Guide to filing a mechanics lien in Jefferson County

If you’re planning to file a mechanics lien in Jefferson County, the first step is to study Texas lien law and the requirements of the Jefferson County Clerk, the office with which you’ll record your lien claim. This research is an important step in the process because it helps you avoid mistakes that prolong payment even further. Before we discuss Jefferson County, here are two of the most confusing areas in Texas law:

  • The Texas preliminary notice requirements cause a lot of problems for contractors. If you’re not directly contracted with the property owner, you’re required to submit recurring, monthly notices. On top of that, there are multiple different types of notices, and each one must be submitted at a certain time over the course of the construction project. Failure to submit these multiple preliminary notices could mean losing your lien rights.
  • The deadlines for mechanics liens and preliminary notices aren’t straightforward. Generally, lien claimants need to file before the 15th day of the fourth month after the last month that work or services were furnished, but that isn’t always the case. You can read more about these rules and deadlines here.

Although Texas lien law causes problems, the Jefferson County Clerk’s requirements are easier to understand. The page of frequently asked questions below answers concerns that contractors often have about the Jefferson County Clerk, providing you with information regarding Jefferson County’s recording requirements, page size and margin requirements, recording fees, and contact information. Along with that, you can find out how to record your lien by mail, eRecord your lien, or eFile your lien with Levelset in Jefferson County in just a few clicks.

Refer to our step-by-step guide to Filing A Texas Mechanics Lien if you’re looking for a complete breakdown of the process.

Where is the Jefferson County Clerk's Office that files mechanics liens?

You can file your mechanics liens with the Jefferson County Clerk’s Recording Division by postal mail, by courier, or in person.
The County Clerk also accepts electronic filings of documents from an authorized eRecording submitter.

In Person

You can bring your documents to either of the County Clerk’s two office locations at the following addresses:

Jefferson County Courthouse
1085 Pearl Street
Beaumont, TX 77701

Hours
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Mon-Fri

Main: 409-835-8475
Fax: 409-839-2394

525 Lakeshore Drive
Port Arthur, TX 77640

Hours
8:00am – 12pm
1:00 – 4:30pm
Mon-Fri

Main: 409-983-8340

By Postal Mail

You can mail your documents to:

Jefferson County Clerk
Recording Division
PO Box 1151
Beaumont, TX 77704-1151

By Commercial Courier (FedEx, UPS, etc.)

You can send your documents to:

Jefferson County Clerk
Recording Division
1085 Pearl Street, First Floor
Beaumont, TX 77701

By eRecording

Per Texas Local Government Code 195.003, the following organizations are authorized to use eRecording to electronically file documents with the Jefferson County Clerk’s office:

Conduent eRecording
100 Campus Dr., Ste. 200
Florham Park, NJ 07932
(844) 663-2638
conduent.com

Corporation Service Company
2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400
Wilmington, DE 19808
(866) 652-0111
erecording@cscglobal.com
erecording.com

eRecording Partners Network
400 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(888) 325-3365
support@erecordingpartners.net
erecordingpartners.net

Indecomm Global Services
1260 Energy Lane
ST. Paul, MN. 55401
(651) 766-2388
indecomm.net

Simplifile, LC
4844 North 300 West, Suite 202
Provo, Utah 84604
(800) 460-5657
sales@simplifile.com
simplifile.com

What is Jefferson County's Recording Backlog?

The Jefferson County Clerk does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog.

Should my mechanics lien be filed in Jefferson County, or some other county?

If the project is located in Jefferson county, then yes, you will want to record your lien with the Jefferson County, Texas Clerk’s office.

What are Jefferson County's requirements for recording a mechanics lien?

Generally, filing a lien in Texas is one of the more difficult states. Texas has a variety of required documents being exchanged and very strict deadlines for a valid lien claim.

The Jefferson County, Texas requirements for recording a mechanics lien are:

1. Verify you have the right to file a valid lien. This includes having sent a monthly notice for each month labor or materials were furnished on a project. A monthly notice must be sent the second and third month for every month work is performed. This can be confusing but basically this means if you furnished labor this month, your deadline to send a two month and third month notice are two and three months from now, respectively. It’s important to keep in mind that if you perform work on the same construction job in Texas for two consecutive months you will need to have sent a total of 4 notices to retain lien rights. So if work was performed in January, your deadline would be March and April for a 2 and 3 month notice. Keep in mind it’s a little more complex if the labor or materials furnished were for a Homestead project.

2. Draft your Texas affidavit of lien form (mechanics lien claim) for your specific role on the job. The forms are different for general contractors vs. subcontractors so make sure you use the correct form. Not doing so could invalidate your lien claim! Make sure all required fields are completed and call the county Clerk if you have questions about specific required fields. Again, submitting a mechanics lien claim in Texas not completed correctly could lead to an invalid claim returned to you, potentially leading to a missed lien deadline. Be sure to include other relevant attachments as well.

3. File your lien claim with the County Clerk’s office where work was performed.

4. Send a copy of your lien claim to the Property Owner and General Contractor (if you were a second-tier contractor or supplier). This is important as sending a copy of the lien may expedite payment as the Property Owner or General Contractor may not learn a lien was filed on the property if not contacted.

To learn more about filing your lien claim and other requirements, learn more from our How to File a Texas Mechanics Lien Step by Step Guide.

What are the margin & page size requirements to file a lien in Jefferson County?

The margin requirements for filing a lien in Jefferson County are 2 inch margins at the top of the first page with .5 margins on all other sides. All other pages must have .5 inch margins on all sides. Your lien claim should be filed on Letter size 8.5 x 11 inch paper. Not following these margin and paper size requirements may invalidate your lien claim.

How can I make payment to the Jefferson County Clerk?

The Jefferson County Clerk’s Office accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards. Note that a $2.50 convenience fee applies to credit card payments.

The County Clerk also accepts cash, personal checks and money orders. Do not send cash in the mail.

What are the filing fees to record a mechanics lien in Jefferson County?

The Jefferson County Clerk’s recording fee is $26.00 for the first page and $4.00 for each additional page.

Additional Recording Fees

Indexing Fee: $0.25 for each additional name in excess of five names that has to be indexed
Missing Grantee Mailing Address: $25.00

Lien Fees

Federal Tax Liens and Releases: $31.00

Copy Fees

Copies of Records: $1.00 per page
Certified Copies: $5.00 per certificate plus $1.00 per page

How do I get a recorded copy of my lien from Jefferson County Clerk's Office?

You can obtain a recorded copy of your lien in several ways.

Documents Online

You can search documents that are available online at https://jeffersontxclerk.manatron.com/

Copies of online documents printed using your computer are $1.00 per page plus a $2.50 convenience fee per credit card transaction. Another option is to open an escrow account with the Jefferson County Clerk’s office which can be used to pay for online copies without incurring a convenience fee.

Copies Sent by Email

These are uncertified documents that a clerk sends to the customer via email. These copies can be requested by phone, mail, email, or in person. The cost is $1.00 per page.

Paper Copies made by Clerk

These are paper copies that are made at the office by a clerk. These copies can be requested by phone, mail, email, or in person. The cost for this service is $1.00 per page.

Certified Copies

This is when the Clerk makes a paper copy and places a stamp on it to certify that it is an accurate and complete reproduction of the original document. Certified copies may be requested by phone, mail, email, or in person. There is a $5.00 per document charge for the certification service plus an additional cost of $1.00 per page.

To request copies, call or email your request to the division that will have the record you are requesting. Be as specific as possible (full name, cause number, etc). If you are planning to pay with a credit card, include your phone number so a clerk may contact you for payment information. Do not send your credit card number in an email. Do not send cash in the mail.

To Request Copies, you can call or email the Jefferson County Clerk’s office with information about the record you need or send a written request with payment to:

Jefferson County Clerk
P.O. Box 1151
Beaumont, TX 77704-1151

Contact:

Recording
(409) 835-8475, Option 2
countyclerk@co.jefferson.tx.us

Do I have the right to file a mechanics lien in Jefferson, Texas?

Determining if you have the right to file a lien in Jefferson County, Texa can be complicated. Texas has one of the most complex lien laws in the U.S. and filing a lien in Jefferson is no different. Generally, construction contractors who

1) furnish labor or materials.

2) send all required documents before filing a lien, such as monthly notices.

3) if a homestead, have a proper written contract.

4) and meet any state deadlines and fees for your lien claim.

You can learn more about Mechanics Liens in Texas and more specific requirements for filing a lien overall in our step by step guide.

Do I have to send a monthly notice to file a lien in Jefferson County, Texas?

Yes, you will need to have sent a Texas Preliminary Notice (monthly notices) to be able to file a lien in Jefferson County, TX. Not sending the correct Texas Monthly Notice may result in an invalid lien claim at the time of filing with the Jefferson County Clerk / Assessor.