Minnesota is strict about the prelien notice. GCs have to put it in their owner contract. Subs and suppliers have to send it within 45 days of starting. Then everyone has 120 days after their last work to file and serve the lien, and one year to foreclose.
Quick answer: GCs include the statutory prelien notice in the written contract (or deliver it within 10 days of agreeing to the work). Subs and suppliers give the owner prelien notice within 45 days of first furnishing. Everyone files and serves the lien statement within 120 days of last work, and forecloses within 1 year.
Minnesota lien deadlines at a glance
| Step | Who | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Prelien notice | GC (contract with owner) | In the written contract, or within 10 days after the work is agreed on |
| Prelien notice | Subs and suppliers | 45 days after first furnishing |
| File and serve lien statement | Everyone | 120 days after last work or materials |
| Foreclosure | Everyone | 1 year after the last item in the lien statement |
Who can file a lien in Minnesota
Anyone who contributes to improving real estate by furnishing labor, skill, material or machinery can lien, whether hired by the owner, a contractor or a sub. Engineers and land surveyors can too. Grading, excavation, landscaping and paving all count.
Notices before the lien
Contractors dealing directly with the owner must include the statutory prelien notice in their written contract. Without a written contract, they must deliver it personally or by certified mail within 10 days after the work is agreed on. Subs and suppliers who aren't in contract with the owner must give the owner written notice within 45 days after first furnishing.
Exemptions: residential buildings with more than 4 units, and non-agricultural projects that are wholly or partly non-residential and add or involve more than 5,000 usable square feet.
Filing the lien
Within 120 days after your last work, you must both file the lien statement with the county recorder (or registrar of titles for Torrens property) and serve it on the owner. The statement must say that any required prelien notice was given. Minor touch-up work done just to extend the deadline doesn't count.
Residential jobs
The prelien notice rules mainly protect homes of 1-4 units and smaller commercial jobs. A sub or supplier gets no lien if the owner paid the contractor in full before receiving its prelien notice.
After you file
Serve the lien statement on the owner personally or by certified mail inside the same 120 days. Recording alone isn't enough. Foreclosure must be filed within 1 year after the date of the last item listed in the lien statement, with a lis pendens recorded. The lien can't be revived after that year. Minnesota also caps retainage on private jobs at 5%.
Mistakes that cost Minnesota contractors their lien
- A GC leaving the prelien language out of its owner contract.
- A sub or supplier missing the 45-day prelien notice.
- Filing within 120 days but never serving the owner within the same 120 days.
Missed the deadline or the lien didn't pay?
The debt doesn't go away when lien rights do. The party that hired you still owes you, and we can pursue it through construction collections on contingency, 10% to 33%, with no charge if we don't collect. Here's what you can still do.
Still in your window? We prepare, file and serve Minnesota liens, usually in about 2 business days. Start a lien →
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Minnesota?
120 days after your last work or materials, and you must also serve it on the owner within those 120 days.
Do I need a prelien notice in Minnesota?
Usually yes. GCs put it in the owner contract; subs and suppliers send it within 45 days of first furnishing. Large commercial projects over 5,000 sq ft and residential buildings over 4 units are exempt.
How long does a Minnesota lien last?
You must start foreclosure within 1 year after the last item listed in the lien statement.
This article is general information, not legal advice. LevelSet Collections is not a law firm. Deadlines are based on Minnesota Statutes chapter 514 as of October 2026, and lien laws change. Confirm your dates for your specific job. Sources: Minn. Stat. 514.011, Minn. Stat. 514.08, Minn. Stat. 514.12.
Owed money on a Minnesota job?
Liens from $199, filed in about 2 business days. Call (469) 694-8003.
