How lien deadlines work
Every state is different, but most follow the same three steps. The deadlines are strict: miss one and the lien can be gone, even if you did the work and are clearly owed the money.
- Before the job: some states require a notice or a signed form before you start or before you take any payment. Miss it and there's no lien later, no matter what.
- During and after the job: many states require subcontractors and suppliers to send the owner a notice within a set number of days after their work. This is the step small contractors most often don't know exists.
- If you're not paid: file the lien with the county by the deadline, then sue to enforce it within the time limit, or it expires.
Why your role matters
If you signed a contract directly with the property owner, you're usually treated as the general (or original) contractor, even if you're a one-person crew. If you were hired by someone else on the job, you're a subcontractor or supplier, and you usually have more notices to send, because the owner may not know you're there.
Our dates run early on purpose. The helper's recommended dates are 7 days before the legal deadline (30 days for a lawsuit), moved earlier to a weekday. Lien deadlines rarely forgive a late filing.
Price it first, then protect it
Getting paid starts with a bid that covers your costs. Use our free calculators to price the job, then come back here to make sure you can collect on it.