputes or offsets
- ☐ Recorded lien statement and service proof, if filed
- ☐ Court papers and orders, if an action is pending
| Delivery item | Record |
|---|---|
| Delivered to Owner / authorized agent | [________________________________] |
| Method and date | [________________________________] |
| Tracking or receipt | [________________________________] |
| Copy to contractor | [________________________________] |
8. Claimant certification
The signer certifies only that the factual entries are accurate to the signer's knowledge and records. The signer understands that this request is noncompulsory and does not replace any statutory notice, lien statement, service, foreclosure, or court procedure.
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Claimant | [________________________________] |
| Signer and capacity | [________________________________] |
| Signature | ________________________________________ |
| Date | [__/__/____] |
Sources and References
- Minnesota Statutes chapter 514: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/514/full
- Minn. Stat. § 514.011: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/514.011
- Minn. Stat. § 514.07: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/514.07
- Minn. Stat. § 514.08: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/514.08
- Minn. Stat. § 514.10: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/514.10
About this template
- Last updated
- August 23, 2026
- Citations checked
- August 23, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Minnesota
- Category
- Real Estate
Legal authority
- Minn. Stat. § 514.011 (contractor and subcontractor notices; owner payment and withholding rights)
- Minn. Stat. § 514.07 (owner may withhold or discharge liens; lien-waiver and verified-account provisions)
- Minn. Stat. § 514.08 (lien statement, recording, contents, and 120-day period)
- Minn. Stat. § 514.10 (court-supervised release by money or bond after an action begins)
Real estate documents transfer ownership, define who can use a property, and record agreements between buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants. Deeds, purchase agreements, leases, and easements have to be drafted to meet state recording requirements, and mistakes show up at closing or years later in title disputes. Good real estate paperwork moves transactions forward quickly and avoids the kind of problems that only surface when it is time to sell or refinance.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on August 23, 2026.
Minn. Stat. § 514.011, subds. 1-2 (checked August 23, 2026): "Under Minnesota law, you have the right to pay persons who supplied labor or materials for this improvement directly and deduct this amount from our contract price, or withhold the amounts due them from us until 120 days after completion of the improvement unless we give you a lien waiver signed by persons who supplied any labor or material for the improvement and who gave you timely notice."
Minn. Stat. § 514.07 (checked August 23, 2026): "The owner may withhold from the owner's contractor as much of the contract price as may be necessary to meet the demands of persons, other than the contractor, having a lien for which the contractor is liable."
Minn. Stat. § 514.08, subd. 1 (checked August 23, 2026): "The lien ceases at the end of 120 days after doing the last of the work, or furnishing the last item of skill, material, or machinery, unless within this period: (1) a statement of the claim is filed for record with the county recorder or, if registered land, with the registrar of titles of the county in which the improved premises are situated, or, if the claim is made under section 514.04, with the secretary of state; and (2) a copy of the statement is served personally or by certified mail on the owner or the owner's authorized agent or the person who entered into the contract with the contractor."
Minn. Stat. § 514.10 (checked August 23, 2026): "Upon a hearing upon an application the court shall fix a sum of money or an amount of a bond from a surety listed on the United States Department of Treasury Circular 570 made payable upon the entry of judgment as provided in this section to be deposited by the applicant with the court administrator of the district court."
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