Harris County Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor Form (Texas)

All Harris County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor Form

Harris County Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor Form

Fill in the blank Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor form formatted to comply with all Texas recording and content requirements.
Included Harris County compliant document last validated/updated 7/31/2024

Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor Guide

Harris County Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Harris County compliant document last validated/updated 9/19/2024

Completed Example of the Notice to Original Contractor Document

Harris County Completed Example of the Notice to Original Contractor Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Harris County compliant document last validated/updated 10/11/2024

When using these Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Harris County. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

Main Office

201 Caroline, Suite 320 / PO Box 1525, Houston, Texas 77002 / 77251-1525

Hours: 8:00 - 4:30 M-F

Phone: (713) 755-6439

Local jurisdictions located in Harris County include:

  • Alief
  • Barker
  • Baytown
  • Bellaire
  • Channelview
  • Crosby
  • Cypress
  • Deer Park
  • Galena Park
  • Highlands
  • Hockley
  • Houston
  • Huffman
  • Hufsmith
  • Humble
  • Katy
  • Kingwood
  • La Porte
  • North Houston
  • Pasadena
  • Seabrook
  • South Houston
  • Spring
  • Tomball
  • Waller
  • Webster

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Harris County forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Harris County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Harris County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Harris County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can the Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Harris County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Harris County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Texas or Harris County. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Harris County Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

Texas Second Month Notice

According to Texas lien law, all claimants other than the original contractor must provide preliminary notice to establish a claim for a valid mechanic's lien. TEX. PROP. CODE 53.056. Use the preliminary notice form under 53.056(b) when lien claim arises from a debt incurred by a subcontractor.

A mechanic's lien is an encumbrance on an owner's title, used to guarantee payment to builders, contractors, and construction businesses which build or repair structures, by using the property where the work was completed as a form of collateral. Suppliers of materials and subcontractors may also claim a mechanic's lien. The lien ensures that the workmen are paid before anyone else if the property subject to the lien is eventually foreclosed upon.

The law states that before filing and recording a mechanic's lien, the claimant must give written notice of the unpaid balance to the original contractor. Texas requires prelien notice to be served on the owner and other interested parties. Prelien notices serve two purposes: to protect the interests of subcontractors and suppliers, and to give property owners a defense against having to pay twice for parts of the same project.

Deliver the notice to the original contractor no later than the 15th day of the second month following each month in which all or part of the claimant's labor was performed or material delivered. Id. This is also known as a "Second Month Notice." It identifies the parties, dates, materials/services, and amount due. For reference, include an invoice or statement to clarify billing details.

Send it by registered or certified mail, addressed to the original contractor at his or her last known business or residence address. TEX. PROP. CODE 53.056(e).

Remember that each case is unique and the mechanic's lien law in Texas can be complicated and unforgiving of mistakes. Therefore, contact an attorney for complex situations or with specific questions about the preliminary notice to the original contractor or about any other issues related to liens.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Harris County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

Get your Harris County Preliminary Notice to Original Contractor form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

4.8 out of 5 - ( 4426 Reviews )

Susan H.

November 10th, 2024

I used the quitclaim deed form, it was easy to fill out, had notarized and was accepted by the county's recorders office. Having a example form made it so much easier to fill out.

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November 8th, 2024

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November 8th, 2024

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Michael L.

September 5th, 2020

Pretty good stuff, not exactly clear on the deed transfer costs and all

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May 6th, 2023

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June 17th, 2019

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August 7th, 2020

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January 8th, 2022

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