Florida’s Construction Lien Law requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before work begins on most improvements to real property. In Broward County, the NOC has to be complete, correctly notarized, and recorded with the County before your first inspection, and a certified copy has to be posted at the jobsite.
Swift E-Recording lets you submit an eligible Broward County Notice of Commencement electronically from your office, your truck, or the jobsite. Track the submission and receive the recorded copy in your Swift-E account.
A Notice of Commencement puts your project on the public record and establishes when work began. It identifies the property, the owner or lessee, the contractor, the lender if there is one, the surety if a payment bond applies, and the person designated to receive notices.
For the owner, a properly recorded NOC preserves protection under the Construction Lien Law and limits exposure to paying twice for the same improvement. For the contractor, the recorded NOC is a permit prerequisite, and the certified copy posted at the site is what allows the first inspection to move forward.
A Notice of Commencement puts your project on the public record and establishes when work began. It identifies the property, the owner or lessee, the contractor, the lender if there is one, the surety if a payment bond applies, and the person designated to receive notices.
For the owner, a properly recorded NOC preserves protection under the Construction Lien Law and limits exposure to paying twice for the same improvement. For the contractor, the recorded NOC is a permit prerequisite, and the certified copy posted at the site is what allows the first inspection to move forward.
Two pieces of information come from the Broward County Property Appraiser rather than from your job file:
Tax Folio Number. Broward’s form asks for the folio number in item 1, alongside the legal description and street address. The Property Appraiser lists it as the property ID.
Legal description. Subdivision, plat book and page, block, tract, lot, building and unit as they apply, plus the complete property address.
Both are available on the Property Appraiser’s website at bcpa.net. If the legal description runs long, attach it on a separate page and note on the form that the legal description is attached.
Two more fields sit at the top of the Broward form before item 1:
After Recording, Return To. The name and address the recorded document goes back to. When you record through Swift E-Recording, the recorded copy returns to your account electronically.
Permit Number. The permit the NOC is being recorded for.
All information must be typewritten or legibly printed. Items 1, 2, 3, and 4 are always required. Items 5 through 9 are completed only when they apply to the job.
The legal description, street address, and tax folio number, pulled from the Property Appraiser's records. Include subdivision, block, tract, lot, building, and unit where they apply.
RequiredThe type of work being performed on the property.
RequiredFull legal name and address of the owner, the owner's interest in the property, and the name and address of the fee simple titleholder if that is someone other than the owner. Broward's form asks for all three on this line.
RequiredContractor name, complete address, and phone number. If the property owner is acting as their own contractor, write OWNER/BUILDER.
RequiredApplies when a payment bond is in place. List the surety's name, address, phone number, and the bond amount. A copy of the payment bond must be attached to the instrument when it is recorded.
If ApplicableThe person or business financing the work. List name, complete address, and phone number.
If ApplicableThe person within the State of Florida the owner has designated to receive notices and documents, as provided in Florida Statute 713.13(1)(a)7. List name, complete address, and phone number.
If ApplicableAnyone other than the owner the owner wants to receive a copy of the Lienor's Notice, as provided in Florida Statute 713.13(1)(b). Include name, address, and phone number.
If ApplicableA Notice of Commencement expires one year from the recorded date unless a different date is specified on the form.
If ApplicableThe Broward form carries a Warning to Owner box above the signature lines. It states that payments made after the Notice of Commencement expires are considered improper payments under Chapter 713 and can leave the owner paying twice for the same improvement. It also states that the NOC must be recorded and posted on the jobsite before the first inspection. Read it before signing.
This is where Broward NOCs get rejected most often. The owner, or the owner's authorized Officer, Director, Partner, or Manager, signs in two separate places on the form:
The owner's signature must be notarized before the Notice of Commencement is recorded. The person signing must appear before a notary public, who completes the acknowledgment portion of the form and affixes their seal. Current government-issued photo identification is required, such as a Florida driver's license.
County recording fees are set by Broward County and are separate from what Swift E-Recording charges.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First page | $10.00 |
| Each additional page | $8.50 |
| Certified copy | $1.00 per page plus $2.00 for certification |
| Notary acknowledgement, in person at the county | $10.00 |
Most single-page Notices of Commencement record for $10.00 plus the certified copy you post at the job.
Log in and upload your completed document, then submit it in the portal. From your phone, your truck, anywhere.
Your document is transmitted electronically to your County Clerk the same business day.
Once the County records and stamps it, the recorded document returns to your account with the official Clerk's file number, ready to download and post on the job.
Broward is one of the Florida counties where official records are handled by the county rather than the Clerk of Courts. Notices of Commencement are recorded by the Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, Recording Section, at the Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room 114, Fort Lauderdale.
If you also record in Palm Beach or Hillsborough, this is the difference worth knowing. Same document, different recording authority.
Submit Notices of Commencement from your office or jobsite.
Reduce trips to the recording office at the Governmental Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Track the status of each submission in real time.
Receive recorded copies electronically.
View Broward County rejection information.
Manage NOCs across multiple projects and permits.
Access the platform from a phone, tablet, or computer.
Get responsive client support when you need it.
Broward County. Official records in Broward are maintained by the Records, Taxes and Treasury Division rather than the Clerk of Courts. The Recording Section is at the Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room 114, Fort Lauderdale.
The tax folio number is available on the Broward County Property Appraiser’s website at bcpa.net, listed as the property ID. The legal description comes from the same source.
Yes. Eligible Notices of Commencement can be submitted electronically to Broward County through your Swift E-Recording account.
The owner contracting the improvements signs it, or the owner’s authorized Officer, Director, Partner, or Manager. The printed name must match the owner named in item 3, and a person signing for a business or trust lists their title within that entity.
Broward’s form has an owner signature line and a separate verification statement under Florida Statute 92.525. Both require a signature. Missing the second one is a common reason a Broward NOC comes back unrecorded.
Yes. The signature must be notarized before the document is recorded, and the notary must complete the acknowledgment and affix a seal that does not cover any information on the form.
Write OWNER/BUILDER in the contractor field, item 4.
Broward County charges $10.00 for the first page and $8.50 for each additional page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus $2.00 for the certification. Those are county fees and are separate from Swift E-Recording’s charge.
One year from the recorded date, unless a different expiration date is specified on the form.
Swift E-Recording supports contractors across a wide range of construction trades. Submit eligible Notices of Commencement, terminations, construction liens, lien releases, and other project documents electronically.
Roofing, general, HVAC, window and door, solar, pool, remodeling, electrical, plumbing, concrete and masonry, restoration, and specialty trade contractors working throughout Broward County.
Handle Broward County recording for every contractor you represent from a single account.
Owners contracting improvements directly, including owner/builders, can submit their own eligible Notice of Commencement.
Record eligible documents for impact windows, exterior doors, and installation projects.
Submit eligible construction documents for residential and commercial solar installations.
Manage recording needs for pool construction, renovations, decking, and enclosures.
Submit eligible documents for renovations, additions, and whole-property remodeling projects.
Record eligible documents for panel replacements, wiring projects, and electrical upgrades.
Submit supported documents for repiping, water heaters, and other plumbing projects.
Record eligible documents for foundations, driveways, structural concrete, and masonry work.
Submit eligible documents for water, fire, storm, and property restoration projects.
Support for eligible fencing, flooring, painting, landscaping, demolition, and other trade documents.
If your project requires a document to be recorded with a supported Florida county recording office, Swift E-Recording may be able to help.
Request Your CountyFast and reliable document recording support throughout Miami-Dade County.
View Miami-Dade County Services →Professional recording coordination for documents submitted throughout Broward County.
View Broward County Services →Streamlined electronic recording support for documents filed in Hillsborough County.
View Hillsborough County Services →Efficient document submission, tracking, and recording support throughout Palm Beach County.
View Palm Beach County Services →Submit eligible Notices of Commencement, terminations, construction liens, and releases electronically to the Broward County Clerk.
