Mechanics lien law
South Carolina lien deadlines for contractors
Updated · Checked against primary sources
The short answer
In South Carolina, serve the owner and file a sworn statement of account with the register of deeds or clerk of court within 90 days after you last furnish labor or materials. Start a lawsuit and file a notice of pendency within 6 months after your last furnishing. Lower-tier subs should send a notice of furnishing to the prime contractor early.
The deadlines
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice: who | No notice is required to create lien rights for most claimants. Sub-subcontractors and suppliers to subcontractors should send a notice of furnishing to the prime contractor by certified or registered mail when the prime has filed a Notice of Project Commencement. |
| Preliminary notice: when | No fixed statutory deadline. Payments the prime makes to your subcontractor after receiving the notice do not reduce your recovery, so send it as early as possible (S.C. Code 29-5-20(B)). (If the prime filed a Notice of Project Commencement (within 15 days of starting work) and you skip the notice of furnishing, your lien is capped at what the prime owes the subcontractor you supplied (29-5-20(B), 29-5-23). Separately, claimants not hired by the owner can notify the owner in writing of their furnishing, which gives them payment preference over the contractor (29-5-40, 29-5-50).) |
| File or register the lien | Within 90 days after ceasing to furnish labor or materials, serve the owner (or the person in possession) and file with the register of deeds or clerk of court a sworn statement of a just and true account of the amount due, with a property description (S.C. Code 29-5-90). |
| Enforce or perfect it | Commence a suit to enforce and file a notice of pendency of action within 6 months after the claimant last furnished labor or materials, or the lien is dissolved (S.C. Code 29-5-120(A)). The clock runs from last furnishing, not from filing. |
Other notices and rules
- The aggregate of liens can never exceed the amount the owner owes on the contract price (29-5-20(B), 29-5-40).
- The prevailing party recovers costs and reasonable attorney's fees, capped at the lien amount (29-5-20(A)).
Common questions
- Do I need to send a preliminary notice in South Carolina?
- No notice is required to create lien rights for most claimants. Sub-subcontractors and suppliers to subcontractors should send a notice of furnishing to the prime contractor by certified or registered mail when the prime has filed a Notice of Project Commencement. No fixed statutory deadline. Payments the prime makes to your subcontractor after receiving the notice do not reduce your recovery, so send it as early as possible (S.C. Code 29-5-20(B))..
- How long do I have to file a lien in South Carolina?
- Within 90 days after ceasing to furnish labor or materials, serve the owner (or the person in possession) and file with the register of deeds or clerk of court a sworn statement of a just and true account of the amount due, with a property description (S.C. Code 29-5-90).
- How long does a South Carolina lien last before I have to enforce it?
- Commence a suit to enforce and file a notice of pendency of action within 6 months after the claimant last furnished labor or materials, or the lien is dissolved (S.C. Code 29-5-120(A)). The clock runs from last furnishing, not from filing.
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 South Carolina 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
Cite this page
Pavado, “South Carolina Lien Deadlines 2026”, https://www.pavadotech.com/lien-deadlines/south-carolina, updated 2026-09-24.