Ohio Construction Lien Resources
21-day Notice of Furnishing. 75 days to file (60 on homes). Serve within 30. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Ohio.
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Notice of Furnishing after first furnishing (when an NOC is recorded)
File the lien affidavit after last furnishing (60 residential)
Serve a copy of the affidavit on the owner
Lien stays in force unless a notice to commence suit is served
Ohio deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How an Ohio lien comes together
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Before or at start
Request the Notice of Commencement
Serve a written request. The owner, lessee or designee must serve a copy within 10 days.
ORC 1311.04
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Day 21 from first furnishing
Serve the Notice of Furnishing
Required of subcontractors and suppliers when a Notice of Commencement has been recorded. Serve the owner (or designee) and the original contractor named in the NOC.
ORC 1311.05
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Day 60 or 75 from last furnishing
File the Affidavit for Mechanic’s Lien
60 days for a one- or two-family dwelling or condominium, 75 days for other projects. File with the county recorder.
ORC 1311.06
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30 days after filing
Serve the affidavit on the owner
Serve under 1311.19. If service fails, post it conspicuously on the property within 10 days after the 30 days run.
ORC 1311.07
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Up to 6 years
Enforce the lien
The lien lasts 6 years after filing. If the owner serves a notice to commence suit, you have 60 days to file or the lien is void.
ORC 1311.13, 1311.11
The Ohio rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Mechanics’ Lien Law for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Every person who performs work or labor on, or furnishes material for, an improvement, including original contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and laborers at every tier.
Notice of Commencement
Recorded by the owner, part owner or lessee before work starts and posted on site. Claimants can request a copy; it must be served within 10 days. If the owner fails to record it on time, the Notice of Furnishing deadline runs 21 days from when the NOC is actually recorded.
Notice of Furnishing
Subcontractors and suppliers serve it within 21 days after first furnishing, but only when an NOC has been recorded. Original contractors, laborers, suppliers in direct privity with the owner and parties under home construction contracts do not serve it. A late notice preserves lien rights only for work and material furnished in the 21 days before service and after.
Affidavit for Mechanic’s Lien
File with the county recorder within 60 days after last furnishing for a one- or two-family dwelling or condominium, 75 days for other projects (120 for certain oil and gas work). Serve a copy on the owner or designee within 30 days after filing.
Service rules
Certified or registered mail, overnight delivery, hand delivery or any method with written evidence of receipt. A certified-mail Notice of Furnishing is complete on mailing. Service returned unclaimed or refused at the NOC address is complete when first attempted.
Enforcement
The lien lasts 6 years after filing. An owner can shorten that by serving a notice to commence suit; the lienholder then has 60 days to file or the lien is void.
Residential
On home construction and home purchase contracts, an owner who pays the original contractor in full before receiving a copy of a lien affidavit takes free of subcontractor and supplier liens (ORC 1311.011).
Where Ohio liens go wrong
- Skipping the Notice of Furnishing because the job "felt" commercial and small. If an NOC is recorded, it’s required.
- Using 75 days on a single-family or condo project where the deadline is 60.
- Filing the affidavit but never serving the owner within 30 days.
- Ignoring a notice to commence suit. The 60-day clock is fatal.
What do I need to send?
- Request for Notice of Commencement
- Notice of Furnishing within 21 days (when NOC is recorded)
- Affidavit for Mechanic’s Lien within 60 or 75 days
- Service of affidavit within 30 days
- Affidavit for Mechanic’s Lien within 60 or 75 days
- Service of affidavit within 30 days
- No Notice of Furnishing required
- Record and post the Notice of Commencement before work starts
- Serve NOC copies within 10 days of a request
- Consider a notice to commence suit on a disputed lien
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 Ohio Rev. Code 153.54 to 153.56.
- A subcontractor or supplier furnishing more than $30,000 of labor or material, not in direct privity with the principal contractor, serves a Notice of Furnishing on the principal contractor.
- A late notice limits recovery to work and material furnished in the 21 days before service and after.
- Furnish the sureties a statement of the amount due no later than 90 days after completion of the contract and acceptance of the improvement.
- Wait 60 days after the statement; suit must be filed within 1 year after acceptance of the improvement.
ORC 153.56
Lien waivers
Chapter 1311 does not prescribe a mandatory statutory waiver form the way Michigan, Florida and Texas do. Read the waiver language itself before signing, especially conditional versus unconditional wording.
ORC Ch. 1311
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 Ohio 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 29, 2026.
Ohio 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Request for Notice of Commencement | Starting at $35 | Starting at $60 |
| Notice of Furnishing | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of intent to lien (optional demand) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Affidavit for mechanic’s 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.
Ohio lien questions
Do I always need a Notice of Furnishing in Ohio?
Subcontractors and suppliers need one when a Notice of Commencement has been recorded. Original contractors, laborers and parties under home construction contracts do not.
What's the Ohio lien deadline?
60 days after last furnishing for a one- or two-family dwelling or condominium, 75 days for other projects.
Do I have to notify the owner after filing?
Yes. Serve a copy of the affidavit on the owner or designee within 30 days after filing.
How long does an Ohio mechanic's lien last?
6 years after filing, unless the owner serves a notice to commence suit, which gives you 60 days to file.
Working an Ohio job?
Send us the job. We prepare, serve and record your Ohio notices and liens, and track every deadline.
The information on this page is general information about Ohio 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 Ohio attorney about your specific situation.