Mechanics lien law
Alaska lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
In Alaska, record your claim of lien within 120 days after you complete your contract or stop furnishing labor or materials. If the owner records a notice of completion, claimants who got advance notice of it, or who never gave a notice of right to lien, have only 15 days after it is recorded. Sue to enforce within six months after recording the claim.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | Not mandatory. Any claimant may give the owner a notice of right to lien before furnishing labor, material, services or equipment (AS 34.35.064). Giving it shifts the burden of proof to the owner on knowledge and consent, and it protects the full 120-day recording period if the owner later records a notice of completion. |
| Preliminary notice: when | Optional; given before furnishing labor, material, services or equipment for the project (Upon request from the owner, lender or prime contractor, a claimant who gave the notice must disclose the amount due within five days.) |
| File or register the lien | Record the claim of lien no later than 120 days after the claimant completes the construction contract or ceases furnishing labor, material, services or equipment, if no notice of completion is recorded (AS 34.35.068(a)). If the owner records a notice of completion, a claimant who received advance notice of it or who never gave a notice of right to lien must record a claim of lien or notice of right to lien within 15 days after the notice of completion is recorded (AS 34.35.068(b)). |
| Enforce or perfect it | The lien does not bind the property for more than six months after the claim of lien is recorded unless an enforcement action is commenced within that time, or within six months after an extension notice recorded during the original six-month period (AS 34.35.080). |
Other notices and rules
- Notice of completion: the owner must give at least five days advance notice to claimants who gave a notice of right to lien or a stop-lending notice (AS 34.35.071).
- Stop-lending notice: a claimant whose payment is past due may tell the construction lender to stop disbursing; it expires on the 91st day unless an action is commenced (AS 34.35.062).
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Alaska?
- Not mandatory. Any claimant may give the owner a notice of right to lien before furnishing labor, material, services or equipment (AS 34.35.064). Giving it shifts the burden of proof to the owner on knowledge and consent, and it protects the full 120-day recording period if the owner later records a notice of completion. Optional; given before furnishing labor, material, services or equipment for the project.
- How long do I have to file a lien in Alaska?
- Record the claim of lien no later than 120 days after the claimant completes the construction contract or ceases furnishing labor, material, services or equipment, if no notice of completion is recorded (AS 34.35.068(a)). If the owner records a notice of completion, a claimant who received advance notice of it or who never gave a notice of right to lien must record a claim of lien or notice of right to lien within 15 days after the notice of completion is recorded (AS 34.35.068(b)).
- How long does a Alaska lien last before I have to enforce it?
- The lien does not bind the property for more than six months after the claim of lien is recorded unless an enforcement action is commenced within that time, or within six months after an extension notice recorded during the original six-month period (AS 34.35.080).
General information from the statutes cited below, checked 2026-09-24. Lien law is strict and details depend on your role and contract. Confirm with a construction lawyer in Alaska before relying on a deadline.
Where Pavado comes in
How Pavado builds a CRM around your jobs
Lien rights are usually lost to a calendar, not a court. We build CRMs that start each job's notice and lien clocks from its real start and completion dates and remind you before every deadline, so the rights you earned by doing the work are still there when a customer stops paying.
Instead of bending your shop around someone else's software, we build the system around how your jobs actually move, and connect it to what you already use.
- Your pipeline, your stages. From first call to paid invoice, set up the way your team already works.
- Automations for the busywork. Follow-ups, reminders and handoffs that happen without anyone remembering.
- One record per customer. Calls, quotes, jobs, photos and invoices in one place instead of five apps.
- Connected to your stack. QuickBooks or Xero, Gmail or Outlook, payments and e-sign, plus thousands more through Zapier and an API.
- 1.Book a free demo and walk us through how a job moves today.
- 2.We map the workflow and send a scoped proposal, free.
- 3.We build it, connect your tools and get your team using it.
The first conversation and a scoped proposal are free, and we will tell you early if we are not the right fit.
Go deeper
- GuideWhen to File a Construction Lien: 2026 DeadlinesFile while the clock runs: 30 to 60 days in Canada (60 in Ontario), 90 to 180 in most US states, counted from completion. Registering costs $200 to $500.
- GuideCustomer Short Paid the Final Invoice: 5 MovesBefore you chase the balance, decide whether to deposit the cheque. In the US, cashing one marked 'paid in full' can legally erase what you are owed.
- GuideHow to Collect a Contractor Deposit: 5 RulesMake the deposit due 3 to 5 business days before the start date, size it to your upfront spend, and check state caps: California's is $1,000, not $10,000.
- GuideProgress Payment Schedule: 6 Rules That Get PaidEight states cap what you can collect up front. California's limit is $1,000. How to build a draw schedule under your legal ceiling and stay cash positive.
Other states
- USAlabama lien deadlines
- USArizona lien deadlines
- USArkansas lien deadlines
- USCalifornia lien deadlines
- USColorado lien deadlines
- USConnecticut lien deadlines
Sources
Cite this page
Pavado, “Alaska Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/alaska, updated 2026-09-24.