Michigan Mechanics Lien
Deadlines & Filing Rules
Every notice, deadline, and recording requirement for a Michigan construction lien, drawn from MCL 570.1109, 570.1111, 570.1117, 570.1118 and the same rule engine that calculates deadlines for our filing customers.
Michigan lien rules at a glance
- Preliminary notice
- Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers
- Lien filing deadline
- within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials
- Notarization
- Required
- The lien claim must be sworn to under oath
- Where to record
- Register of deeds 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 1 year after the lien is recorded
Who can file a mechanics lien in Michigan
Lien rights depend on where you sit in the contracting chain. Tenant-ordered improvements can support a lien in Michigan.
| Claimant | Lien rights in Michigan |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Michigan mechanics lien deadlines
Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers. Preliminary notices go to the property owner and the general contractor by certified mail.
Calculate your Michigan deadlines
Enter your role and project dates to turn the rules below into calendar dates. For other states, use the mechanics lien deadline calculator.
Choose your role to see which dates you need.
Your deadlines
| Document | Who | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Passed |
liens are filed through the courts by an attorney. Get matched with a lien attorney.
We can prepare and record the lien for you before the deadline. Start your lien.
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 20 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 | All projects | Within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials |
Michigan does not require a notice of intent before recording a lien, but sending one is often what gets the invoice paid.
Recording and enforcing a Michigan lien
Recording the lien
Record with the register of deeds 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
A copy of the recorded lien must be served on the property owner within 15 days of recording. To keep the lien alive it must be enforced by lawsuit within 1 year after the lien is recorded.
Wrongful lien exposure
Michigan exposes claimants who file an exaggerated or baseless lien to damages. If a person who was not licensed as required records a lien on residential property, the owner can sue to discharge it and recover all resulting damages, actual costs and attorney fees (MCL 570.1114a). A court may also award attorney fees to the owner if the lien claimant's foreclosure action was vexatious (MCL 570.1118(2)). The act has no general penalty for willfully exaggerating a lien; MCL 570.1118 does not say what the current penalty text says.
Practitioner notes for Michigan
Michigan's Construction Lien Act (MCL 570.1101 et seq.) runs on notices tied to the owner's notice of commencement. A subcontractor or supplier should serve a notice of furnishing on the designee and the general contractor named in the notice of commencement, personally or by certified mail, within 20 days after first furnishing labor or material (MCL 570.1109(1)). A late notice does not void the lien for later work, but the lien can be reduced by what the owner already paid the contractor on a sworn statement or lien waiver (MCL 570.1109(5)-(6)). A contractor working directly for the owner does not need this notice. The claim of lien must be recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property sits within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing (MCL 570.1111(1)). The statutory form is sworn before a notary. Serve a copy on the designee within 15 days after recording (MCL 570.1111(4)). Foreclosure must be brought no later than 1 year after the claim of lien was recorded (MCL 570.1117(1)). On residential work, a lien recorded by someone who was not licensed as required can be discharged, and that person owes the resulting damages, costs and attorney fees (MCL 570.1114a). A court may award attorney fees to the prevailing claimant, or to the owner if the claimant's suit was vexatious (MCL 570.1118(2)). Michigan courts have reduced or voided overstated liens; how that applies to your claim depends on the facts, so confirm with counsel.
These notes summarize the statute as we read it.
Statutory sources: MCL 570.1109, 570.1111, 570.1117, 570.1118. Read the Michigan lien statute. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.
File your Michigan mechanics lien
We calculate the Michigan 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.
Michigan mechanics lien FAQ
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Michigan?
Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Michigan?
Does a Michigan mechanics lien need to be notarized?
Where is a mechanics lien filed in Michigan?
How long is a Michigan mechanics lien valid?
Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien in Michigan?
More Michigan lien tools
This page summarizes Michigan 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.