Indiana Construction Lien Resources
90 days to file (60 on homes). The recorder mails the owner. One year to sue. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Indiana.
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File the notice of intention to hold a lien after last furnishing
Filing deadline on a Class 2 structure (1-2 family homes)
Pre-lien notice on owner-occupied home repairs (60 on new homes)
File suit after recording (30 days if the owner demands it)
Indiana deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How an Indiana lien comes together
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Home jobs only: day 30 or 60
Pre-lien notice to the homeowner
If you sell to a contractor on an owner-occupied 1-2 family home: 30 days after first delivery on a repair or alteration, 60 days on original construction (and file a copy with the recorder). Without it, no lien.
IC 32-28-3-1(h), (i)
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Day 90 from last furnishing
File the notice of intention to hold a lien
A sworn statement filed in duplicate with the county recorder. 60 days on a Class 2 structure.
IC 32-28-3-3
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3 business days after recording
The recorder mails the owner
The recorder mails one duplicate first class to the owner at the address you list from the property tax records, for a $2 fee.
IC 32-28-3-3(d)
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1 year after recording
File suit to foreclose
Otherwise the lien is void. If the owner serves a written demand, you have 30 days to file.
IC 32-28-3-6, 32-28-3-10
The Indiana rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Mechanic’s Lien Law for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Contractors, subcontractors, mechanics, laborers, equipment lessors and anyone else who performs labor or furnishes materials or machinery for a structure or improvement.
No general preliminary notice
On commercial projects Indiana has no Notice of Furnishing or Notice to Owner requirement. The deadline that matters is the lien filing deadline.
Residential pre-lien notices
Anyone selling on credit to a contractor, subcontractor or anyone other than the owner must give the homeowner written notice of the delivery and of lien rights: within 30 days of first delivery for alteration or repair of an owner-occupied single or double family dwelling, and within 60 days for original construction of one for the owner’s occupancy (plus filing a copy with the recorder in 60 days). The notice is a condition precedent to the lien.
Notice of intention to hold a lien
File a sworn statement in duplicate with the county recorder within 90 days after performing labor or furnishing materials, or 60 days for work on a Class 2 structure (as defined in IC 22-12-1-5) or an improvement auxiliary to one. List the owner’s latest address from the property tax records.
Service
The recorder mails one duplicate to the owner first class within 3 business days after recording and charges the claimant $2. The claimant’s job is to get the owner’s name and address right.
Enforcement
File a complaint in the county where the property sits within 1 year after recording, or the lien is void. An owner or other interested party can serve written notice demanding suit; you then have 30 days. A lienholder who wins a judgment can recover reasonable attorney’s fees, except against an owner who already paid the contract price.
Waivers and no-lien contracts
On non-residential jobs, a contract term requiring you to waive lien or bond rights before you’re paid is void. On Class 2 structures, a written no-lien contract recorded within 5 days of signing can bar liens.
Where Indiana liens go wrong
- Using 90 days on a home. Class 2 structures get 60.
- Skipping the 30-day homeowner notice on a residential repair job.
- Listing the wrong owner address. The recorder mails to whatever address you put on the notice.
- Ignoring an owner’s written demand to sue. The 30-day clock voids the lien.
What do I need to send?
- Home repair jobs: homeowner notice within 30 days of first delivery
- New owner-occupied homes: notice and recorder filing within 60 days
- Notice of intention to hold a lien within 90 days (60 on Class 2)
- Owner’s tax-record address on the notice
- Suit within 1 year of recording
- No pre-lien notice when contracting with the owner
- Notice of intention to hold a lien within 90 days (60 on Class 2)
- Suit within 1 year, or 30 days after an owner’s demand
- Watch for homeowner pre-lien notices
- Consider a written notice demanding suit on a disputed lien
- Class 2 only: a recorded no-lien contract
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 Ind. Code 36-1-12-13.1 (local public works).
- A payment bond is required when the public work is estimated at more than $200,000.
- Within 60 days after your last labor or material, file signed duplicate statements of the amount due with the board and deliver a copy to the contractor.
- You can sue the surety 30 days after filing if unpaid.
- Suit must be filed within 60 days after final completion and acceptance of the public work.
IC 36-1-12-13.1
Lien waivers
Chapter 32-28-3 does not prescribe a statutory waiver form. On non-residential jobs, contract terms requiring an advance waiver of lien or bond rights before payment are void.
IC 32-28-3-16
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 Indiana 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 September 30, 2026.
Indiana 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-lien notice to homeowner (residential) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of intent to lien (optional demand) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Sworn statement and notice of intention to hold a lien: 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.
Indiana lien questions
Do I need a preliminary notice in Indiana?
Not on commercial jobs. On owner-occupied single or double family homes, suppliers and subs selling to someone other than the owner must give the homeowner notice within 30 days (repairs) or 60 days (new construction).
What's the Indiana lien deadline?
90 days after last performing labor or furnishing materials, or 60 days on a Class 2 structure such as a one- or two-family home.
Do I have to serve the lien on the owner?
The county recorder mails a copy to the owner within 3 business days after recording, using the address you list. Get the address right.
How long does an Indiana lien last?
Suit must be filed within 1 year after recording, or within 30 days after the owner gives written notice demanding suit.
Working an Indiana job?
Send us the job. We prepare, serve and record your Indiana notices and liens, and track every deadline.
The information on this page is general information about Indiana 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 Indiana attorney about your specific situation.