# Getting Paid\n\nMechanic's/materialman's liens, preliminary notices, and conditional vs. unconditional lien waivers protect your right to payment. Public work is backed by payment bonds under the federal **Miller Act** and state "Little Miller Acts."\n\n> The licensing-law trap: in many states an **unlicensed contractor cannot enforce its contract or collect** — get licensed first (see the Licensing track).
**Takeaway:** Protect your lien rights and get licensed first — unlicensed contractors often can't collect.
