Quick note: Darkwell funds legal claims. We’re not a law firm and this isn’t legal advice. Talk with a licensed attorney in your state about your claim and your deadlines. Deadlines below are summaries of statutes as written; exceptions, residential rules, and notices of completion can shorten them.
Missing a lien deadline can wipe out lien rights even when the invoice is real. This table puts the three clocks that matter most side by side: the notice you send before or during the job, the deadline to record the lien, and the deadline to sue to enforce it. Each verified entry cites the statute. States we have not verified yet say confirm with counsel, and we add states as we check them.
Owed $10,000 or more and a lien clock is running? Request a free claim review.
Mechanics lien deadlines by state
| State | Preliminary / pre-lien notice | Record the lien | Sue to enforce | Statute and guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Alaska | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Arizona | Preliminary 20-day notice no later than 20 days after first furnishing (wage laborers excepted) | 120 days after completion, or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion | 6 months after recording (suit + lis pendens) | A.R.S. 33-992.01; A.R.S. 33-993; A.R.S. 33-998 Arizona guide |
| Arkansas | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| California | Preliminary notice generally within 20 days after first furnishing, when required | Direct contractor: before the earlier of 90 days after completion or 60 days after a recorded notice of completion/cessation. Others: before the earlier of 90 days after completion or 30 days after that notice | 90 days after recording the claim of lien | Civ. Code 8204; Civ. Code 8412; Civ. Code 8414; Civ. Code 8460 California guide |
| Colorado | Notice of intent to file at least 10 days before filing the lien statement | Most claimants: within 4 months after last labor or materials | 6 months after last work or completion (suit + notice of lis pendens) | C.R.S. 38-22-109; C.R.S. 38-22-110 Colorado guide |
| Connecticut | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Delaware | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Florida | Notice to Owner (non-privity lienors, except laborers) no later than 45 days after first furnishing | 90 days after final furnishing | 1 year after recording the claim of lien (owner can shorten it) | Fla. Stat. 713.06; Fla. Stat. 713.08; Fla. Stat. 713.22 Florida guide |
| Georgia | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Hawaii | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Idaho | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Illinois | Subs: written notice to owner within 90 days after completion | Against third parties: sue or record a verified claim within 4 months after completion | Contractor: suit within 2 years after completion (770 ILCS 60/9). On a written Section 34 demand: sue within 30 days or the lien is forfeited. | 770 ILCS 60/24; 770 ILCS 60/7; 770 ILCS 60/9; 770 ILCS 60/34 Illinois guide |
| Indiana | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Iowa | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Kansas | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Kentucky | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Louisiana | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Maine | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Maryland | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Massachusetts | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Michigan | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Minnesota | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Mississippi | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Missouri | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Montana | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Nebraska | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Nevada | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| New Hampshire | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| New Jersey | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| New Mexico | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| New York | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| North Carolina | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| North Dakota | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Ohio | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Oklahoma | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Oregon | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Pennsylvania | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Rhode Island | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| South Carolina | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| South Dakota | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Tennessee | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Texas | Non-original contractors: notice by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month of work (2nd month on residential) | Original contractor: 15th day of the 4th month after the month work was completed, terminated, or abandoned (3rd month residential). Others, non-residential: 15th day of the 4th month after the month they last provided labor or materials | 1 year after the last day to file the lien affidavit (extendable by recorded agreement) | Prop. Code 53.056; Prop. Code 53.052; Prop. Code 53.158 Texas guide |
| Utah | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Vermont | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Virginia | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Washington | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| West Virginia | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Wisconsin | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Confirm with counsel | Not yet verified |
| Wyoming | Subs/suppliers: preliminary notice within 30 days after first furnishing; notice to owner at least 20 days before filing | Contractors 150 days; other claimants 120 days (from last work or substantial completion) | 180 days after filing the lien statement | Wyo. Stat. 29-2-106, -107, -109, -112 Wyoming guide |
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Statutes change; check the linked text and talk with counsel before relying on any date.
How to read the table
- Notice: many states require a preliminary notice or a notice of intent before the lien is valid. Miss it and the lien may fail.
- Record the lien: the window to record or file the lien statement with the county.
- Sue to enforce: a recorded lien expires unless you sue (and often record a lis pendens) in time.
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<p><strong>Mechanics lien deadlines by state</strong>: notice, recording, and enforcement clocks, with statute citations. Source: <a href="https://darkwellcapital.com/50-state-mechanics-lien-deadlines/">Darkwell Capital 50-State Mechanics Lien Deadlines</a>.</p>Where Darkwell fits
When a lien or payment claim needs a lawsuit and legal costs are the holdup, Darkwell can fund attorney and case costs for business claims of $10,000 or more while an attorney from our network, or your current attorney, where it fits, runs the case. We don’t run your case.
Our fee comes out of the recovery, not your pocket. If there’s no recovery, you don’t repay our funding. Your written agreement sets the exact terms.
We fund business claims, and individual and consumer claims in some states, reviewed state by state where the law allows. We confirm your state during review. See where Darkwell funds claims.
In select cases, we may purchase a business claim outright, where state law allows.
We review claims of $10,000 or more, subject to review and approval by our team.
Reminder: Darkwell provides litigation funding. Darkwell does not buy or collect consumer debt. We are not a law firm and do not give legal advice. State law controls your claim and your deadlines. Nothing on this page promises funding, approval, or any particular result.
Owed money on a job? Request a free claim review. Send what you have, and you’ll get a response from our team.
Related: Mechanic lien foreclosure timeline · Mechanic lien expired: now what? · Filed a lien and still not paid