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Indiana Mechanics Lien
Deadlines & Filing Rules

Every notice, deadline, and recording requirement for an Indiana construction lien, drawn from IC 32-28-3-1(h),(i); IC 32-28-3-3; IC 32-28-3-6 and the same rule engine that calculates deadlines for our filing customers.

File an Indiana lien from $99 See the deadlines

Indiana lien rules at a glance

Preliminary notice
Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers
Lien filing deadline
within 60 days after last furnishing labor or materials (varies by project type)
Notarization
Required
The lien claim must be sworn to under oath
Where to record
County recorder where the property sits
E-recording
Available in participating counties
Enforcement deadline
Within 1 year after the lien is recorded

Who can file a mechanics lien in Indiana

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

Claimant Lien rights in Indiana
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

Indiana mechanics lien deadlines

Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers. Preliminary notices go to the property owner by certified mail.

Calculate your Indiana deadlines

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

Project type

Choose your role to see which dates you need.

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
All claimants All projects Within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials

Mechanics lien filing deadline

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

Who Project type Deadline
All claimants Residential projects Within 60 days after last furnishing labor or materials
All claimants Commercial projects Within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials

Indiana does not require a notice of intent before recording a lien, but sending one is often what gets the invoice paid.

Recording and enforcing an Indiana lien

Recording the lien

Record with the county recorder where the property sits. Electronic recording is available in participating counties. The lien must be notarized. The lien claim must be sworn to under oath.

After recording

Indiana 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 1 year after the lien is recorded.

Wrongful lien exposure

We found no dedicated wrongful-lien penalty in Indiana'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 Indiana

Indiana's notice rules depend on the job. Subcontractors and suppliers who do not contract with the owner only need a pre-lien notice on owner-occupied single or double family homes. For alterations or repairs, they must give the occupying owner written notice of the work and of lien rights within 30 days after first delivery or labor (IC 32-28-3-1(h)). For original construction of an owner-occupied home, the notice is due within 60 days, and a copy must also be filed with the county recorder in that time (IC 32-28-3-1(i)). On these homes the notice is a condition of having a lien at all. To claim a lien, record a sworn statement and notice of intention to hold a lien, in duplicate, with the county recorder. The deadline is 60 days after last furnishing on Class 2 structures, which are generally one- and two-family homes and townhouses, and 90 days on other projects (IC 32-28-3-3). The recorder mails a copy to the owner. A suit to foreclose must be filed in the county where the property sits within one year after the lien is recorded, or the lien is void (IC 32-28-3-6). If the owner or another interested party sends written notice to sue, the claimant has 30 days to file or the lien is void (IC 32-28-3-10). A claimant who wins a judgment recovers reasonable attorney fees, except against an owner who already paid the contract price (IC 32-28-3-14). Every county recorder must accept electronic recording (IC 32-21-2.5-8). Whether a given building counts as a Class 2 structure can be close, so confirm with counsel.

These notes summarize the statute as we read it.

Statutory sources: IC 32-28-3-1(h),(i); IC 32-28-3-3; IC 32-28-3-6. Read the Indiana lien statute. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.

File your Indiana mechanics lien

We calculate the Indiana 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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Indiana mechanics lien FAQ

How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Indiana?
The Indiana lien must be recorded within 60 days after last furnishing labor or materials. That is the residential deadline; commercial projects follow the schedule in the table above.
Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Indiana?
Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers. Serve it on the property owner by certified mail. Missing it usually forfeits lien rights for the unnoticed work.
Does an Indiana 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 Indiana?
With the county recorder where the property sits. Electronic recording is available in participating counties, which typically cuts the turnaround to a day or two.
How long is an Indiana mechanics lien valid?
An Indiana lien must be enforced through a foreclosure lawsuit within 1 year after the lien is recorded. If no suit is filed by then, the lien expires and can no longer be used to force payment.
Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien in Indiana?
Yes. Subcontractors have lien rights in Indiana, and so do sub-subcontractors. They must follow the preliminary notice rules to keep those rights.

More Indiana lien tools

Bordering states

This page summarizes Indiana 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.