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Mechanics Lien Deadlines by State
Of the 15 states on this site, the shortest window to file a mechanics lien on a non-residential job is 75 days in Ohio and Oregon[codes.ohio.gov] and the longest is 8 months in New York[nysenate.gov]. 12 of the 15 have a preliminary notice step early in the job.
Blank states: deadlines not on this site yet.
How many days do you have to file a mechanics lien?
| State | Preliminary notice | File the lien | Sue to enforce |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | 20 days after you first furnished labor or materials[azleg.gov] | 120 days after completion of the building or improvement[azleg.gov] | 6 months after recording[azleg.gov] |
| California | 20 days after you first furnished work[leginfo.legislature.ca.gov] | 90 days after completion of the work of improvement[leginfo.legislature.ca.gov] | 90 days after the claim of lien is recorded[leginfo.legislature.ca.gov] |
| Colorado | See state page | 4 months after the last labor or materials you furnished[leg.colorado.gov] | 6 months after the last labor or materials[leg.colorado.gov] |
| Florida | 45 days after you first furnished[leg.state.fl.us] | 90 days after final furnishing[leg.state.fl.us] | 1 year after the claim of lien is recorded[leg.state.fl.us] |
| Illinois | 90 days after your work is complete[ilga.gov] | 4 months after completion, to hold the lien against other creditors and buyers[ilga.gov] | 24 months s after completion of the contract[ilga.gov] |
| Michigan | 20 days after you first furnished labor or material[legislature.mi.gov] | 90 days after your last furnishing of labor or material[legislature.mi.gov] | 1 year after the claim of lien is recorded[legislature.mi.gov] |
| Nevada | 31 days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work[leg.state.nv.us] | 90 days after the latest of completion, your last delivery or your last work[leg.state.nv.us] | 6 months after the notice of lien is recorded[leg.state.nv.us] |
| New York | See state page | 8 months after completion or your last work (4 months on a single-family dwelling)[nysenate.gov] | 1 year after the notice of lien is filed[nysenate.gov] |
| North Carolina | 15 days after you first furnished labor or materials[ncleg.gov] | 120 days after last furnishing at the site[ncleg.gov] | 180 days after last furnishing at the site[ncleg.gov] |
| Ohio | 21 days after your first work or materials[codes.ohio.gov] | 75 days after your last labor or materials (60 days on one- or two-family dwellings)[codes.ohio.gov] | n/a |
| Oregon | 8 business days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work[oregonlegislature.gov] | 75 days after you stopped providing labor or materials[oregonlegislature.gov] | 120 days after the claim of lien is filed[oregonlegislature.gov] |
| Pennsylvania | See state page | 6 months after you complete your work[palegis.us] | 24 months s after filing the claim[palegis.us] |
| Texas | 15th of month 3 after the month of work (2nd month on residential jobs)[tcss.legis.texas.gov] | 15th of month 4 after the month you last furnished (3rd month on residential jobs)[tcss.legis.texas.gov] | 1 year after the last day you could file the lien affidavit[tcss.legis.texas.gov] |
| Virginia | 30 days after you first furnished[law.lis.virginia.gov] | 90 days from month end you last furnished[law.lis.virginia.gov] | 6 months after recording the memorandum[law.lis.virginia.gov] |
| Washington | 60 days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work (10 days on new single-family homes)[app.leg.wa.gov] | 90 days after you stopped furnishing[app.leg.wa.gov] | 8 months after recording[app.leg.wa.gov] |
First rule listed for each step; several states have a second, earlier or later deadline on the state page.
What is a preliminary notice?
A preliminary notice tells the owner, and in some states the lender and prime contractor, that you are supplying work and may claim a lien. Due dates in the 12 states that have one:
- Arizona, preliminary 20-day notice: 20 days after you first furnished labor or materials[azleg.gov]
- California, preliminary notice: 20 days after you first furnished work[leginfo.legislature.ca.gov]
- Florida, notice to owner: 45 days after you first furnished[leg.state.fl.us]
- Illinois, subcontractor notice to owner: 90 days after your work is complete[ilga.gov]
- Michigan, notice of furnishing: 20 days after you first furnished labor or material[legislature.mi.gov]
- Nevada, notice of right to lien: 31 days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work[leg.state.nv.us]
- North Carolina, notice to lien agent: 15 days after you first furnished labor or materials[ncleg.gov]
- Ohio, notice of furnishing: 21 days after your first work or materials[codes.ohio.gov]
- Oregon, notice of right to a lien (residential): 8 business days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work[oregonlegislature.gov]
- Texas, notice of claim (first month of work): the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month of work (2nd month on residential jobs)[tcss.legis.texas.gov]
- Virginia, notice to the mechanics' lien agent: 30 days after you first furnished[law.lis.virginia.gov]
- Washington, notice of right to claim a lien: 60 days after you first furnished, to cover all of your work (10 days on new single-family homes)[app.leg.wa.gov]
Other states
- Alabamastatute link
- Alaskastatute link
- Arkansasstatute link
- Connecticutstatute link
- Delawarestatute link
- District of Columbiastatute link
- Georgiastatute link
- Hawaiistatute link
- Idahostatute link
- Indianastatute link
- Iowastatute link
- Kansasstatute link
- Kentuckystatute link
- Louisianastatute link
- Mainestatute link
- Marylandstatute link
- Massachusettsstatute link
- Minnesotastatute link
- Mississippistatute link
- Missouristatute link
- Montanastatute link
- Nebraskastatute link
- New Hampshirestatute link
- New Jerseystatute link
- New Mexicostatute link
- North Dakotastatute link
- Oklahomastatute link
- Rhode Islandstatute link
- South Carolinastatute link
- South Dakotastatute link
- Tennesseestatute link
- Utahstatute link
- Vermontstatute link
- West Virginiastatute link
- Wisconsinstatute link
- Wyomingstatute link
Sources
- Arizona: A.R.S. 33-992.01(B), (C), (E), (F), (J); 33-981(D) (azleg.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Arizona: A.R.S. 33-993(A), (C), (D) (azleg.gov, 2026-10-27)
- California: Cal. Civ. Code 8200(a),(c),(e); 8204(a); 8202 (content) (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, 2026-10-27)
- California: Cal. Civ. Code 8412, 8414, 8180, 8182(a) (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Colorado: C.R.S. 38-22-109(1),(4),(5),(8),(10) (leg.colorado.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Florida: Fla. Stat. 713.06(2)(a) (leg.state.fl.us, 2026-10-27)
- Florida: 713.08(5), 713.08(4)(c) (leg.state.fl.us, 2026-10-27)
- Illinois: 770 ILCS 60/24(a); 60/21(c) (ilga.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Illinois: 770 ILCS 60/7(a),(d); 60/28 (ilga.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Michigan: MCL 570.1108, 570.1109(1)-(2), 570.1114 (legislature.mi.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Michigan: MCL 570.1111(1),(4),(5) (legislature.mi.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Nevada: NRS 108.245; NRS 108.226(6)-(7) (leg.state.nv.us, 2026-10-27)
- Nevada: NRS 108.226(1)-(4); NRS 108.227(1) (leg.state.nv.us, 2026-10-27)
- New York: N.Y. Lien Law 10(1), 11 (nysenate.gov, 2026-10-27)
- North Carolina: G.S. 44A-11.1(a); 44A-11.2(b), (l), (m); 44A-19 (ncleg.gov, 2026-10-27)
- North Carolina: G.S. 44A-10; 44A-11(a)-(b); 44A-12(a)-(c) (ncleg.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Ohio: ORC 1311.04(A), 1311.05(A) (codes.ohio.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Ohio: ORC 1311.06(A), (B); 1311.07 (codes.ohio.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Oregon: ORS 87.021(1), (3); ORS 87.057(1) (oregonlegislature.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Oregon: ORS 87.035(1)-(4); ORS 87.036(1) (oregonlegislature.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Pennsylvania: Section 502(a), 301(a) (palegis.us, 2026-10-27)
- Texas: Prop. Code 53.056(a-1) (tcss.legis.texas.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Texas: Prop. Code 53.052(a)-(d) (tcss.legis.texas.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Virginia: Va. Code 43-4.01(B)-(C); 43-7(A); 43-9; 43-11 (law.lis.virginia.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Virginia: Va. Code 43-4; 43-3(A); 43-5 (form) (law.lis.virginia.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Washington: RCW 60.04.031(1)-(3) (app.leg.wa.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Washington: RCW 60.04.091 (app.leg.wa.gov, 2026-10-27)