Kentucky's clocks are counted from the last item furnished and from the filing of the lien statement. The notice of intention has two rules inside one section; the statement's copy names regular mail and dissolves the lien if it is not sent.
The notice of intention (KRS 376.010(4), (5))
"A person who has not contracted directly with the owner, the owner's agent, or the lessee, if applicable, shall not acquire a lien … unless he or she notifies, in writing, the owner of the property to be held liable, the owner's authorized agent, or the lessee, if applicable, within seventy-five (75) days on claims amounting to less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and one hundred twenty (120) days on claims in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) after the last item of material or labor is furnished, of his or her intention to hold the property liable and the amount for which he or she will claim a lien" (376.010(4)(a)).
On an owner-occupied single or double family dwelling, subsection (5) applies in lieu of (4): the notice goes to the owner or the owner's authorized agent "not more than seventy-five (75) days after the last item of material or labor is furnished" ((5)(a), (c)); "the contractor or subcontractor cannot be the authorized agent" ((5)(e)); and payments the owner makes before receiving the notice cut the lien ((5)(d)). Proof: "it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice was mailed to the last known address" ((4)(b), (5)(b)).
The lien statement and the copy to the owner (KRS 376.080(1))
The lien "shall be dissolved unless the claimant, within six (6) months after he ceases to labor or furnish materials, files in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the building or improvement is situated a statement of the amount due him, with all just credits and set-offs known to him, together with a description of the property … the name of the owner, if known, and whether the materials were furnished or the labor performed by contract with the owner or with a contractor or subcontractor", subscribed and sworn to.
"The claimant shall send by regular mail a copy of the statement to the property owner at his last known address within seven (7) days of filing the statement with the county clerk. Any lien provided for in KRS 376.010 shall be dissolved if a copy of the statement is not sent to the property owner as provided in this subsection." Because the subsection names regular mail, NoticeSent mails that copy two ways: a plain First-Class letter, and a certified copy for the record.
Then the clock to enforce
The lien "shall be deemed dissolved unless an action is brought to enforce the lien within twelve (12) months from the day of filing the statement in the clerk's office" (KRS 376.090(1)). A lienholder who complies with 376.080 and 376.090(1) in time has a lien valid against creditors and purchasers (376.090(2)).