A Contractor's Guide to Filing a Mechanic's Lien

2026-09-30

Filing a mechanic's lien is a sequence of steps, each with its own deadline. Miss one and the lien can fail even if the others were perfect.

The sequence

1. Preliminary notice. Many states require notice to the owner (and sometimes the lender) early in the job as a condition of lien rights.
2. Record the claim of lien. File it in the county records for the project before the state's deadline — typically measured from completion, cessation, or a recorded notice of completion.
3. Serve the claim. Some states require serving the claim on the owner within a set time after recording.
4. Enforce by suit. The lien is temporary; you must sue to foreclose it within the state's enforcement deadline.

Two deadlines to remember

California's direct-contractor deadline (Civil Code § 8412) is the earlier of 90 days after completion or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion or cessation. Florida's deadline (Statute § 713.08(5)) is 90 days after final furnishing. Both are strict and role-specific.

Because the details differ by state, role, and project type, treat any checklist as a starting point and confirm the current statute in the project's state.