CHAPTER 3. Design Professionals Lien [8300. - 8319.]

Cal. Civil Code - CIV 3.

in effect

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8300. Section 8300.

For purposes of this chapter, a “design professional” is a person described in Section 8014 who provides services pursuant to a written contract with a landowner for the design, engineering, or planning of a work of improvement.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8302. Section 8302.

(a) A design professional has, from the date of recordation of a claim of lien under this chapter, a lien on the site notwithstanding the absence of commencement of the planned work of improvement, if the landowner who contracted for the design professional’s services is also the owner of the site at the time of recordation of the claim of lien. (b) The lien of the design professional is for the amount of the design professional’s fee for services provided under the contract or the reasonable value of those services, whichever is less. The amount of the lien is reduced by the amount of any deposit or prior payment under the contract. (c) A design professional may not record a claim of lien, and a lien may not be created, under this chapter unless a building permit or other governmental approval in furtherance of the work of improvement has been obtained in connection with or utilizing the services provided by the design professional.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8304. Section 8304.

A design professional is not entitled to a lien under this chapter unless all of the following conditions are satisfied: (a) The work of improvement for which the design professional provided services has not commenced. (b) The landowner defaults in a payment required under the contract or refuses to pay the demand of the design professional made under the contract. (c) Not less than 10 days before recording a claim of lien, the design professional gives the landowner notice making a demand for payment, and stating that a default has occurred under the contract and the amount of the default. (d) The design professional records a claim of lien. The claim of lien shall include all of the following information: (1) The name of the design professional. (2) The amount of the claim. (3) The current owner of record of the site. (4) A legal description of the site. (5) Identification of the building permit or other governmental approval for the work of improvement.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8306. Section 8306.

(a) On recordation of the claim of lien, a lien is created in favor of the named design professional. (b) The lien automatically expires and is null and void and of no further force or effect on the occurrence of either of the following events: (1) The commencement of the work of improvement for which the design professional provided services. (2) The expiration of 90 days after recording the claim of lien, unless the design professional commences an action to enforce the lien within that time. (c) If the landowner partially or fully satisfies the lien, the design professional shall execute and record a document that evidences a partial or full satisfaction and release of the lien, as applicable.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8308. Section 8308.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no provision of this part applies to a lien created under this chapter. (b) The following provisions of this part apply to a lien created under this chapter: (1) This chapter. (2) Article 1 (commencing with Section 8000) of Chapter 1 of Title 1. (3) Section 8424. (4) Article 6 (commencing with Section 8460) of Chapter 4. (5) Article 7 (commencing with Section 8480) of Chapter 4. (6) Article 8 (commencing with Section 8490) of Chapter 4.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8310. Section 8310.

This chapter does not affect the ability of a design professional to obtain a lien for a work of improvement under Section 8400.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8312. Section 8312.

A design professional shall record a claim of lien under this chapter no later than 90 days after the design professional knows or has reason to know that the work of improvement will not be commenced.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8314. Section 8314.

The creation of a lien under this chapter does not affect the ability of the design professional to pursue other remedies.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8316. Section 8316.

(a) No lien created under this chapter affects or takes priority over the interest of record of a purchaser, lessee, or encumbrancer, if the interest of the purchaser, lessee, or encumbrancer in the real property was duly recorded before recordation of the claim of lien. (b) No lien created under this chapter affects or takes priority over an encumbrance of a construction lender that funds the loan for the work of improvement for which the design professional provided services.

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8318. Section 8318.

A design professional may not obtain a lien under this chapter for services provided for a work of improvement relating to a single-family, owner-occupied residence for which the expected construction cost is less than one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 8319. Section 8319.

(a) A design professional may convert a recorded design professional lien to a mechanics lien if all of the following requirements are met: (1) The design professional lien expires pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8306. (2) The design professional lien remains fully or partially unpaid. (3) Within 30 days of the expiration of the design professional lien pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 8306, the design professional records a mechanics lien for the amount of the unpaid design professional lien. (4) The recorded mechanics lien states that it is a converted design professional lien but shall be recorded and enforced as a mechanics lien, except the design professional need not provide a preliminary notice to enforce this mechanics lien. This mechanics lien shall be effective as of the date of recordation of this mechanics lien and shall be given priority pursuant to the provisions of Section 8450. (b) This section shall not apply if a design professional lien expires pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 8306.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026