Tennessee lien deadlines for your job.
Pick your role. Enter your first and last day. See every deadline, with the statute.
Next: Notice of nonpayment
Sun, Nov 29, 2026. Tennessee, 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.
Tennessee 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 Tenn. Code § 66-11-112 |
| Subcontractor | Notice of nonpayment: 90 days after the end of the month you started | 90 days after the whole project is finished Tenn. Code § 66-11-112 |
| Supplier | Notice of nonpayment: 90 days after the end of the month you started | 90 days after the whole project is finished Tenn. Code § 66-11-112 |
Enforce it
Sue to enforce the lien: see the dates the tool works out above; Subs: 90 days after recording. A GC who doesn't record gets 1 year after completion; we use the earlier date. (Tenn. Code §§ 66-11-106, 66-11-115)
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: Tenn. Code §§ 66-11-101 to 66-11-208.
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 Tennessee?
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. (Tenn. Code § 66-11-112).
Do I need a preliminary notice in Tennessee?
Subcontractor: Notice of nonpayment: 90 days after the end of the month you started. Supplier: Notice of nonpayment: 90 days after the end of the month you started.
How long do I have to enforce a lien in Tennessee?
90 days after you record the lien. Subs: 90 days after recording. A GC who doesn't record gets 1 year after completion; we use the earlier date. (Tenn. Code §§ 66-11-106, 66-11-115).
Can I put a lien on a public project in Tennessee?
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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