Mechanics lien law
Idaho lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
Idaho has no preliminary notice for subcontractors or suppliers. File your claim of lien with the county recorder within 90 days after you complete your labor or services or last furnish materials, and serve a copy on the owner within five business days after filing. Start foreclosure within six months after filing. General contractors on residential jobs over $2,000 owe homeowner disclosures.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | No preliminary notice for subcontractors or suppliers. A general contractor contracting with a homeowner or residential purchaser for more than $2,000 must give a lien disclosure statement before entering the contract and keep the signed acknowledgment (Idaho Code 45-525). |
| Preliminary notice: when | General contractor residential disclosure: before signing the contract (Proof of the 45-525 disclosure and acknowledgment must be included in the claim of lien for work subject to that section (45-507(3)(e)).) |
| File or register the lien | File the claim of lien with the county recorder within 90 days after completion of the claimant's labor or services, or the last furnishing of materials (Idaho Code 45-507(2)). Serve a true copy on the owner by personal service or certified mail no later than five business days after filing (45-507(5)). |
| Enforce or perfect it | The lien does not bind the property longer than six months after the claim is filed unless foreclosure proceedings are commenced within that time (or six months after a payment or credit extension endorsed on the lien record) (Idaho Code 45-510). |
| Residential jobs | Residential means one to four dwelling units, owner or non-owner occupied. The general contractor must also give a list of its direct subcontractors and suppliers over $500 before closing or final payment (45-525(3)). |
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Idaho?
- No preliminary notice for subcontractors or suppliers. A general contractor contracting with a homeowner or residential purchaser for more than $2,000 must give a lien disclosure statement before entering the contract and keep the signed acknowledgment (Idaho Code 45-525). General contractor residential disclosure: before signing the contract.
- How long do I have to file a lien in Idaho?
- File the claim of lien with the county recorder within 90 days after completion of the claimant's labor or services, or the last furnishing of materials (Idaho Code 45-507(2)). Serve a true copy on the owner by personal service or certified mail no later than five business days after filing (45-507(5)).
- How long does a Idaho lien last before I have to enforce it?
- The lien does not bind the property longer than six months after the claim is filed unless foreclosure proceedings are commenced within that time (or six months after a payment or credit extension endorsed on the lien record) (Idaho Code 45-510).
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 Idaho 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
- USAlaska lien deadlines
- USArizona lien deadlines
- USArkansas lien deadlines
- USCalifornia lien deadlines
- USColorado lien deadlines
Sources
- Idaho Code 45-507 (claim of lien)
- Idaho Code 45-510 (duration)
- Idaho Code 45-525 (residential disclosures)
Cite this page
Pavado, “Idaho Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/idaho, updated 2026-09-24.