Unpaid on a Lexington job? LevelSet Collections prepares, records and mails Fayette County mechanics liens for contractors, subcontractors and suppliers working anywhere in Lexington-Fayette, from downtown and the University of Kentucky area to Hamburg and the newer subdivisions on the edge of town. Since 2020 we’ve filed more than 1,100 liens, and a Fayette County lien is one all-inclusive price from intake to the owner’s copy.
Quick answer: A Fayette County mechanics lien is a sworn statement recorded with the Land Records Department of the Fayette County Clerk at 162 E. Main St. in Lexington, delivered in person, by mail or courier, or electronically through CSC, ePN or Simplifile. Kentucky’s notice of intent, 6-month filing deadline and 7-day owner mailing apply. See the full Kentucky deadlines and statutes.
Where Fayette County liens are recorded
Fayette County liens go to the Land Records Department of the Fayette County Clerk’s Office, Room 132 at 162 E. Main Street in downtown Lexington, where they’re recorded with deeds, mortgages and releases. The recording desk is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Clerk takes documents four ways: at the recording desk; by US Mail, UPS, FedEx or another courier; through a weekday drop-box in the Helix Garage near the Clerk’s second-floor entrance, with the last pickup at 4 p.m.; and electronically through CSC, ePN and Simplifile. We eRecord Fayette County liens, so a lien isn’t sitting in a mail tray or a drop-box when the 6-month date is close.
Finding the legal owner and legal description in Fayette County
Owner and parcel information comes from the Fayette County PVA’s property search. The PVA values every property in the county as of January 1 each year, and its records give us the owner of record and the parcel we put on the lien.
For the legal description we go to the Clerk’s own records at fayettedeeds.com, which cover 1990 to the present, with an index for many older records. Lots get split, combined and re-platted over the years, so we work from the owner’s most recent deed rather than the street address or an old tax bill.
Cities we file in across Fayette County
Fayette County has one city: Lexington. Lexington and Fayette County merged into a single government, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, on January 1, 1974, after voters approved the charter in November 1972. Whether the job is downtown, in Hamburg or on a horse farm out in the county, every Fayette County lien goes to the same Clerk’s office.
The mistakes happen at the county line. Lexington’s suburbs spill into neighboring counties: Nicholasville is in Jessamine County, Georgetown in Scott County, Versailles in Woodford County and Winchester in Clark County. A job a sub thinks of as “Lexington” may belong in one of those clerks’ offices instead.
Fayette County work is a mix of university and hospital-area projects, multifamily and student housing, retail corridors and new subdivisions. On the public side, Blue Grass Airport broke ground in May 2025 on a $17.8 million parking expansion adding 815 long-term spaces, with completion targeted for late spring 2026. Public airport work is covered by payment bonds and Kentucky’s lien on public funds, not a lien on the airport.
What sinks liens in Fayette County
- Showing up after 4 p.m. The Fayette recording desk closes at 4 p.m. and so does the drop-box pickup. A lien that arrives at 4:15 on the last day misses the day.
- Assuming every Lexington-area job is Fayette. A job in Nicholasville, Georgetown, Versailles or Winchester is recorded in another county.
- The 75-day rule on Lexington homes. On owner-occupied single and two-family homes, the notice of intent is due in 75 days no matter how much is owed.
- A stale legal description. A description copied from an old plat or tax bill instead of the current deed can put the lien on the wrong land.
- Skipping the owner copy. The lien has to be mailed to the owner within 7 days of recording or it dissolves. See the Kentucky deadline table.
How LevelSet handles a Fayette County lien
- Intake. You tell us the job address, who hired you, whether it’s an owner-occupied home, what you’re owed and your last day on site.
- Statutory form. We confirm the owner with the Fayette County PVA, pull the current deed from fayettedeeds.com and draft the sworn Kentucky lien statement with all credits and set-offs.
- Notarization. Matt Rush swears to and signs the statement as the claimant’s agent, in front of a notary.
- Recording. We eRecord the lien with the Fayette County Clerk’s Land Records Department through CSC, ePN or Simplifile.
- Service. We mail the recorded copy to the owner within 7 days and send a copy to the general contractor.
Example: a Fayette County deadline walk-through
Example: An electrician’s last day on a kitchen and basement remodel at an owner-occupied home off Tates Creek Road is May 12, with $9,400 unpaid. Because it’s an owner-occupied single-family home, the notice of intent is due in 75 days, by July 26, even though the claim is over $1,000. The lien statement must be recorded with the Fayette County Clerk by November 12 (6 months), and the owner copy mailed within 7 days of recording.
Fayette County lien deadline already passed?
The money is still owed by whoever hired you. Our construction collections service pursues unpaid Lexington and Fayette County invoices on contingency, 10% to 33%, and there’s no fee if nothing is collected.
Other Kentucky counties we file in
Jefferson County · Kenton County
For every Kentucky deadline and statute in one place, see our Kentucky mechanics lien page. We record liens in every county in the state.
Pricing
Liens $199 to $500, including recording fees, notarizing and serving. Pre-lien notices $100. Typical turnaround 2 business days. No minimum. Call (469) 694-8003, Monday through Friday, 8am to 7pm.
Frequently asked questions
Where do you file a Fayette County mechanics lien?
With the Land Records Department of the Fayette County Clerk, Room 132, 162 E. Main St., Lexington. The Clerk records liens delivered at the desk, by mail or courier, through the Helix Garage drop-box, or electronically through CSC, ePN and Simplifile.
Is a Lexington lien filed with the city or the county?
With the county clerk. Lexington and Fayette County have been one merged government since 1974, and liens on property anywhere in the county are recorded with the Fayette County Clerk.
My “Lexington” job is actually in Nicholasville or Georgetown. Where does the lien go?
To the county where the property sits. A Nicholasville job is recorded in Jessamine County and a Georgetown job in Scott County. We confirm the county before drafting.
How far back do Fayette County land records go online?
The Clerk’s online search at fayettedeeds.com covers 1990 to the present, with an index for many older records. We pull the owner’s current deed there for the legal description.
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. Lien laws are constantly changing. Contact us for the most up-to-date information.
Owed money on a Lexington job?
Liens $199 to $500 with recording, notarizing and serving included. eRecorded with the Fayette County Clerk, usually in 2 business days. Call (469) 694-8003.
