Tennessee Construction Lien Resources
Subs and suppliers: Notice of Nonpayment within 90 days after each unpaid month, Notice of Lien within 90 days after completion, suit within 90 days after serving the lien. Everything a contractor, subcontractor or supplier needs to protect lien rights in Tennessee.
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Notice of Nonpayment after the last day of each unpaid month (remote contractors)
Serve the Notice of Lien and record after completion or abandonment
Remote contractor files suit after serving the Notice of Lien
Prime contractor lien lasts after completion unless suit is filed
Tennessee deadline calculator
Enter your dates and see every deadline in order. Red rows are the ones that can cost you the lien.
How a Tennessee lien comes together
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Before work starts (residential prime)
Notice to Owner
A contractor about to contract to improve owner-occupied residential property delivers the statutory Notice to Owner before starting. Missing it does not affect the prime contractor’s lien, but it can be a Class B misdemeanor if a lien is later filed or enforced.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-203, 66-11-206
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Within 90 days after the last day of each month worked
Notice of Nonpayment
An unpaid remote contractor serves a Notice of Nonpayment on the owner and on the prime contractor in contractual privity with it. This applies to all projects except one- to four-family residential units.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-145
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Within 30 days (10 days for 1-4 family) after a Notice of Completion is recorded
Respond to a Notice of Completion
If you were served a recorded Notice of Completion and have not already recorded and served your lien, serve written notice of your claim at the address named in the notice. Lien rights expire if this is missed.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-143(d), (e)
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Within 90 days after the improvement is complete or abandoned
Serve and record the Notice of Lien
A remote contractor serves a written Notice of Lien on the owner within this period. Any lienor records a sworn statement with the register of deeds in this period to keep its priority against later buyers and lenders.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-112(a), 66-11-115(a)
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Within 90 days after serving the Notice of Lien (remote) or 1 year after completion (prime)
File suit to enforce
A remote contractor’s lien lasts 90 days from service of the notice unless suit is filed. A prime contractor’s lien lasts 1 year after completion or abandonment unless suit is filed.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-115(b), 66-11-106, 66-11-126
The Tennessee rules, abstracted
A working summary of the Tennessee Mechanics’ and Materialmen’s Lien Law for notice, recording and enforcement.
Who has lien rights
Tennessee gives lien rights to prime contractors, who contract directly with the owner or the owner’s agent, and to remote contractors, who contract with anyone else. Surveyors under contract with the owner, and licensed architects and engineers, also have liens. The architect and engineer lien does not reach owner-occupants of one- or two-family detached homes. The lienor must comply with Tennessee contractor licensing law (title 62, chapter 6).
Notice of Nonpayment (monthly)
A remote contractor that intends to claim a lien serves a Notice of Nonpayment within 90 days after the last day of each month in which it worked and was not paid. It goes to the owner and to the prime contractor in privity with the remote contractor. It lists the claimant’s name and address, the work, the amount owed, the last date worked, and a property description. A remote contractor that fails to serve it has no right to claim a lien, except for retainage. One- to four-family residential units are excluded. Names, addresses and the property description on the building permit are presumed correct for this notice.
Notice of Completion
An owner or purchaser may record a Notice of Completion with the register of deeds once the improvement is complete. It must be served on the prime contractor, unless the owner acts as its own general contractor, and on any remote contractor that served a Notice of Nonpayment. A claimant that was served and has not already recorded its sworn statement (or contract) and served a copy on the owner must serve written notice of its claim within 30 days after recording, or 10 days for one- to four-family residential units. The notice states the amount and certifies it excludes other jobs. If not, its lien rights expire. A contractor entitled to service that was not served is not affected. A Notice of Completion recorded before completion is void.
The lien itself
The lien statement is a sworn statement of the amount claimed and a reasonably certain description of the property. It is recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property lies, no later than 90 days after the improvement is complete or abandoned. Late recording does not void the lien against the owner, but priority against later buyers and lenders then dates from recording. A project is abandoned when work stops for 90 days and the owner or prime contractor intends to stop permanently or indefinitely.
Service of the lien
A remote contractor serves a written Notice of Lien on the owner within the same 90-day window. This is a condition of its lien. Notices may be served by registered or certified mail with return receipt, by hand delivery shown by a notarized sworn statement, or by a commercial delivery service that confirms delivery in writing. Certified mail service is presumed complete within 3 business days of mailing. Service on an owner or agent listed on the building permit counts as service on all owners or principals.
Enforcement deadline
A remote contractor’s lien lasts 90 days from the date it serves the Notice of Lien, and continues only if suit is brought within that time. A prime contractor’s lien lasts 1 year after the improvement is complete or abandoned, and continues only if suit is brought within that year. Enforcement is by complaint, petition or civil warrant seeking an attachment. Suit is timely if filed in time, even if the attachment issues later. The plaintiff posts a bond of $1,000 or the lien amount, whichever is less.
Residential and owner protections
On owner-occupied residential property (a single home, or a 2-4 unit building where the owner lives in one unit), only the prime contractor has a lien. Subcontractors and suppliers have none, except where the owner acts as its own general contractor. The prime contractor on residential work gives the owner a statutory Notice to Owner before starting. Contract clauses that waive lien rights are void. A lienor that willfully and grossly exaggerates its claim can lose recovery and pay the injured party’s expenses.
Tennessee quirks
If the owner records a 100% payment bond before any work starts, remote contractors have no lien and must claim on the bond. A lienor that fails to release a forfeited, expired, paid or adjudged lien within 30 days after written demand is liable for the owner’s damages and attorney’s fees. A lienor can gain priority over a mortgage by serving the mortgagee by certified or registered mail before starting work; the mortgagee consents if it does not object within 10 days. Deadlines ending on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday roll to the next business day under Tennessee’s general time rule.
Where Tennessee liens go wrong
- Serving one Notice of Nonpayment at the end of the job instead of one for each unpaid month.
- Sending the Notice of Nonpayment to the owner but not the prime contractor (both are required).
- Ignoring a recorded Notice of Completion, which can end lien rights 30 days after recording (10 days for 1-4 family units).
- Recording a lien but missing the 90-day suit deadline that runs from serving the Notice of Lien.
What do I need to send?
- Serve a Notice of Nonpayment on the owner and your prime contractor within 90 days after each month you are unpaid (not required on 1-4 family units).
- Pull the building permit; its names, addresses and property description are presumed correct for the Notice of Nonpayment.
- Serve a written Notice of Lien on the owner and record a sworn statement with the register of deeds within 90 days after completion or abandonment.
- If served a Notice of Completion, serve your written claim within 30 days (10 days on 1-4 family units).
- File suit within 90 days after serving your Notice of Lien. On owner-occupied homes you have no lien.
- Confirm your Tennessee contractor license is in order under title 62, chapter 6.
- On owner-occupied residential work, deliver the statutory Notice to Owner before starting.
- Record a sworn statement of lien within 90 days after completion to keep priority against later buyers and lenders.
- If served a recorded Notice of Completion, serve your written claim within 30 days (10 days on 1-4 family units).
- File suit within 1 year after completion or abandonment.
- Expect monthly Notices of Nonpayment from unpaid remote contractors on work other than 1-4 family units.
- An owner may record a Notice of Completion after completion and serve it on the prime and on any remote contractor that sent a Notice of Nonpayment.
- Serve 30 days’ notice on the prime and on notice-serving remote contractors before transferring an interest to a buyer or lender.
- A 100% payment bond recorded before work starts bars remote contractor liens.
- Send a written demand for release of any expired or paid lien; the lienor has 30 days to release it.
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 Tennessee Little Miller Act (Tenn. Code Ann. 12-4-201 to 12-4-206).
- City, county and state public work contracts over $100,000 require a payment bond of at least 25% of the contract price.
- A laborer or furnisher of labor or materials gives written notice within 90 days after completion of the public work, by return receipt certified mail or personal delivery.
- Send the notice to the contractor who executed the bond or to the public official who let the contract (or the mayor, county mayor or governor, depending on the owner). Include an itemized account, the balance due and a property description.
- Suit on the bond must be brought within 6 months after completion of the public work or of the furnishing of labor or materials.
Tenn. Code Ann. 12-4-201, 12-4-205, 12-4-206
Lien waivers
Tennessee’s lien statute does not contain a statutory lien waiver form. Any contract provision that purports to waive lien rights is void and unenforceable. A contractor that solicits such a waiver can face licensing board action. Accepting a promissory note does not waive the lien unless the parties expressly agree in writing. When a lien is paid, expired, forfeited or adjudged against the lienor, the lienor must have it released within 30 days after written demand. The release is recorded where the notice of lien was recorded.
Tenn. Code Ann. 66-11-124(a), (b); 66-11-135
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 Tennessee 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.
Tennessee 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 (residential prime) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of Nonpayment (per unpaid month) | Starting at $55 | Starting at $90 |
| Notice of lien and sworn 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.
Tennessee lien questions
Do I need to send a notice every month in Tennessee?
On most projects, yes, if you are a remote contractor and unpaid. The statute requires a Notice of Nonpayment within 90 days after the last day of each month you worked and were not paid. It does not apply to one- to four-family residential units.
How long do I have to record a mechanics lien in Tennessee?
The sworn statement is recorded no later than 90 days after the improvement is complete or abandoned. A remote contractor also serves a written Notice of Lien on the owner within that same window. A recorded Notice of Completion can end lien rights sooner.
Can a subcontractor lien an owner-occupied home in Tennessee?
Generally no. On owner-occupied residential property of one to four units, a lien exists only in favor of the prime contractor. A narrow exception applies when the owner acts as its own general contractor.
When must I file suit to enforce a Tennessee lien?
A remote contractor’s lien lasts 90 days from service of the Notice of Lien unless suit is filed in that time. A prime contractor’s lien lasts 1 year after completion or abandonment unless suit is filed in that year.
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The information on this page is general information about Tennessee 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 Tennessee attorney about your specific situation.