Louisiana Construction Lien Resources
Private jobs: file a statement of claim within 60 days after completion (6 or 7 months if a notice of contract is filed) and sue within 1 year. Public jobs: file a sworn statement within 45 days after recorded acceptance. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Louisiana.
Start a Louisiana jobCalculate my deadlines
File statement of claim after substantial completion (no notice of contract)
Sub/supplier deadline after completion when a notice of contract is filed
Sue the owner after filing the statement of claim
Public jobs: sworn statement after recorded acceptance
Louisiana deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How a Louisiana lien comes together
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Before work starts
Notice of contract
A notice of contract is filed in the parish mortgage records before the contractor begins work. If the contract price exceeds $100,000 and no notice is timely filed, the general contractor has no privilege.
La. R.S. 9:4811(A), (D)
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Before completion
Optional request for notice
A sub or supplier may ask the owner in writing to give notice of substantial completion, abandonment, or a notice of termination. The request must state a mailing address. The owner must then give notice within 10 days.
La. R.S. 9:4822(I), (J)
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Substantial completion or notice of termination
Filing clock starts
The deadline runs from the filing of a notice of termination. If none is filed, it runs from substantial completion or abandonment. Work is substantially complete when the last work is performed or materials are delivered to the site, or when the owner accepts or occupies it.
La. R.S. 9:4822(A); 9:4809
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30 days to 7 months after
File the statement of claim
File with the recorder of mortgages in the parish where the property sits. The deadline is 60 days if no notice of contract was filed. If one was filed, subs have 30 days after a notice of termination or 6 months after completion, and the general contractor has 60 days or 7 months.
La. R.S. 9:4822(A)-(C); 9:4831(A)
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Within 1 year of filing
Sue and file lis pendens
Sue the owner within one year after filing the statement of claim. File a notice of pendency of action in that same year to keep the privilege effective against third persons.
La. R.S. 9:4823(A); 9:4833(E)
The Louisiana rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Louisiana Private Works Act (private projects) and Public Works Act (public projects) for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Louisiana calls a lien a privilege. The persons listed in R.S. 9:4802 have a claim against the owner and the contractor, secured by a privilege on the property. These include sellers of materials to the contractor or a subcontractor that become part of the property.
Preliminary notices
On private jobs, the statute no longer has a general pre-lien notice. Acts 2019, No. 325 repealed R.S. 9:4802(G). Two optional notices remain. A claimant may ask the owner to give notice of completion. On residential work with no timely notice of contract, a notice of nonpayment to the owner at least 10 days before filing extends the filing period to 70 days.
Notice of contract and notice of termination
A notice of contract is filed before the contractor begins work. If the contract price exceeds $100,000 and no notice is timely filed, the general contractor has no privilege. Filing a notice of termination of the work starts the shorter filing deadlines.
The statement of claim
File a written, signed statement of claim or privilege with the recorder of mortgages in the parish where the property sits. Deadlines run from a notice of termination, or from substantial completion or abandonment if none is filed. With no notice of contract, the deadline is 60 days. If a notice of contract was filed, subs and suppliers have 30 days after a notice of termination or 6 months after completion. The general contractor has 60 days or 7 months.
Delivery of the claim
When a notice of contract was filed, a sub or supplier must also deliver a copy of the statement to the owner if the notice gives the owner’s address. Delivering the statement to the contractor within the filing period keeps the claim against the contractor alive even if filing fails. Certified or registered mail, or other USPS tracked mail, counts when deposited. Commercial courier counts when deposited if the recipient gets it within a reasonable time.
Enforcement deadline
The claim and privilege are extinguished if you do not sue the owner within one year after filing the statement of claim. The recordation stops being effective against third persons unless a notice of pendency of action is filed within that year.
Owner protections
The owner is relieved of sub and supplier claims when the general contractor’s bond meets R.S. 9:4812 and the notice of contract with the bond attached is properly and timely filed. If an owner who got a written request for notice fails to give it, the claim against the owner survives if suit is brought within one year after the filing period ends. The privilege on the property is still lost. After a claim is extinguished, an owner can demand a written request for cancellation, which is due within 10 days.
Public projects
Public jobs fall under the Public Works Act. Claimants file a sworn statement with the public entity and record it within 45 days after recordation of acceptance or notice of default. A materialman a subcontractor has not paid must send certified mail notice of nonpayment within 75 days from the last day of the delivery month, or within the lien period if sooner. A separate rule requires the surety to pay a materialman after a notice of nonpayment sent no sooner than 45 days after delivery, if unpaid at 90 days.
Where Louisiana liens go wrong
- Counting from your own last day on the job instead of the notice of termination or substantial completion of the whole work.
- Assuming you have 6 months when no notice of contract was filed. Then the deadline is 60 days.
- Filing the statement of claim but missing the one-year suit and lis pendens deadline.
- On public jobs, missing the 45-day notice to the contractor when you contracted with a subcontractor.
What do I need to send?
- Check the parish mortgage records for a notice of contract and bond.
- Before completion, send the owner a written request for notice of substantial completion or notice of termination, with your mailing address.
- Track any notice of termination filed in the mortgage records. It can shorten your deadline to 30 days.
- File the statement of claim. Deliver a copy to the owner (if the notice of contract lists the address) and to the contractor.
- Sue within one year of filing and file a notice of pendency of action.
- Make sure a notice of contract is filed before work begins, especially if the price exceeds $100,000.
- If a notice of contract was filed, file your statement of privilege within 60 days after a notice of termination, or 7 months after completion if none is filed.
- If no notice of contract was filed, file within 60 days after a notice of termination or completion.
- Sue the owner within one year of filing and file a notice of pendency of action.
- File the notice of contract, with the contractor’s bond attached, before the contractor begins work.
- File a notice of termination once the work is substantially complete or abandoned.
- Answer written requests for notice within 10 days after completion or a notice of termination.
- Search the mortgage records for statements of claim before final payment.
- After a claim is extinguished, demand a written request for cancellation.
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 Louisiana Public Works Act, La. R.S. 38:2241 et seq..
- Public contracts over $25,000 per project require a bond of at least 50% of the contract price. The bond is recorded with the contract no later than 30 days after work begins.
- File a sworn statement of the amount due with the public entity and record it in the parish mortgage records within 45 days after recordation of acceptance or notice of default.
- If you contracted with a subcontractor, also give the contractor written notice by registered or certified mail within 45 days after recordation of acceptance or default.
- A materialman a subcontractor has not paid must send certified mail notice of nonpayment to the general contractor and owner within 75 days from the last day of the delivery month, or within the lien period if sooner. Sue the surety or contractor within one year of the registry of acceptance or default.
La. R.S. 38:2241(A)(2); 38:2242(B), (F); 38:2247(A)
Lien waivers
We did not find a statutory lien waiver form in the Private Works Act or Public Works Act. The statute does provide a cancellation process. After a claim is extinguished or improperly filed, an owner may demand a written request for cancellation, which must be delivered within 10 days.
La. R.S. 9:4833(A)
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 Louisiana 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.
- La. R.S. 9:4822 Preservation of claims and privileges (Louisiana Legislature)Open ↗
- La. R.S. 9:4823 Extinguishment of claims and privileges (Louisiana Legislature)Open ↗
- La. R.S. 38:2242 Public works sworn statements (Louisiana Legislature)Open ↗
- La. R.S. 38:2247 Public works bond actions (Louisiana Legislature)Open ↗
- Miller Act, 40 U.S.C. 3133 (federal jobs)Open ↗
Louisiana services
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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 of contract / project information request | Starting at $35 | Starting at $60 |
| Supplier notice of nonpayment, public jobs (per month) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of intent to lien (optional demand) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Statement of claim or privilege: 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 |
| Sworn statement and notice to contractor (public) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| 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.
Louisiana lien questions
How long do I have to file a lien in Louisiana?
It depends on whether a notice of contract was filed. If not, you have 60 days after a notice of termination or substantial completion. If one was filed, subs and suppliers have 30 days after a notice of termination, or 6 months after completion if none is filed. General contractors have 60 days or 7 months.
Do I need to send a preliminary notice on a Louisiana private job?
The Private Works Act no longer has a general preliminary notice requirement. R.S. 9:4802(G) was repealed by Acts 2019, No. 325. You may still send the owner a written request for notice of completion before completion. If the owner then fails to notify you, your claim against the owner can survive, but the privilege on the property does not.
Where do I file the statement of claim?
With the recorder of mortgages in the parish where the property is located.
How long do I have to sue?
Within one year after filing the statement of claim. A notice of pendency of action must also be filed in that year to keep the filing effective against third persons.
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The information on this page is general information about Louisiana 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 Louisiana attorney about your specific situation.