Oregon Mechanics Lien
Deadlines & Filing Rules
Every notice, deadline, and recording requirement for an Oregon construction lien, drawn from ORS §§ 87.021, 87.035, 87.055, 87.039 and the same rule engine that calculates deadlines for our filing customers.
Oregon lien rules at a glance
- Preliminary notice
- Required for subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, and suppliers
- Lien filing deadline
- within 75 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
- Varies by county
- Ask the recording office whether it accepts electronic recording before you rely on it.
- Enforcement deadline
- Within 120 days after the lien is recorded
Who can file a mechanics lien in Oregon
Lien rights depend on where you sit in the contracting chain. Tenant-ordered work can reach the owner's interest in Oregon only where the owner consented to or required the improvements. Owner-occupied residential projects carry extra notice requirements in Oregon; missing them can cost the lien entirely.
| Claimant | Lien rights in Oregon |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Oregon 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 Oregon 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 8 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 75 days after last furnishing labor or materials |
| All claimants | Commercial projects | Within 90 days after last furnishing labor or materials |
Oregon 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 Oregon lien
Recording the lien
Record with the county recorder where the property sits. 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
Oregon 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 the lien is recorded.
Wrongful lien exposure
In Oregon, a wrongful lien claimant can be ordered to pay the owner's attorney fees and costs. In a suit to foreclose, the court must award reasonable attorney fees at trial and on appeal to the party who prevails on the validity and foreclosure of the lien, so an owner who defeats a lien recovers fees. Levelset also says a baseless lien is a Class A misdemeanor; that statute was not located or read.
Practitioner notes for Oregon
Oregon's Construction Lien Law is in ORS Chapter 87. A claimant who furnishes materials or labor without being hired by the owner generally must give the owner a notice of right to a lien (ORS 87.021). It can be sent at any time, but it protects only work furnished after a date 8 business days before the notice was delivered or mailed, so send it early. On commercial improvements, which include everything except an owner-occupied home of four or fewer units, claimants who provide labor, or labor and materials, or who rent equipment do not need this notice; material-only suppliers still do. On residential contracts over $2,000, the original contractor must give the owner an Information Notice to Owner or lose lien rights (ORS 87.093). Most claimants must file the claim of lien no later than 75 days after they stop furnishing labor, equipment, or materials, or 75 days after construction is completed, whichever comes first, on commercial and residential work alike (ORS 87.035). The claim is recorded with the county recording officer and must be verified by oath. Within 20 days after filing, the claimant must mail notice of the filing, with a copy of the claim, to the owner and mortgagee, or lose fees and costs (ORS 87.039). The lien expires 120 days after it is filed unless suit to foreclose is brought in that time (ORS 87.055). If the claim states extended payment terms, the period runs 120 days from the end of that credit, but never past 2 years after filing; confirm with counsel before relying on an extension. At least 10 days before suing, the claimant must give the owner and mortgagee written notice of intent to foreclose (ORS 87.057). The party who prevails on the lien recovers reasonable attorney fees (ORS 87.060).
These notes summarize the statute as we read it.
Statutory sources: ORS §§ 87.021, 87.035, 87.055, 87.039. Read the Oregon lien statute. Deadlines turn on facts specific to your project. Confirm with counsel before relying on them.
File your Oregon mechanics lien
We calculate the Oregon 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.
Oregon mechanics lien FAQ
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Oregon?
Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Oregon?
Does an Oregon mechanics lien need to be notarized?
Where is a mechanics lien filed in Oregon?
How long is an Oregon mechanics lien valid?
Can a subcontractor file a mechanics lien in Oregon?
More Oregon lien tools
This page summarizes Oregon 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.