What is the deadline to file a mechanic’s lien in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a contractor must file an Application for a Lien, with a Notice of Lien, in the circuit court where the property is located no later than 45 days after the date of completion of the improvement, and serve it on the owner. The date of completion is when the owner or general contractor finishes publishing a notice of completion (twice, seven days apart) and files the affidavit of publication; if no valid notice is published and filed within one year, the date of completion is one year after actual completion or abandonment. The lien attaches only after the court finds probable cause at a hearing held three to ten days after service, and it expires three months after the Order Directing Lien to Attach unless proceedings to enforce it are commenced within that time. Before or when a homeowner signs a home construction or improvement contract, the licensed contractor must explain all parties’ lien rights and give the homeowner a written contract. A subcontractor or supplier often has different notice requirements and deadlines. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 507-42, 507-43, 507-47, 444-25.5.

WhatHawaii
Deadline to file the lien45 days after date of completion
Who this deadline is forA contractor hired directly by the owner

Source

Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 507-42, 507-43, 507-47, 444-25.5

Read the statute in the Hawaii Revised Statutes (Hawaii State Legislature): capitol.hawaii.gov.

Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.

This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.

How Seayora uses this rule

A contractor on Seayora keeps every job’s dates, its estimate, its invoices and its payments in one record, so the date work was last performed and the amount still owed are on file when a lien deadline is counted.

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