Mechanics lien law
Montana lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
In Montana, subs and suppliers on residential jobs (up to four units, not commercial) must give the owner a notice of right to claim a lien within 20 days of first furnishing (45 days on lender-financed non-owner-occupied jobs) and file a copy within 5 business days. File the lien within 90 days after final furnishing or a notice of completion. Sue within two years.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | Required for claimants on residential projects. Exempt: original contractors furnishing directly to the owner, wage laborers, and anyone working on a dwelling for five or more families or a project partly or wholly commercial (MCA 71-3-531(1)). |
| Preliminary notice: when | No later than 20 days after services or materials are first furnished; 45 days when paid from regulated lender construction funds on a job that is not an owner-occupied residence (71-3-531(3), (4)) (A late notice only covers work in the 20 (or 45) days before it was given. A copy must also be filed with the county clerk and recorder within 5 business days after giving it, and it lapses after one year unless continued (71-3-531(6)).) |
| File or register the lien | File the lien with the county clerk and recorder not later than 90 days after the claimant's final furnishing of services or materials, or after the owner files a notice of completion (MCA 71-3-535(1)). The filing must certify that a copy was served on each owner of record by personal service or certified mail (71-3-534(2)). |
| Enforce or perfect it | All actions must be commenced within two years from the date the lien is filed (MCA 71-3-562). |
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Montana?
- Required for claimants on residential projects. Exempt: original contractors furnishing directly to the owner, wage laborers, and anyone working on a dwelling for five or more families or a project partly or wholly commercial (MCA 71-3-531(1)). No later than 20 days after services or materials are first furnished; 45 days when paid from regulated lender construction funds on a job that is not an owner-occupied residence (71-3-531(3), (4)).
- How long do I have to file a lien in Montana?
- File the lien with the county clerk and recorder not later than 90 days after the claimant's final furnishing of services or materials, or after the owner files a notice of completion (MCA 71-3-535(1)). The filing must certify that a copy was served on each owner of record by personal service or certified mail (71-3-534(2)).
- How long does a Montana lien last before I have to enforce it?
- All actions must be commenced within two years from the date the lien is filed (MCA 71-3-562).
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 Montana before relying on a deadline. 71-3-535 lists final furnishing and the owner's notice of completion as alternative triggers without saying which controls when both occur; file within 90 days of the earlier to be safe.
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
- MCA 71-3-531 (notice of right to claim lien)
- MCA 71-3-534 (service on owner)
- MCA 71-3-535 (filing the lien)
- MCA 71-3-562 (two years to sue)
Cite this page
Pavado, “Montana Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/montana, updated 2026-09-24.