Fla. Stat. § 713.132 — Florida Code / Title XL / Chapter 713 / Part I / Section 713.132
713.132 Notice of termination.
Status: in_force

(1) An owner may terminate the period of effectiveness of a notice of commencement by executing, swearing to, and recording a notice of termination that contains all of the following: (a) The same information that is in the notice of commencement. (b) The official records’ reference numbers and recording date affixed by the recording office on the recorded notice of commencement. (c) A statement of the date as of which the notice of commencement is terminated, which date may not be earlier than 30 days after the notice of termination is recorded. (d) A statement specifying that the notice applies to all the real property subject to the notice of commencement or specifying the portion of such real property to which it applies. (e) A statement that all lienors have been paid in full. (f) A statement that the owner has, before recording the notice of termination, served a copy of the notice of termination on each lienor who has a direct contract with the owner or who has timely served a notice to owner, and a statement that the owner will serve a copy of the notice of termination on each lienor who timely serves a notice to owner after the notice of termination has been recorded. The owner is not required to serve a copy of the notice of termination on any lienor who has executed a waiver and release of lien upon final payment in accordance with s. 713.20.

(2) An owner has the right to rely on a contractor’s affidavit given under s. 713.06(3)(d), except with respect to lienors who have already given notice, in connection with the execution, swearing to, and recording of a notice of termination. However, the notice of termination must be accompanied by the contractor’s affidavit.

(3) An owner may record a notice of termination at any time after all lienors have been paid in full or pro rata in accordance with s. 713.06(4).

(4) If an owner or a contractor, by fraud or collusion, knowingly makes any fraudulent statement or affidavit in a notice of termination or any accompanying affidavit, the owner and the contractor, or either of them, is liable to any lienor who suffers damages as a result of the filing of the fraudulent notice of termination, and any such lienor has a right of action for damages.

(5) A notice of termination must be served before recording on each lienor who has a direct contract with the owner and on each lienor who has timely and properly served a notice to owner in accordance with this part before the recording of the notice of termination. A notice of termination must be recorded in the official records of the county in which the improvement is located. If properly served before recording in accordance with this subsection, the notice of termination terminates the period of effectiveness of the notice of commencement 30 days after the notice of termination is recorded in the official records or a later date stated in the notice of termination as the date on which the notice of commencement is terminated. However, if a lienor who began work under the notice of commencement before its termination lacks a direct contract with the owner and timely serves his or her notice to owner after the notice of termination has been recorded, the owner must serve a copy of the notice of termination upon such lienor, and the termination of the notice of commencement as to that lienor is effective 30 days after service of the notice of termination.

History: s. 7, ch. 90-109; s. 5, ch. 92-286; s. 3, ch. 97-219; s. 4, ch. 98-135; s. 7, ch. 2012-211; s. 7, ch. 2023-226.