You’ve filed a mechanics lien. Your deadline to enforce (or foreclose) the lien is approaching, and you still haven’t been paid. But you’re not ready to enforce the lien — you just need a little more time to collect.
Sound like you? You’re not alone. The good news is, some states allow lien claimants to extend a mechanics lien. The bad news is, most states do not. Keep reading to learn how to get your mechanics lien extension.
Extending a mechanics lien vs. Extending the deadline to file a mechanics lien
Before diving into the extension rules for individual states, let’s clarify an important distinction. Mechanics liens have a number of deadlines. The three big ones are:
- The deadline to send a preliminary notice (pre-lien notice). This deadline applies to those who do construction/renovation work in one of the 38 states that have a preliminary notice requirement. When this deadline passes, potential lien claimants lose their right to file a mechanics lien.
- The deadline to file the mechanics lien. This deadline applies to contractors, suppliers, etc. who are considering filing a mechanics lien. When this deadline passes, the potential lien claimant can no longer file a valid mechanics lien.
- The deadline to enforce the mechanics lien. This deadline applies to claimants who have already filed a mechanics lien. When this deadline passes, the claimant can no longer enforce the lien (the lien expires).
This article discusses #3 above: the deadline to enforce a mechanics lien. This is sometimes called the deadline to foreclose a lien or the deadline to bring an action to enforce a lien. For information about extending the deadline to file a mechanics lien, visit the mechanics lien resources and select the state in which your construction project is located.
Learn more:
Only the law can grant permission to extend a mechanics lien
Most states do not allow claimants to extend a mechanics lien. In these states, neither property owners nor lenders nor any other party involved in the construction project may enable a claimant to extend a lien.
Even if the property owner tells you in good faith that you can enforce your lien past your deadline — maybe so that he or she has more time to come up with your payment — you cannot do so. Your lien will become unenforceable according to the state lien statute, not according to the wishes of the property owner or some other party.
States that allow claimants to extend a mechanics lien
Below are explanations of the rules for mechanics lien extensions in states that allow claimants to do so.
Alaska
Alaska’s lien law requires claimants to enforce the lien within 6 months of filing the lien. If you record an extension notice within this 6 month period, you then have 6 months from the date that the extension notice is recorded to enforce the mechanics lien (Alaska Stat. § 34-35-080 (2)).
The extension notice must be recorded in the same office where the lien was recorded and must show the recording date, book, and page or instrument number or a serial number of the initial lien claim, as well as the amount of the lien claim.
- Download a free Alaska Notice of Extension of Claim of Lien form
California
California requires lien claimants to enforce the lien within 90 days of filing the lien. This period can be extended if the property owner and the claimant both sign a written agreement to extend credit by recording a notice with the terms of the extension agreement (Cal. Civ. Code § 8460 (b)). The notice must be recorded within the original 90-day period. It can be recorded after that period only if no other person has purchased or acquired rights to the property.
- Dive deeper: Can I Extend a Mechanics Lien in California?
The claimant has 90 days from the date the extension notice is recorded to enforce the lien, but the lien must be enforced no later than one year after the completion of the construction or renovation project.
- Download a free California Notice of Credit form
Florida
Florida doesn’t allow for the extension of an enforcement deadline, per se. But there is a way that the deadline for foreclosure can be pushed back. Let’s start with the filing deadline. A Florida mechanics lien must be filed within 90 days of the date of last furnishing. Once filed, the claim must be enforced within 1 year from the date the claim is recorded.
However, Florida’s lien laws also provide for the amendment of lien claims; which must occur within the initial filing deadline (90 days from last furnishing). If an amended lien claim is filed, the enforcement deadline, one year, will restart from the date the amendment was filed (Fla. Stat. § 713.22).
In Florida, the deadline to enforce a lien can also be shortened (moved earlier). The owner (or owner’s agent or attorney) may record a Notice of Contest of Lien with the clerk’s office, in which case the claimant has 60 days after the notice is recorded to enforce the lien. The notice is deemed recorded when the clerk mails a copy of the notice to the lien claimant.
Any party with an interest in the property may also shorten the deadline to take action by way of the county circuit court. The interested party can file a complaint with the court. If the court clerk, in response, issues a summons to the lien claimant, the claimant has 20 days from receiving the summons to either (a) enforce the lien, or (b) show why his or her lien should not be enforced at that time.
Idaho
Idaho requires lien claimants to enforce the lien within 6 months of filing the lien. This period can be extended if a partial payment is made, or if an extension of credit is granted, and the date of payment or credit extension is “endorsed on the record of the lien.” In such a case, the deadline to enforce the lien is then 6 months after the date of payment or extension. Idaho statute is vague in describing what it means to endorse “on the record of the lien” (Idaho Code § 45-510).
New York
New York requires lien claimants to enforce the lien within 1 year of filing the lien. The claimant can extend this deadline (except for a lien on a single-family residence) by filing an extension, within the initial 1-year period, with the same county office where the lien was recorded. Doing so gives the claimant 1 year from the date the extension is filed to enforce the lien.
If the initial 1-year deadline passes, a claimant can attempt to gain a lien extension through an order from “a court of record or a judge or justice thereof.” If that happens, the lien is re-docketed and the claimant has 1 year from the date of re-docketing to enforce the lien (NY Lien Law §17).
- Dive deeper: Can You Extend a New York Mechanics Lien?
A lien on a single-family residence can only be extended by a court order. An extension granted by a court or judge cannot extend the lien for more than 1 year, but a claimant can gain such an extension twice (in two successive years).
- Download a free New York Notice of Extension form
Oregon
Oregon requires lien claimants to enforce the lien within 120 days of filing the lien. This deadline can be extended by provisions in the claim itself, not after the lien is recorded. If the lien includes terms for an extended payment plan, the deadline to enforce the lien is 120 days after the final date of the extended payment. However, no lien can be enforced later than 2 years after the date the lien is originally filed (Or. Rev. Stat. § 87.055).
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Texas*
Texas requires lien claimants to enforce the lien is either 2 years after the last date the claimant could file a lien or 1 year after the project was terminated, completed, or abandoned; whichever is later. On residential projects, the deadline to enforce is either 1 year after the last date the claimant could file a lien or 1 year after the project was terminated, completed, or abandoned; whichever is later.
*For projects started on or after 1/1/22: the deadline to enforce all lien claims is 1 year from the last date the claimant could file a lien.
- Additionally, the enforcement deadline may be extended if the property owner and the claimant both sign a written agreement to extend the foreclosure deadline and record a notice with the terms of the extension period. However, the foreclosure deadline cannot be extended longer than 2 years after the claim was filed.
Texas rules for mechanics liens and notices are subject to major changes in 2022.
The information on this page has already been updated to reflect the new rules.