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

In North Carolina, a contractor who contracted with the owner must file the claim of lien with the clerk of superior court in the county where the property is located no later than 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials at the site. A copy of the claim of lien must also be served on the record owner to perfect it. For an improvement costing $40,000 or more the owner must designate a lien agent (not required for an existing owner-occupied single-family home), and a claimant may then perfect a lien only if the lien agent received its Notice to Lien Agent no later than 15 days after its first furnishing, or before a conveyance to a bona fide purchaser is recorded. An action to enforce the lien must be commenced no later than 180 days after the last furnishing of labor or materials at the site. A subcontractor or supplier often has different notice requirements and deadlines. This is N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 44A-8, 44A-11, 44A-11.1, 44A-11.2, 44A-12, 44A-13.

WhatNorth Carolina
Deadline to file the lien120 days after last furnishing
Who this deadline is forA contractor hired directly by the owner

Source

N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 44A-8, 44A-11, 44A-11.1, 44A-11.2, 44A-12, 44A-13

Read the statute in the North Carolina General Statutes (North Carolina General Assembly): ncleg.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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