Florida Statutes Chapter 713 — Construction Lien Law
Florida's Construction Lien Law: who can lien, the notices that preserve or defeat lien rights, and every deadline that matters. The single most heavily tested statute on the Business & Finance exam.
28 questions in our bank cite this reference.
The one thing to know
Lien questions are deadline questions. Tab the deadline sections and answer from the statute, not from memory — one wrong number is the difference between a right and wrong answer.
Your tab set
Florida exams allow pre-tabbed, highlighted references. Build these tabs before exam day, in book order.
Lienor, final furnishing, privity, and other defined terms
45-day NTO deadline, owner's proper-payments defense, final payment affidavit (5 days)
Contents, 90-day recording deadline, 15-day service on owner, single claim for multiple buildings
Recording requirements, 1-year default duration, lien priority (713.07), notice of termination
Owner's written demand, 30-day response window, consequences of ignoring it
Conditional vs unconditional waivers, statutory forms
1-year enforcement window, 60-day notice of contest, 20-day show cause
Bond exemption of property, transfer of lien to bond or cash deposit
Prevailing-party fees; willfully exaggerated liens — penalties and discharge
Highlight the question, underline the answer
Don't just tab your books — mark them as you practice. Every time a question sends you into a reference, leave a two-part mark behind: highlight the passage the question is about, and underline the exact words that answer it. Do this through your whole question bank and the book turns into a map of the tested material — so on exam day you recognize the spot, not just the section.
- 1
Highlight what the question asks about
When you look up a practice question, highlight the sentence or table the question turns on. That block is now a visual landmark you'll spot on a fast flip.
- 2
Underline the exact answer
Inside the highlight, underline the specific number, deadline, or phrase that is the answer — with a fine-tip pen. Highlight = the topic; underline = the fact.
- 3
Color-code by what trips you up
Use one highlighter color for deadlines and numbers, another for definitions, a third for the answers you got wrong twice. Your weak spots become the brightest marks in the book.
- 4
Let your tabs and marks compound
A tab gets you to the chapter; the highlight gets you to the paragraph; the underline gets you to the answer. Built up across a full question bank, that three-layer trail is the open-book skill the exam actually tests.
All marking must be done before you walk in — the rules allow pre-marked books but bar making any new marks (or bringing notes) during the exam.
Navigating under time pressure
- Sections run in project order: notices first (713.06, 713.13), then the lien itself (713.08), then enforcement and discharge (713.21–713.22).
- Definitions live in 713.01 — when a question hinges on who counts as a 'lienor' or 'final furnishing', start there.
- Payment bond exemption questions point to 713.23–713.24.