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Mechanics lien filing deadlines, preliminary notice requirements, and enforcement windows by US state and party role

State-by-state comparison of the deadlines that determine whether a contractor, subcontractor, or material supplier keeps or loses the right to file a mechanics lien on a construction project. Each record is one state with the preliminary notice deadline (days from first furnishing), lien recording deadline (days from completion or last furnishing), and enforcement deadline (days from recording to file suit), broken out by party role (general contractor vs subcontractor/supplier). Also captures whether preliminary notice is required at all, the notice name in each state's statute, whether the state is a 'full price lien' or 'unpaid balance' state, and the statutory citation. Answers 'how many days do I have to file a lien in [state] as a [sub/supplier]', 'do I need to send preliminary notice in [state]', and 'what happens if I miss the deadline'.

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The data

StatePreliminary notice requiredNotice nameNotice deadline — GC (days)Notice deadline — sub/supplier (days)Lien recording deadline — GC (days)Lien recording deadline — sub/supplier (days)Enforcement deadline (days)Lien scopeLate notice consequenceStatute
Alabamaconditional — not required for GC; subs/suppliers must serve Notice of Unpaid Balance on owner before filing the lienNotice of Unpaid Balancenot requiredbefore filing lien (no specific day deadline stated)6 months4 months6 months after the date the entire amount became dueunpaid balanceforfeitureAlabama Code §35-11-210 et seq.
AlaskanoNotice of Right to Liennot requirednot required1201206 monthsnoneAlaska Statutes §34.35.050 et seq.
ArizonayesPreliminary 20-Day Notice20201201206 monthspartialA.R.S. §33-981 et seq.
Arkansasconditional — residential GC must deliver Pre-Construction Notice to Owner before commencing work; commercial subs/suppliers must serve Notice to Owner and Contractor within 75 days after last furnishing; all claimants must serve Notice of Intent to Lien at least 10 days before filingNotice of Intent to Lien10 days before filing lien (Notice of Intent to Lien); before work begins for residential (Pre-Construction Notice)7512012015 monthsforfeitureAR Code Ann. §18-44-101 et seq.
Californiaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 20 days of first furnishingPreliminary 20-Day Noticenot required20909090full price lienpartialWest's Civil Code §8000–9566
Coloradoconditional — no pre-work notice required; Notice of Intent to File Lien Statement must be served at least 10 days before recording for all claimantsNotice of Intent to File Lien Statementnot required10 days before filing4 months4 months6 monthsforfeitureC.R.S. §38-22-101 et seq.
Connecticutconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers whose contract was not signed or assented to in writing by the ownerNotice of Intent to File Mechanic Liennot required9090901 yearforfeitureC.G.S. §49-33 et seq.
Delawarenonot requirednot requirednot required180120incorporated into Statement of Claim filingnone25 Del.C. §2711 et seq.
Floridaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 45 days of first furnishingNotice to Ownernot required4590901 yearfull price lienforfeitureFlorida Statutes §713.001 et seq.
Georgiaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/remote claimants not in privity with GC only if a Notice of Commencement was filedNotice to Contractornot required309090365forfeitureO.C.G.A. §44-14-360 et seq.
Hawaiinonot requirednot requirednot required45453 monthsnoneH.R.S. §507-41 et seq.
Idahoconditional — not required on commercial projects; GC must deliver Disclosure Statement / Notice of Right to Lien to homeowner at contract signing on residential projectsDisclosure Statement / Notice of Right to Liennot requirednot required90906 monthsnoneIdaho Statutes §45-501 to §45-517
Illinoisconditional — not required for GC; subs/suppliers must serve 90-day Section 24 notice on owner and lender within 90 days of last furnishingSection 24 Noticenot required904 months4 months2 yearsunpaid balancepartial770 ILCS 60 (Illinois Mechanics Lien Act)
Indianaconditional — not required on commercial projects; Pre-Lien Notice required for subs/suppliers within 30 days of first furnishing on Class 2 residential projectsPre-Lien Noticenot required3090901 yearpartialIndiana Code §32-28-3-1
Iowaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers on residential projects within 30 days of first furnishing, or 90 days on commercial projectsPreliminary Noticenot required3090902 years 90 dayspartialIowa Code §572.1 et seq.
Kansasconditional — not required on commercial projects; Warning Statement required for subs/suppliers on residential before furnishing; Notice of Intent to Perform required for subs on residentialWarning Statementnot requirednot required4 months3 months1 yearforfeitureK.S.A. §60-1101 to §60-1112
Kentuckyconditional — not required for GC; subs/suppliers must serve Pre-Lien Notice within 75 days on residential or 120 days on commercial after last furnishingPre-Lien Noticenot required1206 months6 months12 monthsforfeitureK.R.S. §376.010 et seq.
Louisianaconditional — GC on commercial projects over $25,000 must record Notice of Contract before work begins; subcontractors must serve Notice of Nonpayment; residential GC must furnish Notice of Mechanic Lien RightsNotice of Contractnot required (must record Notice of Contract before work begins on commercial projects over $25,000, or furnish Notice of Mechanic Lien Rights before signing on residential)75 days from last day of month in which materials were delivered (Notice of Nonpayment for material suppliers)60 days after Notice of Termination (if Notice of Contract filed), or 60 days after substantial completion (if no Notice of Contract)30 days after Notice of Termination (if prime contract recorded), or 60 days after substantial completion (if not recorded)365forfeiture — Failure to timely record the Notice of Contract eliminates the prime contractor's privilege against the propertyL.R.S. §9:4801 et seq.
Mainenonot applicablenot requirednot required9090120none10 M.R.S.A. §3251 et seq.
Marylandconditional — subcontractors must serve Notice of Intention to Claim a Lien within 120 days; GCs are exemptNotice of Intention to Claim a Liennot required120180180180forfeitureMD Code Real Property Article §9-104, 105 et seq.
MassachusettsyesNotice of Contract909012012090forfeitureM.G.L. c.254 §1 et seq.
Michiganconditional — not required for GC; subcontractors and suppliers must serve Notice of Furnishing within 20 days of first furnishingNotice of Furnishingnot required209090365partial — Late service does not destroy lien rights but limits the lien to labor or materials furnished within the 20-day lookback period before serviceM.C.L.A. §570.1101 et seq.
Minnesotaconditional — required on residential projects of one to four family dwellings; not required on commercial projectsPre-Lien Notice10 days after contract agreed upon (residential only)45 days after first furnishing (residential only)120120365forfeiture — Failure to provide the Pre-Lien Notice on a covered residential project defeats the prime's mechanic lien rights against the ownerM.S.A. §514.01 et seq.
Mississippiconditional — not required for GC or direct subs; remote claimants not in privity with owner must serve Pre-Lien Notice within 30 days of first deliveryPre-Lien Noticenot requirednot required9090180noneMississippi Code Annotated §85-7-131 et seq.
Missouriconditional — subcontractors and suppliers must serve Ten-Day Notice of Intent to File Mechanic's Lien at least 10 days before recording; GC on owner-occupied residential must deliver Notice of Rights before receiving any paymentTen-Day Notice of Intent to File Mechanic's Liennot required (except owner-occupied residential: before receiving any payment)at least 10 days before recording Statement of Lien180180180forfeitureMissouri Revised Statutes Chapter 429
Montanaconditional — required for subcontractors on residential projects (1-4 units) and non-commercial improvements; not required for GCs, commercial improvements, buildings for 5+ families, or laborersNotice of Right to Claim a Construction Liennot required20 days after first furnishing (or 45 days if funded by regulated lender and not owner's residence)9090730partial — A late notice does not kill the lien, it shrinks it. The lien then reaches only what you furnished in the 20 days before the notice was served, plus everything afterMontana Rev. Code §71-3-501 et seq.
Nebraskanonot applicablenot requirednot required120120730noneNebraska Revised Statutes §§52-125 to 52-159
Nevadaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 31 days of first furnishingNotice of Right to Liennot required319090180partialNRS §108.221 et seq.
New Hampshireconditional — not required for GC; subs/suppliers without direct written contract with owner must notify owner before performing or furnishingNotice of Liennot requiredbefore first furnishing120120120partialN.H. RSA §447:1 et seq.
New Jerseyconditional — not required for commercial projects; required for residential projects (owner-occupied 1-2 family dwelling) within 60 days of last furnishingNotice of Unpaid Balance and Right to File Liennot required609090365unpaid balanceforfeitureN.J.S.A. 2A:44A-1 et seq.
New Mexicoconditional — not required for GC or those contracting directly with GC; required for remote claimants on claims over $5,000 within 60 days of first furnishingNotice of Right to Claim a Liennot requirednot required12090730partialN.M. Statutes §48-2-1 et seq.
New Yorknonot requirednot requirednot required8 months8 months1 yearunpaid balancenoneNY Mechanic Lien Law §40 et seq.
North Carolinayes — all claimants must serve Notice to Lien Agent within 15 days of first furnishing on projects where owner has designated a lien agentNotice to Lien Agent1515120120180forfeitureNC Real Property §44A-7 through 24
North Dakotayes — all claimants must serve Notice of Intention to Claim a Construction Lien on owner at least 10 days before filingNotice of Intention to Claim a Construction Lien10 days before filing10 days before filing90901095forfeitureNDCC Chapter 35-27
Ohioconditional — not required for GC; required for subs/suppliers within 21 days of first furnishing only when owner has filed a Notice of CommencementNotice of Furnishingnot required2175756 yearspartialOhio Revised Code Annotated §1311.01 through §1311.22
Oklahomaconditional — not required for GC; required for subs on residential (1-4 family) or projects where aggregate unpaid balance exceeds $10,000, within 75 days of last furnishingPre-Lien Noticenot required7512090365forfeitureOklahoma Statute Annotated Title 42 §141-154
Oregonconditional — GC must give Information Notice to Owner at time of contract signing on residential projects; subs must serve Notice of Right to a Lien within 8 business days of first furnishingNotice of Right to a Liennot required8 business days7575120partialORS §87.001 et seq.
Pennsylvaniaconditional — not required for GC; for subs on projects of $1.5 million or more where owner has filed Notice of Commencement, Notice of Furnishing must be filed within 45 days of first furnishing; all subs must also serve 30-day Notice of Intent to Lien before filingNotice of Furnishingnot required45180180730forfeiture49 P.S. §1101 et seq.
Rhode Islandyes — all claimants must mail Notice of Intention to owner and record it within 200 days after last furnishingNotice of Intention200200404040forfeitureR.I. Gen. Laws §34-28-1 et seq.
South Carolinaconditional — required for remote claimants (sub-subcontractors) only if the prime contractor files a Notice of Project Commencement; waived if no commencement notice is filedNotice of Furnishing Labor or Materialsnot requirednot required9090180unpaid balancepartialS.C. Code §29-5-10 et seq.
South Dakotaconditional — not required for GC or first-tier subs; required for subcontractors and suppliers not in privity with the owner within 60 days of first furnishingPreliminary Noticenot required60120120180forfeitureS.D. Codified Laws §44-9-1 et seq.
Tennesseeconditional — required on commercial projects for remote contractors (Notice of Nonpayment within 90 days of end of each month with unpaid work); not required for prime contractorsNotice of Nonpaymentnot required903659090partialT.C.A. § 66-11-101 et seq.
Texasconditional — not required for GC; required for derivative claimants (subs/suppliers) monthlyNotice of Claimnot required15th day of the 3rd month after each month of unpaid work (commercial)15th day of the 4th month after the month the original contract was completed, terminated, or abandoned (commercial)15th day of the 4th month after the month the claimant last furnished labor or materials (commercial)1 year from the last day the lien affidavit could have been filedforfeitureTexas Property Code Chapter 53
Utahconditional — not required for the original contractor (GC); required for subcontractors and suppliers via Preliminary Notice filed with State Construction Registry within 20 days of first furnishingPreliminary Noticenot required20180180180partialUtah Code §38-1a-101 et seq.
VermontnoMemorandum of Contractor's Liennot requirednot required180180180noneVt. Stat. Ann. Title 9 §1921 et seq.
Virginiaconditional — required on residential (1-4 family) projects where owner designates a Mechanics Lien Agent on the building permit; not required on commercial projectsPreliminary Notice30309090180unpaid balanceforfeitureVa. Code §43-1 et seq.
Washingtonconditional — required for suppliers to GC and remote claimants on most work types; first-tier subcontractors to prime are exempt on new construction and commercial/multifamily but must give notice on owner-occupied residential remodels; no deadline, but a look-back window appliesNotice of Right to Claim Liennot requiredno deadline — notice limits look-back to 60 days (10 days for new single-family residence)9090240unpaid balancepartialRCW Chapter 60.04
Washington D.C.yesNotice of Intention90909090180unpaid balanceforfeitureD.C. Code Ann. Division VII, Title 40, Chapter 3
West Virginiaconditional — not required for GC; subcontractors and suppliers not in privity with owner must serve notice to owner within 30 days of first furnishingNotice of Mechanic's Liennot required30100100180forfeitureW. Va. Code §38-2-1 et seq.
Wisconsinconditional — required on residential (1-4 family) projects; on commercial projects, only the Notice of Intent to File (30 days before recording) is required for all claimantsNotice of Intent to File Claim for Lien3060180180730forfeitureWis. Stats. §779.01 through §779.13
Wyomingconditional — GC must deliver Notice of Right to File a Lien to owner before first payment; subcontractors must serve same within 30 days of first furnishingNotice of Right to File a Lienbefore first payment30150120180forfeitureWyo. Stat. §29-2-101 et seq.

Where this came from

Every record above links the page it was taken from and quotes the sentence that states it. These are the 51 sources this dataset was assembled from.

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