District of Columbia lien deadlines for your job.
Pick your role. Enter your first and last day. See every deadline, with the statute.
Next: Record your notice of intent to hold a lien
Thu, Jan 28, 2027. District of Columbia, sub.
Not legal advice. Public jobs take a bond claim, not a lien. Check the statute or a lawyer before you count on a date.
District of Columbia lien deadlines by role
| Role | Preliminary notice | Record the lien |
|---|---|---|
| GC (contract with the owner) | None on a typical job | 90 days after the whole project is finished D.C. Code § 40-301.02 |
| Subcontractor | None on a typical job | 90 days after the whole project is finished D.C. Code § 40-301.02 |
| Supplier | None on a typical job | 90 days after the whole project is finished D.C. Code § 40-301.02 |
Enforce it
Sue to enforce the lien: see the dates the tool works out above; Record a notice of pendency within 10 days after you sue. (D.C. Code § 40-303.13)
This is not legal advice. Lien deadlines are strict and they change with the contract, the type of project (a home vs. a commercial job), and what the owner records. Public jobs don't take liens at all: you make a bond claim instead. Check the statute we cite, or call a construction lawyer in that state, before you count on a date. Main statute: D.C. Code §§ 40-301.01 to 40-303.20.
Never miss a lien date again.
Dozer keeps every job's dates in one place and reminds you before each one. Your first and last day come from the site record, not memory.
- Preliminary notice, lien and suit dates per job
- Reminders a week and a day before
- Waivers matched to each payment
- First and last day from the gate camera
LIVE 3 jobs · next date in 9 days Photo is an AI-generated stand-in, not a customer site.
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Questions crews ask
What is the deadline to file a mechanics lien in District of Columbia?
A GC records it 90 days after the whole project is finished. A subcontractor or supplier records it 90 days after the whole project is finished. (D.C. Code § 40-301.02).
Do I need a preliminary notice in District of Columbia?
Not on a typical private commercial job. Subs must serve a copy of the recorded notice of lien on the owner.
How long do I have to enforce a lien in District of Columbia?
180 days after you record the lien. Record a notice of pendency within 10 days after you sue. (D.C. Code § 40-303.13).
Can I put a lien on a public project in District of Columbia?
No. Public property can't be liened. On a public job you make a claim on the contractor's payment bond instead, under the state's Little Miller Act (or the federal Miller Act on federal work), with its own notice deadlines.
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