Arkansas Mechanics Lien
Deadlines & Filing Rules

Every notice, deadline, and recording requirement for an Arkansas construction lien, drawn from Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-44-114, 18-44-115, 18-44-117, 18-44-119 and the same rule engine that calculates deadlines for our filing customers.

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Arkansas lien rules at a glance

Preliminary notice: Required for every claimant, including the general contractor
Lien filing deadline: within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials
Notarization: Required; The lien claim must be sworn to under oath
Where to record: Circuit court clerk for the county
E-recording: Varies by county; Ask the recording office whether it accepts electronic recording before you rely on it.
Enforcement deadline: Within 15 months after the lien is recorded

Who can file a mechanics lien in Arkansas

Lien rights depend on where you sit in the contracting chain. Tenant-ordered improvements can support a lien in Arkansas. Owner-occupied residential projects carry extra notice requirements in Arkansas; missing them can cost the lien entirely.

Claimant	Lien rights in Arkansas
General contractor (direct contract with the owner)	Yes
Subcontractor (hired by the general contractor)	Yes
Sub-subcontractor (hired by a subcontractor)	Yes
Material supplier to the owner	Yes
Material supplier to the general contractor	Yes
Material supplier to a subcontractor	Yes

Arkansas mechanics lien deadlines

Required for every claimant, including the general contractor. Preliminary notices go to the property owner and the general contractor by certified mail. Arkansas requires a notice of intent to lien before the lien itself is recorded, served at least 10 days ahead of filing.

Calculate your Arkansas deadlines

Enter your role and project dates to turn the rules below into calendar dates. For other states, use the mechanics lien deadline calculator.

Your role on the project

Project type

Residential Commercial

Choose your role to see which dates you need.

Document	Who	Deadline
		Passed

These dates come from the same rules our lien filing service uses. They are not moved for weekends or holidays. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.

Preliminary notice deadline

The notice that preserves lien rights before any payment problem exists.

Who	Project type	Deadline
General contractors	All projects	Before work begins on a residential project of four or fewer units, the contractor must deliver the statutory pre-construction notice to the owner by personal delivery or certified mail. Not required if the contractor provides a performance and payment bond, or on a direct sale to the owner.
Subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers to the general contractor, and suppliers to a subcontractor	All projects	Within 75 days after first furnishing labor or materials

Notice of intent to lien

The final warning before a lien is recorded.

Who	Project type	Deadline
All claimants	All projects	At least 10 days before filing the lien

Mechanics lien filing deadline

The last day the lien can be recorded against the property.

Who	Project type	Deadline
All claimants	All projects	Within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials

Recording and enforcing an Arkansas lien

Recording the lien

Record with the circuit court clerk for the county. Whether electronic recording is accepted varies by county, so confirm with the recording office and build mailing time into the deadline. The lien must be notarized. The lien claim must be sworn to under oath.

After recording

Arkansas does not require a separate notice after the lien is recorded, though most claimants send one anyway to prompt payment. To keep the lien alive it must be enforced by lawsuit within 15 months after the lien is recorded.

Wrongful lien exposure

We found no dedicated wrongful-lien penalty in Arkansas's lien statute. An owner can still ask a court to remove an inflated or baseless lien, so claim only what you are owed.

Practitioner notes for Arkansas

Arkansas treats small residential jobs and commercial jobs differently. On residential real estate with four or fewer units, no one has a lien unless the owner received the statutory pre-construction notice by personal delivery or certified mail. The residential contractor must give it on behalf of everyone before work begins (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-44-115(a)(1), (a)(3)). A contractor who skips it loses the lien and can be fined. Any subcontractor or supplier may also give the notice. The notice is not needed if the contractor posts a performance and payment bond, or on a direct sale to the owner. On commercial real estate, including residential buildings with five or more units, a subcontractor, supplier, service provider or laborer must send a written notice of nonpayment to the owner and the contractor "before seventy-five (75) days have elapsed" from when the labor or materials were furnished (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-44-115(b)). Whether that runs from first or last furnishing is not settled by the text, so confirm with counsel; sending early is safest. Every claimant must give the owner ten days' notice before filing the lien (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-44-114). The lien must be filed with the circuit clerk in the county where the property sits within 120 days after last furnishing. It must include a sworn account, a legal description (a street address is not enough), and an affidavit with copies of the notices and proof of service (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-44-117). A suit to enforce the lien must be filed, along with a lis pendens, within 15 months after the lien is filed (Ark. Code Ann. § 18-44-119).

These notes summarize the statute as we read it.

Statutory sources: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-44-114, 18-44-115, 18-44-117, 18-44-119. Read the Arkansas lien statute. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.

File your Arkansas mechanics lien

We calculate the Arkansas deadlines from your project dates, prepare the lien on the correct form, and handle recording. Self-serve from $99, or full service with recording and notices handled for you from $299.

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Arkansas mechanics lien FAQ

How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Arkansas?

The Arkansas lien must be recorded within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials. The same deadline applies to every claimant.

Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Arkansas?

Required for every claimant, including the general contractor. Serve it on the property owner and the general contractor by certified mail. Missing it usually forfeits lien rights for the unnoticed work.

Does an Arkansas mechanics lien need to be notarized?

Yes. The lien must be notarized before it is recorded. The lien claim must be sworn to under oath.

Where is a mechanics lien filed in Arkansas?

With the circuit court clerk for the county. Whether electronic recording is accepted varies by county, so check with the recording office and allow time for mailing and processing when working back from your deadline.

How long is an Arkansas mechanics lien valid?

An Arkansas lien must be enforced through a foreclosure lawsuit within 15 months after the lien is recorded. If no suit is filed by then, the lien expires and can no longer be used to force payment.

Is a notice of intent to lien required in Arkansas?

Arkansas requires a notice of intent to lien before the lien itself is recorded, served at least 10 days ahead of filing.

Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien in Arkansas?

Yes. Subcontractors have lien rights in Arkansas, and so do sub-subcontractors. They must follow the preliminary notice rules to keep those rights.

More Arkansas lien tools

Bordering states

This page summarizes Arkansas lien law for general information and is not legal advice. Deadlines depend on your role, project type, and dates; confirm them against the statute or with counsel before relying on them.

Arkansas Mechanics Lien Deadlines & Filing Rules