Vermont Lien Laws

Current Vermont lien laws explicitly detail the process of obtaining lien claim rights in the state for contractors and suppliers.  It is essential to adhere to all of these steps in order to preserve the entire right to enforce action on claim of lien in the event of owner non-payment.

Primary Contractors in Vermont

In the state of Vermont, primary contractors are not legally obligated to file preliminary notice of intent to lien as a precursor to preserving their lien rights. Any notice of claim on lien is required to be recorded and served to project owners no later than one hundred and eighty (180) days after last date of service performed.  Action to enforce lien claims must begin no later than one hundred and eighty (180) days after the notice of lien filing or date of payment due, whichever date occurs latest.

Sub Contractors in Vermont

Sub contractors wishing to establish priority in claim of lien process may file preliminary notice of intent to lien, but they are under no legal obligation to do so in order to preserve their future rights to claim on lien.  In the same manner as prime contractors in Vermont, sub contractors must follow these procedures when making claims on liens, including:

• Notice of claim on lien filed not later than one hundred and eighty (180) days after last day on project, including notice served to owner
• Enforcement of claims on liens action must start no later than one hundred and eighty (180) days after filing notice of lien or from last date payment was owed and unpaid, whichever date appears later

Materials Suppliers in Vermont

Materials suppliers in Vermont adhere to the exact same lien law procedures as sub contractors, including the preliminary notice method of setting priority, but without legal requirement to do so.  Otherwise, claim on lien and action to enforce lien claim process are all the same as sub contractor and prime contractors, which are noted above.