Knowledge
Claims & disputes ·July 5, 2026 ·7 min

FIDIC Sub-Clause 20.2: notice, time-bar and fully detailed claim

A dedicated SEO page for Sub-Clause 20.2: 28 days, 84 days, claims procedure, Notice of Claim and entitlement risk.

Author Larisa Belousova — Founder and Director, BRIDGE Consult LLC FCCE · FCCP · MCIArb
Sub-Clause 20.2Clause 20ClaimsTime-bar28 days84 days

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Key points
Sub-Clause 20.2Clause 2028 days84 days
How to use this article
01 Issue 02 Evidence 03 Action

Start with the contract issue, test the evidence, then define the practical next step.


Sub-Clause 20.2 is one of the most important procedural provisions in FIDIC 2017. It turns a claim from “a position in a letter” into a managed process with dates, evidence and consequences.

Main stages

  1. Notice of Claim within 28 days.
  2. Fully detailed claim usually within 84 days.
  3. Further updates where the event is continuing.
  4. Agreement or Determination under Sub-Clause 3.7.

Main risk

If the team waits for the “full picture”, it may miss the first notice. The notice is given for the event, not after the final calculation. Calculation and evidence follow in the second stage.

Practical tools

Open Sub-Clause 20.2, calculate dates in the Time-bar calculator and test the package through Claim Readiness.

FAQ

Common questions on this topic

What does Sub-Clause 20.2 regulate?

It sets the claims procedure: notice, fully detailed claim, updates and referral for agreement/determination.

Why are 28 days critical?

It is a time-bar: missing the Notice of Claim can cause the entitlement to be lost.

What is a fully detailed claim?

It is the substantiated claim package: contractual basis, facts, causation, programme, quantum and supporting records.

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