What Is a Notice of Completion? Oregon and Washington Rules, Plus the Closeout Documents

By Erik Tishenko, Modern Northwest · Published November 4, 2026

A notice of completion is a public notice, posted at the property and recorded with the county, that a construction project is finished. In Oregon, ORS 87.045 lets the owner, the lender or any original contractor post one once all original contractors have substantially performed, and it must be recorded within five days of posting. It matters because it fixes the completion date, and Oregon lien claims are due within 75 days of that date. Washington works differently: lien deadlines run from each claimant's last day on the job, not from a completion notice.

Read from ORS 87.035 and 87.045, RCW 60.04.091 and MRSC's public works closeout guide. A contractor's plain-language guide, not legal advice.

Closing out a build-out? We can walk you through what should be in hand before final payment. Licensed in Oregon (CCB #198582) and registered in Washington (L&I MODERNI888R7). Call (360) 326-2747.

How it works in Oregon

Oregon's construction lien law says construction is complete on the earliest of three events: the improvement is substantially complete, a completion notice is posted and recorded, or the work is abandoned. Abandonment happens automatically on the 75th day after work stops, unless a notice of nonabandonment is recorded.

To use a completion notice, the filer posts it in a conspicuous place on the property on the date it bears. Within five days, they record a copy with the recording officer of the county where the property sits, with an affidavit stating the date, place and manner of posting. The statute gives the wording in substance: the improvement on the described property has been completed, and anyone claiming a lien must file as required by ORS 87.035.

Why bother, if substantial completion already counts? Because "substantially complete" can be argued about, and a recorded notice gives one clear date on the public record. Contractors and suppliers then have 75 days from it, or less if they stopped work earlier, to file. After the window closes, the owner and lender know where they stand. Our lien waiver guide covers the Oregon notice of right to lien and the waivers that go with each payment.

How it works in Washington

On private jobs, Washington lien deadlines do not hang on a completion notice. Under RCW 60.04.091, a claim must be recorded within 90 days after the claimant last furnished labor, materials or equipment, so each subcontractor and supplier has its own clock. The owner's protection comes from tracking who worked on the job and collecting final lien releases.

Washington public works use a form called a Notice of Completion for a different job. After final acceptance of a project over $35,000, the public agency files it with the Department of Revenue, L&I and Employment Security. Each agency confirms taxes, premiums and wages are paid and sends a release before the agency pays out retainage.

The closeout documents

A notice of completion closes the lien window. Closeout documents close the contract. Under the standard AIA general conditions, warranties start at substantial completion unless the certificate says otherwise, and the final payment comes only after the contractor shows that debts and liens are paid or released. Owner contracts and closeout checklists commonly add:

• Final lien waivers from the contractor, subcontractors and major suppliers.
• Consent of surety to final payment, on bonded jobs. See our bond guide.
• Warranties from the contractor and from equipment manufacturers.
• Operation and maintenance manuals, plus training for the owner's staff where the contract requires it.
• As-built drawings showing what was actually built.
• The certificate of occupancy or final inspection sign-off.
• The final pay application, releasing what remains, including retainage.

One more reason to get it right: under the standard AIA terms, making final payment waives most of the owner's claims, except things like unsettled liens, defective work and warranty rights. Check the package before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

In Oregon, a posted and recorded notice of completion pins down the date the 75-day lien window runs from. In Washington, each claimant's 90 days run from its own last day of work, and the Notice of Completion is a public works form tied to retainage. Either way, collect final waivers, warranties, manuals and as-builts before the last check goes out.

Ivybrook in Tigard and the 5,618 square foot Orenco Family Medicine clinic in Hillsboro were both finished in 2026 on the Oregon side; Destination 339 in Camas is one of our jobs under the Washington rules. Ask us how we close out a job.