Construction lien law
Alberta lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
In Alberta, register a builders' lien at Land Titles within 60 days after the last materials are furnished, services completed, or the contract or subcontract is completed or abandoned. Concrete work and oil or gas well sites get 90 days. Within 180 days after registration, sue and register a certificate of lis pendens. Owners hold back 10%.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | None. The Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act has no preliminary notice requirement. |
| Preliminary notice: when | Not applicable. |
| File or register the lien | Materials: within 60 days from the day the last materials are furnished or the supply contract is abandoned. Services: within 60 days from completion of the services or abandonment. Contractors and subcontractors otherwise: within 60 days from the day the contract or subcontract is completed or abandoned. Each period is 90 days for improvements to an oil or gas well or well site and for improvements primarily related to concrete (PPCLA s. 41(1) to (4)). An unregistered lien ceases to exist (s. 42). |
| Enforce or perfect it | A registered lien ceases to exist unless, within 180 days from registration, an action is commenced to realize on it and a certificate of lis pendens is registered at Land Titles (s. 43(1)). If served with a notice to commence, the lienholder has 30 days to sue and register the certificate (s. 45). |
Other notices and rules
- Holdback (major lien fund): the owner retains 10% of the value of work done and materials furnished for 60 days from the certificate of substantial performance or, if none, completion of the contract; 90 days for oil and gas well sites and concrete (s. 18).
- Prompt payment: the owner must pay a proper invoice within 28 days of receipt unless it gives a notice of dispute within 14 days of receipt (s. 32.2). A contractor pays subcontractors within 7 days of receiving payment (s. 32.3).
- Annual or phased holdback release is mandatory where the contract provides for it, the price exceeds the prescribed amount and no liens are outstanding (s. 24.1).
- Except as provided in the Public Works Act, the Act does not apply to public works (s. 1.1(1.1)). Disputes may be adjudicated under the Prompt Payment and Adjudication Regulation, Alta. Reg. 23/2022.
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Alberta?
- None. The Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act has no preliminary notice requirement. Not applicable..
- How long do I have to file a lien in Alberta?
- Materials: within 60 days from the day the last materials are furnished or the supply contract is abandoned. Services: within 60 days from completion of the services or abandonment. Contractors and subcontractors otherwise: within 60 days from the day the contract or subcontract is completed or abandoned. Each period is 90 days for improvements to an oil or gas well or well site and for improvements primarily related to concrete (PPCLA s. 41(1) to (4)). An unregistered lien ceases to exist (s. 42).
- How long does a Alberta lien last before I have to enforce it?
- A registered lien ceases to exist unless, within 180 days from registration, an action is commenced to realize on it and a certificate of lis pendens is registered at Land Titles (s. 43(1)). If served with a notice to commence, the lienholder has 30 days to sue and register the certificate (s. 45).
General information from the statutes cited below, checked 2026-09-24; one or more details come from a secondary source and are noted. Lien law is strict and details depend on your role and contract. Confirm with a construction lawyer in Alberta before relying on a deadline. Read from the King's Printer office consolidation current as of April 1, 2025, the latest posted. Adjudication timelines in Alta. Reg. 23/2022 (amended by 265/2025) were not reviewed.
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 provinces
Sources
Cite this page
Pavado, “Alberta Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/alberta, updated 2026-09-24.