Georgia's Notice of Commencement is optional but strategically powerful. When recorded, it forces subcontractors and material suppliers to send a Notice to Contractor within 30 days to preserve their lien rights — giving owners and general contractors much earlier visibility into who's working on a project. Optional. Available for any private construction project; commonly used on commercial and larger residential projects. The property owner or the contractor (with the owner's authorization) typically files the Notice of Commencement. Within 15 days after the contractor physically begins work on the project. Best practice is to record before work starts. With the Clerk of the Superior Court in the county where the property is located.