Florida’s Construction Lien Law requires a recorded Notice of Commencement before work begins on most improvements to real property. In Hillsborough County, the NOC has to be complete, correctly notarized, and recorded with the Clerk of the Circuit Court before your first inspection — and the recorded, certified copy is what gets uploaded to HillsGovHub to move your permit forward.
Swift E-Recording lets you submit an eligible Hillsborough 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 owner’s interest in the site, the fee simple title holder if different from the owner, 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 Hillsborough County Property Appraiser rather than from your job file:
Tax Folio Number: Required at the top of the form alongside the permit number. Hillsborough identifies parcels by folio, and the form asks for it directly.
Legal description: Subdivision and lot, block, and similar detail, or section, township, and range — plus the complete street address, which the Hillsborough form requires in item 1.
Both are available on the Property Appraiser’s website at hcpafl.org, searchable by folio, parcel number, owner, or address. If the legal description runs long, attach it on a separate page and note on the form that the legal description is attached.
Hillsborough County requires a Notice of Commencement on improvements to real property when the project cost is greater than $5,000. For mechanical permits alone, the threshold is $15,000. The NOC must be recorded and certified at the Clerk’s office before it can be uploaded to the HillsGovHub permitting portal.
Jobs inside the City of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City are permitted through those municipal building departments, but the Notice of Commencement is still recorded with the Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
All information must be typewritten or legibly printed. Items 1, 2, 3a, 3b, and 4 apply to every job. Items 3c and 5 through 9 are completed only when they apply. No field on the form should be left blank — write N/A where an item does not apply.
Both appear at the top of the form. The permit number comes from your building department; the folio comes from the Property Appraiser.
The legal description with the street address, pulled from the Property Appraiser's records. The street address is required, not optional.
RequiredThe type of work being performed on the property.
RequiredFull legal name of the owner of record with the complete address including city, state, and ZIP.
RequiredHow the owner holds the property — fee simple, leasehold, or similar. This item is specific to the Hillsborough form and is easy to miss.
RequiredCompleted only when the fee simple title holder is someone other than the owner named in 3a. List name and complete address.
If ApplicableContractor name, complete address with city, state, and ZIP, 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 amount of the bond. A copy of the bond must be attached at the time of recording.
If ApplicableThe person or business financing the work. List name, complete address, contact, and phone number.
If ApplicableThe person within the State of Florida designated by the owner upon whom notices or other documents may be served, under Section 713.13(1)(a)7, Florida Statutes. List name, address, and phone number.
If ApplicableIn addition to the owner, anyone else designated to receive a copy of the lienor's notice under Section 713.13(1)(b), Florida Statutes. 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 signature must be that of the owner or lessee, or the owner's or lessee's authorized officer, director, partner, or manager. If someone is signing for a business or trust, list their title or office within that entity. The name signing should match the owner named in item 3a.
The owner's signature must be notarized before the Notice of Commencement is recorded. The Hillsborough County form accepts either physical presence or online notarization — the notary checks the applicable box in the acknowledgment.
The notary completes the acknowledgment, indicates whether the signer was personally known or produced identification, records the type of identification produced, and affixes the seal. Current government-issued photo identification is required, such as a driver's license.
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.
Submit Notices of Commencement from your office or jobsite.
Reduce trips to the Official Records offices in downtown Tampa, Brandon, and Plant City.
Track the status of each submission in real time.
Receive recorded copies electronically, ready for HillsGovHub.
View County Clerk 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.
The Tax Folio Number is available on the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser’s website at hcpafl.org. You can search by address, owner name, parcel number, or folio. The legal description comes from the same record.
Yes. The Hillsborough County Clerk of the Circuit Court accepts electronically submitted documents through approved eRecording providers. Swift E-Recording lets you upload a completed, notarized NOC and receive the recorded copy back in your account without going to the Clerk’s office.
The owner or lessee, or the owner’s or lessee’s authorized officer, director, partner, or manager. The signer’s name should match the owner named in item 3a, and anyone signing on behalf of a business or trust lists their title or office on the form.
Yes. The signature must be acknowledged before a notary before the document can be recorded. The Hillsborough form allows either physical presence or online notarization, and the notary indicates which was used.
Enter OWNER/BUILDER as the contractor in item 4, with the owner’s address and phone number.
A Notice of Commencement is required when the project cost is greater than $5,000. For mechanical permits alone, the threshold is $15,000.
One year from the date of recording, unless a different expiration date is specified in item 9. Payments made after expiration are improper payments under Chapter 713.
The NOC has to be recorded within 90 days before work begins. If work has not started within that window, record a new Notice of Commencement.
Yes. A separate Notice of Commencement is required for every permit issued.
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 Hillsborough County, including Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Plant City, Temple Terrace, and Lutz.
Handle Hillsborough 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 Clerk, Swift E-Recording may be able to help.
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View Palm Beach County Services →Submit eligible Notices of Commencement, terminations, construction liens, and releases electronically to the Hillsborough County Clerk.
