Pennsylvania Construction Lien Resources
Subs give a formal notice of intent 30 days before filing. File the claim within 6 months after completing your work. Serve notice of filing within 1 month. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Pennsylvania.
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File the lien claim after completing your work
Sub’s formal notice of intent before filing
Serve notice of filing on the owner
Start the action to enforce the lien
Pennsylvania deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How a Pennsylvania lien comes together
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Within 45 days of first work
Notice of Furnishing (searchable projects only)
On a project of $1.5 million or more where the owner filed and posted a Notice of Commencement, a subcontractor files a Notice of Furnishing in the State Construction Notices Directory. A sub that fails to substantially comply forfeits its lien right.
49 P.S. 1501.3(b), (c)
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At least 30 days before filing
Formal notice of intent to file a claim
A subcontractor gives the owner a formal written notice of intent to file a claim. It can go by first class, registered or certified mail.
49 P.S. 1501(b.1), (d)
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Within 6 months after completion of your work
File the claim
File the mechanics’ lien claim with the prothonotary in the county where the property sits. Completion means your last labor or last delivery under your own contract.
49 P.S. 1502(a)(1); 49 P.S. 1201
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Within 1 month after filing
Serve notice of filing on the owner
Serve written notice of the filing on the owner by an adult in the same manner as a writ of summons. Post it on the property only if that cannot be done.
49 P.S. 1502(a)(2), (c)
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Within 20 days after service
File the affidavit of service
File an affidavit of service (or the owner’s acceptance of service) with the prothonotary. Missing it is grounds to strike the claim.
49 P.S. 1502(a)(2)
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Within 2 years after filing
Start the enforcement action
Commence an action to obtain judgment on the claim. A verdict or judgment must come within 5 years of filing or the claim is lost.
49 P.S. 1701(b), (d)
The Pennsylvania rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Mechanics’ Lien Law of 1963 for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Contractors and subcontractors have lien rights. A contractor contracts directly with the owner. A subcontractor contracts with the contractor, or with a sub that is in direct privity with the contractor. No one else gets a lien, even if they furnish labor or materials. The claim must exceed $500. No lien is allowed for work done for a purely public purpose.
Notice of Furnishing (searchable projects)
A searchable project is one costing at least $1.5 million. The owner may file a Notice of Commencement in the State Construction Notices Directory run by the Department of General Services. The owner must also post a copy at the site. If the notice is filed and posted, each subcontractor must file a Notice of Furnishing in the Directory within 45 days after first working or first delivering materials to the job site. A sub that fails to substantially comply forfeits the right to file a lien claim. Contractors do not file this notice.
Formal notice of intent (subcontractors)
Every subcontractor claim needs a formal written notice of intent given to the owner at least 30 days before the claim is filed. This applies to new construction and to alterations or repairs. The notice states the claimant, the contracting party, the amount due, the work or materials, the completion date and a property description. Serve it by first class, registered or certified mail, or by an adult as with a writ of summons. Post it on the property only if those cannot be done. The notice is not needed when the claim is filed under an owner’s rule to file (section 506). Contractors do not give this notice.
The lien claim
File the claim with the prothonotary (the court of common pleas clerk) in the county where the property is located. The deadline is 6 months after completion of your work. Completion of the work means your last labor or last delivery of materials required by your own contract. If the property spans counties, the claim covers only the part in each county where you file.
Service of the lien
Serve written notice of the filing on the owner within 1 month after filing. Give the court, term, number and filing date. An adult serves it in the same manner as a writ of summons in assumpsit. Post it on a conspicuous public part of the improvement only if that cannot be done. File an affidavit of service or acceptance of service within 20 days after service. Missing either step is grounds to strike the claim.
Enforcement deadline
Commence an action to obtain judgment within 2 years from the filing date, unless the owner extends that in writing. A verdict must be recovered or judgment entered within 5 years from filing. Otherwise the claim is wholly lost.
Residential and owner protections
A subcontractor has no lien on residential property when three things are true. The owner or tenant paid the contractor the full contract price. The property is the owner’s residence, or a tenant’s after the owner occupies it. It is a single townhouse or a one- or two-unit building. If the property is sold in good faith for value before a claim for alterations or repairs is filed, that lien is lost.
Pennsylvania quirks
Pennsylvania calls the lien a claim filed with the prothonotary, not a recorded document. Lien rights reach the contractor’s subs and their subs, and no further. Lien waivers on nonresidential work are void except to the extent of payment actually received, or for subs when the contractor posted a payment bond. On residential property, contractors and subs may waive in writing.
Where Pennsylvania liens go wrong
- Skipping the 30-day formal notice of intent before a subcontractor files.
- Missing the 45-day Notice of Furnishing on a $1.5M+ project with a posted Notice of Commencement.
- Serving the notice of filing by mail instead of by an adult or by posting.
- Forgetting to file the affidavit of service within 20 days after service.
What do I need to send?
- Check the Directory for a Notice of Commencement on projects of $1.5M or more
- File a Notice of Furnishing within 45 days of first furnishing if a Notice of Commencement was filed and posted
- Give the owner a formal notice of intent at least 30 days before filing
- File the claim within 6 months after your last work or delivery
- Serve notice of filing within 1 month and file the affidavit of service within 20 days of service
- Confirm the claim exceeds $500
- File the claim with the county prothonotary within 6 months after completion of your work
- Serve the owner within 1 month after filing, by an adult or by posting
- File the affidavit or acceptance of service within 20 days after service
- Commence the enforcement action within 2 years of filing
- On a project of $1.5M or more, consider filing a Notice of Commencement in the Directory and posting it at the site
- On residential work, know a sub has no lien if you paid the contractor in full and the home meets the statute’s test
- Watch for formal notices of intent from subcontractors
- Track lien claims filed with the prothonotary and the 2-year enforcement window
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 Public Works Contractors’ Bond Law of 1967; Commonwealth Procurement Code.
- No mechanics’ lien is allowed for work furnished for a purely public purpose.
- Public contracts over $5,000 under the Bond Law, and Commonwealth agency construction contracts over $100,000 under the Procurement Code, require a payment bond.
- A claimant with a contract with a subcontractor, but none with the prime, must give the prime written notice within 90 days after its last labor or materials. Under the Bond Law, notice goes by registered or certified mail or any manner legal process may be served.
- A claimant may sue once 90 days pass after its last furnishing without full payment. An action on any payment bond must be commenced within one year (42 Pa.C.S. 5523(3)).
8 P.S. 193, 194; 62 Pa.C.S. 903; 42 Pa.C.S. 5523; 49 P.S. 1303(b)
Lien waivers
Pennsylvania has no statutory lien waiver form. On residential property, a contractor or subcontractor may waive lien rights by a signed writing or by conduct that creates an estoppel. On nonresidential work, a waiver is void except in exchange for payment and only to the extent payment is actually received. A sub’s waiver is also valid if the contractor posted a payment bond. A no-lien contract binds subs only if they had actual notice before furnishing, or it was filed with the prothonotary within the 10-day windows in section 402.
49 P.S. 1401, 1402
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 Pennsylvania 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 7, 2026.
- Perfection of lien; filing and service, 49 P.S. 1502 (FindLaw mirror)Open ↗
- Formal notice of intent, 49 P.S. 1501 (FindLaw mirror)Open ↗
- Notice of Commencement and Notice of Furnishing, 49 P.S. 1501.3 (FindLaw mirror)Open ↗
- Enforcement deadlines, 49 P.S. 1701 (FindLaw mirror)Open ↗
- Miller Act, 40 U.S.C. 3133 (federal jobs)Open ↗
Pennsylvania services
Flat pricing per document. Premium members pay less on every filing.
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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 Commencement search ($1.5M+ projects) | Starting at $35 | Starting at $60 |
| Notice of Furnishing ($1.5M+ projects) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Formal notice of intent to file (30 days) | Starting at $75 | Starting at $110 |
| Mechanics’ lien claim: prepare, record and serve | Starting at $275 | Starting at $450 |
| 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.
Pennsylvania lien questions
How long do I have to file a mechanics' lien claim in Pennsylvania?
Six months after completion of your work. Completion means your last labor or last delivery of materials required by your own contract. File with the prothonotary in the county where the property is located.
Do subcontractors need to send a notice before filing?
Yes. A subcontractor must give the owner a formal written notice of intent at least 30 days before filing the claim. On searchable projects of $1.5 million or more with a filed and posted Notice of Commencement, a sub must also file a Notice of Furnishing within 45 days of first furnishing.
Can a sub-subcontractor or a supplier to a supplier file a lien?
The statute covers subcontractors who contract with the contractor, or with a sub in direct privity with the contractor. No lien is allowed for anyone outside the statute’s definitions of contractor and subcontractor.
Can I file a lien on a public project in Pennsylvania?
No lien is allowed for work furnished for a purely public purpose. Public projects use payment bonds instead. A lower-tier claimant gives the prime written notice within 90 days after its last work, and suit on the bond must start within one year.
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The information on this page is general information about Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania attorney about your specific situation.