Mechanics lien law
Pennsylvania lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
In Pennsylvania, file a mechanics' lien claim with the prothonotary within 6 months after completing your work, and serve the owner with notice of filing within 1 month after filing. Subcontractors must give the owner a formal notice of intent at least 30 days before filing. Commence the action to obtain judgment within 2 years of filing.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | Subcontractors on a searchable project (an improvement costing at least $1,500,000) where the owner filed and posted a Notice of Commencement in the State Construction Notices Directory must file a Notice of Furnishing in the directory. Separately, every subcontractor must serve the owner a formal written notice of intention to file a claim. |
| Preliminary notice: when | Notice of Furnishing: within 45 days after first performing work or first providing materials to the job site; failure forfeits the lien (49 P.S. 1501.3(b), (c)). Formal notice of intent: at least 30 days before filing the claim (49 P.S. 1501(b.1)). (The directory provisions apply only to projects commenced on or after the directory's operational date designated by the Department of General Services (Act 142 of 2014, section 3 and 4). The statute set December 31, 2016 but allowed DGS to set a later date; we could not confirm the directory's current operational status from the statute, so check with DGS. Prime contractors do not give either notice.) |
| File or register the lien | File the claim with the prothonotary within 6 months after completion of the claimant's work, serve written notice of the filing on the owner within 1 month after filing, and file an affidavit of service within 20 days after service; missing these is grounds to strike the claim (49 P.S. 1502(a)). |
| Enforce or perfect it | Commence an action to obtain judgment within 2 years from the date of filing, unless the owner extends the time in writing (49 P.S. 1701(b)). A verdict or judgment must be obtained within 5 years of filing or the claim is lost (49 P.S. 1701(d)). |
| Residential jobs | A subcontractor has no lien on residential property (a single townhouse or a building of one or two dwelling units used as the owner's residence or leased to the owner's tenant) if the owner or tenant paid the full contract price to the contractor (49 P.S. 1301(b)). |
Other notices and rules
- Claims must exceed $500 (49 P.S. 1301(a)).
- No lien for labor or materials furnished for a purely public purpose (49 P.S. 1303(b)).
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in Pennsylvania?
- Subcontractors on a searchable project (an improvement costing at least $1,500,000) where the owner filed and posted a Notice of Commencement in the State Construction Notices Directory must file a Notice of Furnishing in the directory. Separately, every subcontractor must serve the owner a formal written notice of intention to file a claim. Notice of Furnishing: within 45 days after first performing work or first providing materials to the job site; failure forfeits the lien (49 P.S. 1501.3(b), (c)). Formal notice of intent: at least 30 days before filing the claim (49 P.S. 1501(b.1))..
- How long do I have to file a lien in Pennsylvania?
- File the claim with the prothonotary within 6 months after completion of the claimant's work, serve written notice of the filing on the owner within 1 month after filing, and file an affidavit of service within 20 days after service; missing these is grounds to strike the claim (49 P.S. 1502(a)).
- How long does a Pennsylvania lien last before I have to enforce it?
- Commence an action to obtain judgment within 2 years from the date of filing, unless the owner extends the time in writing (49 P.S. 1701(b)). A verdict or judgment must be obtained within 5 years of filing or the claim is lost (49 P.S. 1701(d)).
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 Pennsylvania before relying on a deadline. Core deadlines read from the official General Assembly text. Confidence is medium only because whether the State Construction Notices Directory is operational (which triggers the Notice of Furnishing rule) is set by DGS designation, not the statute, and was not confirmed.
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
Cite this page
Pavado, “Pennsylvania Lien Deadlines 2026: Notice and Filing”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/pennsylvania, updated 2026-09-24.