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

In New York, a contractor must file the notice of lien in the county clerk’s office within eight months after completing the contract or the last work or materials, or within four months when the property is a single-family dwelling. The sections read set no preliminary notice before filing; instead, within five days before or thirty days after filing, the lienor must serve a copy of the notice on the owner, and failing to file proof of that service with the county clerk within 35 days after filing terminates the notice as a lien. The lien lasts one year after filing unless within that time an action to foreclose is commenced and a notice of pendency is filed with the county clerk, or an extension is filed; a lien on a single-family dwelling may be extended only by court order. A subcontractor or supplier often has different notice requirements and deadlines. This is N.Y. Lien Law §§ 10, 11, 17.

WhatNew York
Deadline to file the lien8 months after last work (4 months single-family)
Who this deadline is forA contractor hired directly by the owner

Source

N.Y. Lien Law §§ 10, 11, 17

Read the statute in the New York Consolidated Laws (New York State Senate): nysenate.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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