This Virginia lien deadline calculator is for general contractors, subcontractors, sub-subcontractors and suppliers. Enter your role, the type of project and your last day of work, and it shows each deadline under Va. Code title 43 with the statute section next to it.
Virginia's memorandum of lien has two limits: 90 days from the last day of the month you last worked, and no later than 90 days after the building is completed. Add the completion date if you know it, and the calculator shows both and marks the one that controls. It also shows the 150-day lookback, the earliest work your lien can include. On a one- or two-family home, tell us whether the permit names a Mechanics' Lien Agent. If you already recorded, add that date for the suit deadline.
It takes about 20 seconds, and it's free. When you're ready to file, LevelSet Collections trims the claim to the 150-day lookback and records the memorandum with the circuit court clerk, in every Virginia county and independent city. Liens are $199 to $500 all-inclusive.
If the whole project finished before the end-of-month count, the earlier limit controls.
Leave blank if you haven't recorded yet. With it, we show the suit deadline 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 Virginia liens
- Including charges more than 150 days before your last day of work, other than retainage.
- Counting the 90 days from your last work date instead of from the end of that month, or missing an earlier completion date.
- Recording in the county when the property is inside an independent city, or the reverse.
- Not checking the permit for a Mechanics' Lien Agent on a home job.
- A sub-sub notifying the owner but not the general contractor.
Every deadline above comes from Va. Code title 43. For the full rules, read the Virginia mechanics lien filing guide →
- Virginia 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 every Virginia county and independent city. 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 Virginia?
90 days from the last day of the month in which you last performed labor or furnished materials, but no later than 90 days after the building is completed or the work otherwise ends (Va. Code § 43-4).
What is the Virginia 150-day rule?
A memorandum can't include sums for labor or materials furnished more than 150 days before your last day of work, other than retainage up to 10% (Va. Code § 43-4).
How long does a Virginia lien last?
Suit to enforce is due by the later of 6 months after recording or 60 days after the building is completed or the work ends (Va. Code § 43-17).
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.
