Preliminary Notices must be filed 20 days from first furnishing labor or materials. The Preliminary Notice requires delivering a Notice to Property Owner statement in person or by certified, registered, or express mail, or overnight delivery to the property owner, with a receipt of the mailing as proof.
A notice of completion is completed by the owner or general contractor and filed with the county recorder. A copy of the notice must be sent to all contractors and suppliers who provided preliminary notices on the project.
Notice of completion means a written notice, signed and verified by the owner or his agent, containing all of the following: (a) The date of completion (other than a cessation of labor).
A Notice of Cessation is used when work has temporarily halted for more than 30 days. (Civil Code §3092 see now Civil Code §8180, 8214). A Notice of Completion must be recorded in the County Recorder's office after work has actually been completed, as that term is defined in Civil Code §3086 (see now Civil Code §8180.)
Substantial Completion is defined by statute as “the state of completion reached when an improvement upon real property may be used or occupied for its intended use.” See RCW 4.16. 310.