Alabama Construction Lien Resources
Subs and suppliers file within 4 months, original contractors within 6 months, and suit is due 6 months after the debt matures. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Alabama.
Start an Alabama jobCalculate my deadlines
Subs and suppliers file the lien after last work or material
Original contractors file the lien after last work or material
Journeymen and day laborers file the lien after last work
Sue to enforce after the full debt matures
Alabama deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How an Alabama lien comes together
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Before furnishing material (optional)
Full-price notice to owner
A supplier can notify the owner in writing, before furnishing, of the material and prices. This can support a lien for the full price instead of only the unpaid contract balance.
Ala. Code 35-11-210
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During the job
Track your last furnishing date
Every filing deadline runs from the last item of work or the last item of material furnished.
Ala. Code 35-11-215
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Before filing (non-original contractors)
Notice of lien to the owner
Everyone except the original contractor must give the owner or the owner’s agent written notice of the lien claim before filing. The notice states the amount, what it is for, and who owes it.
Ala. Code 35-11-218
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Within 30 days, 4 months, or 6 months after last work
File the verified statement of lien
File a sworn statement in the probate judge’s office of the county where the property sits. Laborers have 30 days, subs and suppliers 4 months, original contractors 6 months.
Ala. Code 35-11-213, 35-11-215
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Within 6 months after the debt matures
File suit to enforce
An action to enforce the lien must start within six months after the entire debt becomes due.
Ala. Code 35-11-221
The Alabama rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Alabama Mechanics’ and Materialmen’s Lien Law for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Anyone who performs work or labor, or furnishes material, fixtures, engines, boilers, waste disposal services and equipment, or machinery for a building or improvement on land has lien rights. The work must be under a contract with the owner or the owner’s agent, architect, trustee, contractor, or subcontractor. The lien covers the building and the land: the whole lot in a city or town, or one acre outside a city or town.
Unpaid balance vs. full price
Employees of the contractor and suppliers to the contractor have a lien only up to the unpaid balance the owner still owes the contractor. A supplier can get a lien for the full price by notifying the owner in writing before furnishing the material, listing the material and prices. The owner can defeat this by notifying the supplier in writing, before the material is used, that the owner will not be responsible for the price.
Notice of lien to the owner before filing
Every claimant except the original contractor must give the owner or the owner’s agent written notice before filing the lien statement. The notice states the amount claimed, what it is for, and who owes it. After the notice, any unpaid balance the owner holds is subject to the lien. This notice does not apply to material covered by an advance full-price notice under Section 35-11-210.
Notice of commencement or completion
Alabama’s private lien statute does not use a notice of commencement or notice of completion. On public jobs, the contractor must publish a notice of completion for three weeks before final settlement. Final settlement cannot happen until 30 days after the notice is complete.
The lien statement: deadline and where to file
File a written statement verified by oath in the office of the judge of probate in the county where the property is located. It must show the amount after credits, a description of the property, and the owner’s name. Deadlines run from the last item of work or material: 6 months for original contractors, 30 days for journeymen and day laborers, and 4 months for everyone else. If the statement is not filed on time, the lien is lost.
Enforcement deadline
A lawsuit to enforce the lien must be filed within six months after the entire debt secured by the lien matures (becomes due).
Alabama quirks
The filing window depends on your role, not the project type. Alabama measures lien deadlines in months, not days. The lien chapter does not set a residential-only rule or a separate homeowner notice.
Where Alabama liens go wrong
- Filing a sub or supplier lien on the 6-month original contractor clock instead of 4 months.
- Skipping the written notice of lien to the owner before filing the statement.
- Assuming a full-price lien without sending the owner notice before furnishing material.
- Missing the enforcement window: suit must start within 6 months after the debt matures.
What do I need to send?
- A written full-price notice to the owner before furnishing material can support a full-price lien.
- Record your last furnishing date for every job.
- Give the owner written notice of your lien claim before filing.
- File the verified lien statement in the county probate office within 4 months after last work or material.
- Calendar the 6-month enforcement deadline after the debt matures.
- Confirm your contract is with the owner or the owner’s agent.
- Track the last item of work or material you furnished.
- File the verified lien statement in the county probate office within 6 months.
- Start an enforcement action within 6 months after the full debt matures.
- Watch for written full-price notices from suppliers before materials arrive.
- Object in writing before the material is used if you will not be responsible for its price.
- Once you receive a notice of lien claim, any unpaid balance you hold is subject to the lien.
- Search the probate office records for filed lien statements before paying out or closing.
Public projects: payment bonds
You can’t lien public property. On state and local jobs, your security is the contractor’s payment bond under the Alabama public works bond statute (Little Miller Act), Ala. Code 39-1-1.
- Contractors on public works must post a payment bond of at least 50 percent of the contract price. No bond is required for contracts under $100,000 (raised from $50,000 by Act 2023-497, effective September 1, 2023).
- Before suing on the bond, give the surety written notice of the amount claimed and the nature of the claim. Registered or certified mail to any surety office is sufficient.
- You cannot sue on the bond until 45 days after that notice. Suit must start within one year from final settlement of the contract.
- If the claim is not paid in full within 45 days of mailing the notice, the claimant may recover a reasonable attorney fee and interest from the date of notice.
Ala. Code 39-1-1(a), (b), (e)
Lien waivers
Alabama’s mechanics’ lien statute does not prescribe statutory lien waiver forms. Read each waiver closely to see whether it is conditional on payment and what dates and amounts it covers.
Ala. Code 35-11-210 et seq. (no statutory waiver form)
Federal projects
The Miller Act governs federal jobs in every state. Second-tier claimants give written notice to the prime contractor within 90 days after last furnishing; suit within 1 year after last furnishing.
40 U.S.C. 3133
Read the Alabama law
We link to the official statute instead of hosting a copy, so you always read the current version. Our summaries were last checked against these sources on October 6, 2026.
Alabama services
Flat pricing per document. Premium members pay less on every filing.
Basic: free with signup. Premium: $299 per year.
Basic Membership
Create your free LienNow account to access all our services at standard pricing. No cost, no commitment. Sign up in minutes and start filing right away at our standard pricing. It’s a good fit for contractors and suppliers who file occasionally.
Premium Membership
Premium includes everything in Basic, plus discounted pricing across our service offerings. If you file notices or liens regularly, the savings can quickly cover the annual fee.
| Service | Premium | Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to owner (full-price notice) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of lien claim to owner (required for subs) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Notice of intent to lien (optional demand) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Verified lien statement: prepare, record and serve | Starting at $225 | Starting at $395 |
| Lien release / discharge | Starting at $110 | Starting at $165 |
| Public job bond notice or claim | Starting at $210 | Starting at $375 |
| Miller Act bond notice or claim (federal jobs) | Starting at $195 | Starting at $350 |
| Title search and legal description | Starting at $300 | Starting at $350 |
| Rush service (within 7 business days) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $150 |
| Same-day service (24-hour turnaround) | Starting at $125 | Starting at $200 |
| Electronic recording (e-file) | Starting at $45 | Starting at $75 |
Prices are LienNow service fees per document. County recording fees, state registry or portal fees, certified mail, postage and notary fees are billed at cost. Court actions to enforce a lien are handled by an attorney and are not included.
Alabama lien questions
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Alabama?
It depends on your role. Original contractors have 6 months, journeymen and day laborers have 30 days, and everyone else has 4 months after the last item of work or material. File a verified statement with the probate judge in the county where the property sits.
Do subcontractors need to send a notice before filing?
Yes. Every claimant except the original contractor must give the owner or the owner’s agent written notice of the lien claim before filing. The notice states the amount, what it is for, and who owes it.
Is my lien limited to what the owner still owes the contractor?
For employees of the contractor and suppliers to the contractor, yes. A supplier can get a lien for the full price by giving the owner written notice of the material and prices before furnishing it, unless the owner objects in writing before the material is used.
How long do I have to enforce an Alabama lien?
An enforcement action must start within six months after the entire debt secured by the lien matures.
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The information on this page is general information about Alabama law as of the review date shown. It is not legal advice, and LienNow is not a law firm. Deadlines depend on the facts of each project. Consult a licensed Alabama attorney about your specific situation.