This Georgia lien deadline calculator is for prime contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors, suppliers, laborers and design professionals. Enter your role and your last day of work or delivery, and it shows each deadline under O.C.G.A. title 44, chapter 14 with the code section next to it.
Sub-subs and suppliers with no contract with the prime also tell us whether a Notice of Commencement was filed, because that decides whether a Notice to Contractor is due. If you signed a lien waiver and weren't paid, add the date you signed it and we'll show when the Affidavit of Nonpayment is due. If you already filed the claim of lien, add that date for the lien action deadline.
It takes about 20 seconds, and it's free. When you're ready to file, LevelSet Collections checks the county records for a Notice of Commencement, eFiles your claim of lien with the clerk of superior court and mails the owner's copy, in all 159 Georgia counties. Liens are $199 to $500 all-inclusive.
Only if you signed a waiver for a payment you never received.
Leave blank if you haven't filed yet. With it, we show the enforcement dates too.
Public project? You can't lien public property, but you can still get paid. Ask us how. We get contractors, subs and suppliers paid on public work across the country through Freedom of Information Act and state public-records requests for the contract and payment bond, and Miller Act and state Little Miller Act bond claims. Call or text (469) 694-8003.
What sinks Georgia liens
- Missing the 2-business-day mailing to the owner after filing. The lien can be filed perfectly and still fail here.
- Using a form without the 395-day expiration language or the owner's right-to-contest notice.
- Filing the lien action on time but forgetting the separate Notice of Commencement of Lien Action within 30 days.
- Ignoring a Notice of Contest of Lien, which cuts your suit deadline to 60 days.
- Signing a statutory waiver for a payment that never clears and letting the 90 days run without an Affidavit of Nonpayment.
- Skipping the county records check for a Notice of Commencement, and with it a required Notice to Contractor.
Every deadline above comes from O.C.G.A. title 44, chapter 14. For the full rules, read the Georgia mechanics lien filing guide →
- Georgia mechanics lien filing
- Lien deadlines by state
- Mechanics lien filing in all 18 states
- Construction collections if your lien window has closed
Pricing and turnaround
Liens are $199 to $500, and that includes recording fees, notarizing and serving. Pre-lien notices are $100. Notices of intent are $100. Typical turnaround is 2 business days, and there's no minimum claim amount. We file in all 159 Georgia counties. Collections run on contingency, 10% to 33%, with no charge if we don't collect. Call (469) 694-8003, Monday through Friday, 8am to 7pm.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to file a mechanics lien in Georgia?
90 days after you last furnished labor, services or materials to the property, and the same window applies to general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(2)).
What is a Notice to Contractor in Georgia, and do I need one?
Only if a Notice of Commencement was filed for the job. Then anyone with lien rights who has no contract with the prime contractor must send a Notice to Contractor to the owner and the prime within 30 days after the Notice of Commencement is filed or 30 days after first furnishing, whichever is later (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.5).
How long does a Georgia lien last?
The lien action has to be started within 365 days after you file the claim of lien, and a Notice of Commencement of Lien Action filed within 30 days after you start it (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(3)).
What happens if the owner files a Notice of Contest of Lien?
Your time to sue drops to 60 days from receiving the notice (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-368). If you get one, call us the same day.
I signed a lien waiver but never got paid. Is my Georgia lien gone?
Not if you act fast. A Georgia statutory waiver becomes binding 90 days after you sign it unless you file an Affidavit of Nonpayment before then (O.C.G.A. § 44-14-366).
This page is general information, not legal advice. LevelSet Collections is not a law firm; we prepare and file liens and notices as agent for the claimant. Deadlines change and depend on the facts of your job. We'll check your dates against the statute before filing.
Inside your deadline?
Liens $199 to $500, recording, notarizing and serving included. Usually filed in 2 business days. Call (469) 694-8003.
