North Carolina lien deadlines for your job.
Pick your role. Enter your first and last day. See every deadline, with the statute.
Next: Record your lien
Sat, Feb 27, 2027. North Carolina, 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.
North Carolina lien deadlines by role
| Role | Preliminary notice | Record the lien |
|---|---|---|
| GC (contract with the owner) | Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job | 120 days after your last day on the job N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-12(b) |
| Subcontractor | Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job | 120 days after your last day on the job N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-12(b) |
| Supplier | Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job | 120 days after your last day on the job N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-12(b) |
Enforce it
Sue to enforce the lien: see the dates the tool works out above; Counted from your last day, not from recording. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-13(a))
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: N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 44A, art. 2.
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.
Email me the PDF
We'll send this to you as a PDF, plus a reminder if there's a date in it. One email, no list.
We use it to send this and nothing else. See privacy.
Questions crews ask
What is the deadline to file a mechanics lien in North Carolina?
A GC records it 120 days after your last day on the job. A subcontractor or supplier records it 120 days after your last day on the job. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-12(b)).
Do I need a preliminary notice in North Carolina?
GC (contract with the owner): Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job. Subcontractor: Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job. Supplier: Notice to lien agent: 15 days after your first day on the job.
How long do I have to enforce a lien in North Carolina?
180 days after your last day on the job. Counted from your last day, not from recording. (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 44A-13(a)).
Can I put a lien on a public project in North Carolina?
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.
Related free tools
Your site at 6 a.m., before you're there.
Free for one site and one camera. $99 a site after. Crew is always free. 7 days of everything free, no card.