Florida Notice of Commencement Online Notary Guide

A Notice of Commencement is a Florida construction document used within the state’s Construction Lien Law. It provides public information about an improvement to real property, including the property description, owner or lessee, contractor, surety or lender when applicable, designated recipients for notices, and the expected duration of the notice.

Florida Statutes section 713.13 contains a statutory form and states that an owner, lessee, or authorized agent may be responsible for recording the notice before work begins in covered situations. The form also includes warnings about payments, expiration, and project administration. SafeNotarize can notarize an eligible completed Notice of Commencement; we do not decide whether a notice is legally required, select the project parties, or record it with the county.

Use the document approved by the county, contractor, lender, title company, or qualified adviser rather than an old form from another project.

The statutory form identifies the signer as the owner or lessee, or an authorized officer, director, partner, manager, or other authorized representative. The appropriate signer depends on ownership, the construction agreement, entity authority, and the instructions of the receiving office. A contractor or permit applicant should not sign for the owner unless valid authority exists.

Before the session, review the complete legal description and project address, the owner’s interest, the fee-simple titleholder if different, contractor details, surety or bond information if applicable, lender information, designated notice recipients, and the expiration date. Blank material fields can delay notarization or create a recording rejection.

When an entity owns the property, the signer should know the entity’s exact legal name and the title or capacity in which the person signs. SafeNotarize verifies identity and witnesses the signature; it does not verify corporate authority, property ownership, or the accuracy of the legal description.

Notarization and recording are separate events. After the signature is notarized, the customer or project professional remains responsible for submitting the document to the correct county recorder, obtaining certified or recorded copies when needed, posting the required copy, and giving the building or permit authority the requested evidence.

County recording offices can reject documents for reasons unrelated to the notarial act, such as an incomplete legal description, missing return address, incorrect margins, omitted preparer information, unpaid recording fees, an expired or altered form, or inconsistent project data. Electronic recordability can also depend on the county’s systems and submission channel.

Before the session, ask the county clerk or recorder, building department, lender, contractor, or title company whether it accepts remote online notarization, an electronically signed original, and a printed copy of the completed electronic record. SafeNotarize does not guarantee recording, permit approval, inspection scheduling, or county acceptance.

SafeNotarize provides a live U.S.-based remote online notary session for an eligible completed Notice of Commencement. The signer uploads the final PDF, completes identity verification, meets the notary by secure audio-video communication, and signs or acknowledges the document as directed during the session.

Customers can review acceptable identification preparation, the general online notary process, and the international online notary guide when a signer is outside the United States. If an authorized agent signs for an owner, the Power of Attorney notary hub explains signature and acceptance considerations.

SafeNotarize notarizes signatures. We do not prepare the Notice of Commencement, identify the correct owner or contractor, advise about lien rights, calculate deadlines, record the document, or provide legal advice.