Unpaid on a Seattle-area job? LevelSet Collections prepares and records King County mechanics liens, Washington’s claim of lien, for contractors, subcontractors and suppliers on jobs in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kent, Renton, Federal Way and Auburn. More than 1,100 liens filed since 2020, and a King County lien is one all-inclusive price.
Quick answer: A King County mechanics lien is a claim of lien recorded with the King County Recorder’s Office, Suite 204 of the Customer Service Center at 201 S. Jackson Street in Pioneer Square. The counter is open until 4:30, but recording ends at 3:30 p.m. The claim is due 90 days after your last day furnishing, and the owner gets a copy within 14 days of recording. See the full Washington deadlines and statutes.
Where King County liens are recorded
The Recorder’s Office is part of King County Records and Licensing Services and sits on the second floor of the King County Customer Service Center, 201 S. Jackson Street, Suite 204, in Seattle’s Pioneer Square. In-person hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and recording stops at 3:30. There is also a Recorder’s Office drop box outside the building.
Documents can be e-recorded through a third-party submitter or directly through a King County Agent Account. The office checks legibility, formatting and indexing, but it won’t pick a form, fill one out or judge whether a document is legally correct. That part is on the preparer, which is where we come in. We e-record King County liens so the 90 days aren’t spent waiting on the mail.
Owner, parcel and the RANS alert
We start with the King County Assessor’s eReal Property and eMap searches, which take the 10-digit parcel number, or the King County Parcel Viewer when all we have is an address. Then we pull the vesting deed from the Recorder’s online records search for the legal description and the owner of record.
The Recorder’s Office also runs the Recording Activity Notification System (RANS) for recording activity, so an owner may learn about the claim before the mailed copy arrives. The claim of lien has to be right the first time. The same office handles registered land under the Torrens system, which we check for before recording.
Where we file across King County
King County has 39 cities and towns, from Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland and Redmond to Kent, Renton, Federal Way, Auburn, Burien, SeaTac, Issaquah, Sammamish and Shoreline, plus small towns like Skykomish and Beaux Arts Village. Unincorporated King County is filed with the same Recorder’s Office.
Some cities cross the county line. Bothell is on both the King and Snohomish county lists, and Milton is on both the King and Pierce lists, so we match the parcel to the right county before recording.
King County work runs from office, lab and apartment towers in Seattle and Bellevue to warehouses in the Kent Valley and subdivisions on the Plateau. On the public side, Metro broke ground March 19, 2026 on the $174 million, 17-mile RapidRide I Line through Renton, Kent and Auburn, and Mortenson and Perkins&Will were named the design-build team for the new Harborview tower. Public work in Washington runs on retainage and bond claims, not liens on the property.
What sinks liens in King County
- Showing up after 3:30. The office is open until 4:30, but recording ends at 3:30 p.m.
- A Bothell or Milton parcel in the wrong county. Both cities straddle county lines. Record where the parcel actually sits.
- A late Notice to Owner. The 60 days work as a lookback. Anything furnished more than 60 days before the notice went out is lost. See the Washington deadline table.
- Forgetting the owner copy. A copy of the recorded claim has to reach the owner within 14 days of recording.
- A claim that isn’t sworn and acknowledged. The claim is signed under penalty of perjury and acknowledged before a notary.
How LevelSet handles a King County lien
- Intake. You send the job address, who hired you, your first and last dates on the job, your contractor registration if you need one, and what’s still owed.
- Statutory form. We pull the parcel from eReal Property, the deed from the Recorder’s records, confirm the county, and prepare the claim of lien with every item RCW 60.04.091 requires.
- Notarization. Matt Rush signs the claim under penalty of perjury as agent for the claimant and acknowledges it before a notary.
- Recording. We e-record it with the King County Recorder’s Office.
- Service. We mail the owner a copy of the recorded claim within 14 days and send a copy to the general contractor.
Example: a King County deadline walk-through
Example: An electrical subcontractor’s last day on a Bellevue office tenant improvement is June 10, so its claim has to be recorded with the King County Recorder’s Office by September 8 (90 days). If it records on September 2, the owner’s copy is due by September 16. The supplier selling it wire sent its Notice to Owner on March 20, so its lien reaches materials furnished from January 19 on.
King County lien deadline passed?
The lien may be gone, but the money is still owed. We go after the contractor or customer on your King County job through construction collections on contingency, 10% to 33%, and you pay nothing if we don’t collect.
Other Washington counties we file in
Pierce County · Snohomish County
Washington’s Notice to Owner, recording and foreclosure deadlines, with statute citations, are on our Washington mechanics lien page. We file in all 39 Washington counties.
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 King County mechanics lien?
With the King County Recorder’s Office, 201 S. Jackson Street, Suite 204, Seattle, or by e-recording through a third-party submitter or a King County Agent Account.
What time does King County stop recording?
Recording ends at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays, even though in-person hours run until 4:30.
Is a Bothell job a King County lien?
It depends on the parcel. Bothell is on both the King and Snohomish county lists, so the claim is recorded in whichever county the property is in.
Will a King County owner be alerted when the lien is recorded?
They may, through the Recorder’s Recording Activity Notification System (RANS). Either way, the owner gets a copy of the claim within 14 days of recording.
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 King County job?
Liens $199 to $500, recording, notarizing and the owner copy included. Recorded in Seattle, usually in 2 business days. Call (469) 694-8003.
