You must serve the owner of record to protect your lien rights — but most CA investment properties are owned by LLCs and trusts. This tool generates a formal demand to identify the legal owner instantly.
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Serve the Right Owner
California law requires your preliminary notice to be served on the owner of record. Serving the wrong party — a manager, developer, or incorrect LLC — can invalidate your notice and kill your lien rights.
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LLC & Trust Ownership
Most California investment properties are owned by LLCs or trusts. This letter formally demands the GC or developer provide the correct legal entity name and mailing address for service.
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Start Your 20-Day Clock Right
Sending this request early ensures you get the owner's info in time to serve a complete preliminary notice — and documents your good-faith effort if they don't respond.
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Use Alongside §8208
This letter identifies the property owner. The §8208 Lender Request identifies the construction lender. Use both to serve a complete preliminary notice.
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§8200
CA Civil Code
Generate Your Owner Info Request
Fill in your information below. Your letter downloads instantly as a PDF, ready to mail or email.
Not legal advice. This tool generates a form letter to request property owner information. You should have a licensed California construction attorney review the letter before sending it. Laws vary and your specific situation may require different language.
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Need the owner automatically? We look it up for you.
Create a free NoLiens account and we'll query the California Secretary of State and county records to find the owner of record automatically — no manual research needed. We'll also send your request via USPS Certified Mail with proof of service.
Under California Civil Code §8102 and §8200, claimants must serve a preliminary notice on the property owner of record. If you don't know who legally owns the property, you can send an info request to the GC or apparent owner requesting the legal owner's name and mailing address. This tool generates that info request for free.
Why do I need to know the property owner's legal name?
Your preliminary notice must be served on the owner of record, not just the developer or whoever hired you. If the property is owned by an LLC, trust, or holding company, you need the correct legal entity name and mailing address to serve the notice properly. Serving the wrong party can invalidate your notice and cost you your lien rights entirely.
Who do I send this letter to?
Send it to the general contractor (who should know the owner's identity from their contract), the project developer, or whoever is coordinating the project. The GC is typically the best first contact — they are required to include the owner's information in their contract documents.
What if I can't identify the property owner at all?
You can also search county assessor records and the California Secretary of State business entity search to find ownership information. If the property is owned by a trust, you may need to contact the trustee. NoLiens can automate this entire search for account holders.
How is this different from the §8208 Lender Request?
The Property Owner Info Request is used when you need to identify the owner's legal name. The §8208 Lender Request is used when you know the owner but need the construction lender's information. Both are often needed together when starting a new project.
Does this letter create a lien?
No. This is an information request only. It does not create a lien, encumber the property, or have any direct legal effect on title. It is simply a formal demand for information that the GC or developer should already have available.
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Things you can ask:
This is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, consult an attorney.
This is not to be construed as legal advice. For legal advice, consult an attorney.
