Arizona mechanic's liens

Who and what this applies to

Private improvement liens under A.R.S. §§33-981 and 33-993, including the statute’s separate notice and owner-occupied-dwelling restrictions.

The rules

• The ordinary recording deadline is 120 days after statutory project completion. A valid recorded notice of completion generally shortens it to 60 days after recording; §33-993(I) preserves the longer period for an affected claimant if the owner does not provide the required notice. Source
• Completion is defined by §33-993(C), including the applicable final-inspection/acceptance or cessation rules; it is not invariably the claimant’s last day on site. Serve the owner with the recorded claim within a reasonable time after recording. Source
• A claimant required to be licensed but lacking that license has no lien under §33-981(C). When a preliminary 20-day notice is required, the lien is enforceable only to the extent supported by that notice and proof of service. Section 33-981 also expressly preserves the limits in §§33-1002 and 33-1003. Source

Primary sources

• A.R.S. §33-993(A), (C), (I)
• A.R.S. §33-981(A), (C)–(D)

Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. This guide covers the projects and rules stated above.

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