New Hampshire Mechanics Lien
Deadlines & Filing Rules
Every notice, deadline, and recording requirement for a New Hampshire construction lien, drawn from RSA 447:5, 447:6, 447:8, 447:9, 447:10 and the same rule engine that calculates deadlines for our filing customers.
New Hampshire lien rules at a glance
- Preliminary notice
- Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers
- Lien filing deadline
- within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials
- Notarization
- Not required
- No sworn statement or verification is required
- Where to record
- Circuit court clerk for the county
- E-recording
- Available in participating counties
- Enforcement deadline
- Within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials
Who can file a mechanics lien in New Hampshire
Lien rights depend on where you sit in the contracting chain. Tenant-ordered improvements can support a lien in New Hampshire.
| Claimant | Lien rights in New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| 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 |
New Hampshire mechanics lien deadlines
Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers. Preliminary notices go to the property owner by any method that proves receipt.
Calculate your New Hampshire 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Subcontractors and sub-subcontractors | All projects | Before you start work or deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the contractor who hired you. |
| Suppliers to the general contractor | All projects | Before you deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the contractor who bought from you. |
| Suppliers to a subcontractor | All projects | Before you deliver materials, give the owner (or the person in charge of the property) written notice that you will claim a lien. Later notice still works, but the lien then covers only what is then due or later becomes due to the subcontractor who bought from you. |
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 |
New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire lien
Recording the lien
Record with the circuit court clerk for the county. Electronic recording is available in participating counties. No notary is required on the lien itself. No sworn statement or verification is required.
After recording
New Hampshire 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 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials.
Wrongful lien exposure
We found no dedicated wrongful-lien penalty in New Hampshire'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 New Hampshire
New Hampshire's mechanic's lien works differently from most states. Under RSA ch. 447, a contractor working directly for the owner gets a lien by statute, and so does a subcontractor or supplier hired by a contractor, if it gives the owner or the person in charge of the property written notice that it will claim a lien "before performing the labor or furnishing the material" (RSA 447:5). Notice can be given later, but then the lien covers only the amount then due, or later due, to the contractor who hired you (RSA 447:6). After giving notice, send the owner a written account of the labor and materials at least once every 30 days so the owner can hold back enough to pay you (RSA 447:8). The lien lasts 120 days after the services are performed or the materials are furnished (RSA 447:9). There is no lien form to record first. Instead, within those 120 days you must secure the lien by a court attachment of the property (RSA 447:10), which is then recorded at the registry of deeds. In practice that means starting a lawsuit and asking the court to approve the attachment, so the lien deadline and the enforcement deadline are the same. Which court to use and the attachment procedure depend on the claim, so confirm with counsel well before day 120. Chapter 447 has no specific penalty for an excessive lien claim.
These notes summarize the statute as we read it.
Statutory sources: RSA 447:5, 447:6, 447:8, 447:9, 447:10. Read the New Hampshire lien statute. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.
File your New Hampshire mechanics lien
We calculate the New Hampshire 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.
New Hampshire mechanics lien FAQ
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in New Hampshire?
Do I need to send a preliminary notice in New Hampshire?
Does a New Hampshire mechanics lien need to be notarized?
Where is a mechanics lien filed in New Hampshire?
How long is a New Hampshire mechanics lien valid?
Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien in New Hampshire?
More New Hampshire lien tools
This page summarizes New Hampshire 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.