Connecticut Mechanics Lien Laws

The individuals and companies involved in the construction industry in the state of Connecticut should be familiar with a brief overview of the timelines on Connecticut's Lien Laws (Connecticut General Statutes, Subsection 49-33 et seq). These important deadlines will ensure your right to make lien claims against owners unwilling to pay for services and materials in the event of disputes and other issues. Having an attorney represent your interests well before a dispute arises, including ensuring preliminary lien laws are met, is important to ensuring payment for services or goods rendered.

Notice Requirements for Mechanics Liens in Connecticut

Primary Contractors

In Connecticut, primary contractors must file the affidavit required by Connecticut General Statute 49-35 within fifteen (15) days of starting a project in order to receive all notices that are required to be served on the owner. From ninety (90) days after the last date of work on a given project, a certificate of mechanics lien must be filed and noted. Additionally, no more than thirty (30) days after lien is recorded and noted, property owners must be served with a copy of original lien for their respective property projects. Action to foreclose based upon your lien must be started within one (1) year after the lien is recorded.

Sub Contractors

Sub Contractors must post notice of intent to lien by ninety (90) days after stopping work on a given project. However, servicing of lien certificate itself does constitute notice and is not required to be served before recording the lien. Ninety (90) days after last date of work on given site, certificate of mechanics lien must be noted and recorded. No more than thirty (30) days following the recording of the lien, the property owners must be notified and served with copy of a lien. Foreclosure actions based on liens and lis pendens filings must occur within one (1) year of filing liens for sub contractors in Connecticut.

Materials Suppliers

Suppliers must give the owner notice of their intent to lien within ninety (90) days after cessation of work on project, but the service of the lien certificate itself constitutes notice, and need not be served before you record the lien. Within ninety (90) days of the last day that work on the project, the certificate of mechanics lien must be recorded. Within this same period, but no later than thirty (30) days after your lien is recorded, all property owners must be served with a copy of your lien. Action to foreclose based upon material suppliers lien must be started (and a lis pendens filed) within one year after the lien is recorded.