Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Iowa?

Residential: a general contractor who has or will have subcontractors must give the owner the statutory owner notice and post a notice of commencement on the registry, and every subcontractor must post a preliminary notice on the registry, or they lose lien rights. Commercial: only a person furnishing to a subcontractor (second tier or lower) must send a one-time written notice to the general contractor or owner-builder. General contractors and first-tier subs on commercial jobs send no preliminary notice. Residential notice of commencement: within 10 days after work commences. Residential subcontractor preliminary notice: no fixed day count, but the lien only reaches the balance due the general contractor when the notice is posted and when the owner receives it, so post it immediately. Commercial lower-tier notice: within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials..

How long do I have to file a lien in Iowa?

Both general contractors and subcontractors post a verified statement of account on the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry. Post within 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed for full rights. A lien may still be posted up to 2 years and 90 days after last furnishing if written notice is served on the owner, but it is then enforceable only to the extent of the balance the owner owed the general contractor when that notice was served.

How long does a Iowa lien last before I have to enforce it?

An action to enforce must be brought within 2 years from the expiration of 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed. If the owner serves a written demand to sue, the claimant must file suit within 30 days or forfeit the lien.

Mechanics lien law

Iowa lien deadlines for contractors

Updated September 24, 2026 · Checked against primary sources

The short answer

Iowa liens are posted on the state Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry. Post within 90 days after your last labor or materials to keep full rights. A later posting, up to 2 years and 90 days, requires notice to the owner and only reaches the balance the owner still owes the general contractor. Sue within 2 years after that 90-day period ends.

The deadlines

Step	Rule
Preliminary notice: who	Residential: a general contractor who has or will have subcontractors must give the owner the statutory owner notice and post a notice of commencement on the registry, and every subcontractor must post a preliminary notice on the registry, or they lose lien rights. Commercial: only a person furnishing to a subcontractor (second tier or lower) must send a one-time written notice to the general contractor or owner-builder. General contractors and first-tier subs on commercial jobs send no preliminary notice.
Preliminary notice: when	Residential notice of commencement: within 10 days after work commences. Residential subcontractor preliminary notice: no fixed day count, but the lien only reaches the balance due the general contractor when the notice is posted and when the owner receives it, so post it immediately. Commercial lower-tier notice: within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials. (If the general contractor fails to post the notice of commencement within 10 days, a subcontractor may post it together with its preliminary notice. A notice of commencement must exist on the registry before any preliminary notice can be posted.)
File or register the lien	Both general contractors and subcontractors post a verified statement of account on the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry. Post within 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed for full rights. A lien may still be posted up to 2 years and 90 days after last furnishing if written notice is served on the owner, but it is then enforceable only to the extent of the balance the owner owed the general contractor when that notice was served.
Enforce or perfect it	An action to enforce must be brought within 2 years from the expiration of 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed. If the owner serves a written demand to sue, the claimant must file suit within 30 days or forfeit the lien.
Residential jobs	Residential construction adds the owner notice (572.13), the registry notice of commencement within 10 days of starting work (572.13A) and subcontractor preliminary notices on the registry (572.13B). A general contractor or subcontractor who skips its required notice is not entitled to a lien. Subcontractor liens are capped at the balance due the general contractor when the preliminary notice is posted and received by the owner.

Other notices and rules

Owner notice (residential): the general contractor must give the owner a written boldface notice explaining that subs and suppliers may lien the property and pointing to the registry (572.13).
Owner demand to sue: after a written demand, the claimant has 30 days to file suit or the lien is forfeited (572.28).
A lien is limited to the county or counties identified on the registry when the notices were posted (572.8).

Common questions

Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Iowa?: Residential: a general contractor who has or will have subcontractors must give the owner the statutory owner notice and post a notice of commencement on the registry, and every subcontractor must post a preliminary notice on the registry, or they lose lien rights. Commercial: only a person furnishing to a subcontractor (second tier or lower) must send a one-time written notice to the general contractor or owner-builder. General contractors and first-tier subs on commercial jobs send no preliminary notice. Residential notice of commencement: within 10 days after work commences. Residential subcontractor preliminary notice: no fixed day count, but the lien only reaches the balance due the general contractor when the notice is posted and when the owner receives it, so post it immediately. Commercial lower-tier notice: within 30 days after first furnishing labor or materials..
How long do I have to file a lien in Iowa?: Both general contractors and subcontractors post a verified statement of account on the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry. Post within 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed for full rights. A lien may still be posted up to 2 years and 90 days after last furnishing if written notice is served on the owner, but it is then enforceable only to the extent of the balance the owner owed the general contractor when that notice was served.
How long does a Iowa lien last before I have to enforce it?: An action to enforce must be brought within 2 years from the expiration of 90 days after the last material was furnished or last labor performed. If the owner serves a written demand to sue, the claimant must file suit within 30 days or forfeit the lien.

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 Iowa before relying on a deadline. Verified against Iowa Code 2026 section PDFs on legis.iowa.gov. All notices and liens are posted electronically on the Mechanics' Notice and Lien Registry, not recorded with the county.

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.

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Other states

Sources

Cite this page

Pavado, “Iowa Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/iowa, updated 2026-09-24.