AZArizona
Arizona Lien Law Deadlines for Suppliers and Subcontractors
Arizona suppliers must serve the 20-day preliminary notice within 20 days of first furnishing, record the lien within 120 days after completion or, when a valid notice of completion and its mailing requirements apply, 60 days after recording, and sue within 6 months of recording. Send the notice late and your lien covers only what you furnished from 20 days before the notice onward.
Public date calculations cover Florida and Kansas. Arizona dates require qualified review.
Risk context
Arizona is High Risk for Suppliers
Arizona's 20-day preliminary notice is a common failure point for suppliers. If notice is late, lien rights may be limited to materials supplied in the 20 days before the notice and afterward — which can turn a valid receivable into an unsecured loss. The lien deadline also runs from project completion rather than your last delivery, and a qualifying notice of completion can shorten it to 60 days. Confirm the completion and mailing facts before selecting that shorter period.
Deadline schedule
Arizona Mechanics Lien Deadlines (Updated 2026)
Scroll sideways to see all deadline details.
| Deadline Type | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Day Preliminary Notice | Within 20 days of first furnishing | Material suppliers must send the 20-day preliminary notice within 20 days of first providing materials. Late notice can limit lien rights to materials supplied in the prior 20 days. Deliveries after the notice are still covered. Send it to the owner, the original contractor, the construction lender, and the party that bought your materials (A.R.S. § 33-992.01). |
| Lien Filing Deadline | 120 days from project completion | Measured from completion of the project as a whole (not your last delivery). If you only track "last invoice date," you can miss the filing window. Completion is the earlier of 30 days after the permitting agency's final inspection and written final acceptance, or 60 consecutive days without labor (stoppages caused by a strike, material shortage, or act of God do not count). If there is no building permit or the agency issues no final inspection and acceptance, completion is the last day any labor or materials were furnished to the property. On multi-building residential projects, each building has its own completion date (A.R.S. § 33-993(B)-(D)). |
| Notice of Completion | Conditional 60-day period after recording | A valid notice can shorten the period to 60 days after recording. Its statutory completion basis, contents and mailing must be checked. A claimant from whom the owner previously received a preliminary notice retains the 120-day period if the required copy and recording information were not mailed within 15 days. A recorded document alone does not establish the shorter deadline (A.R.S. § 33-993(A), (E), (I)). |
| Owner-Occupant Exception | Written contract requirement | Supplier lien rights can be affected on owner-occupied residential projects. If you're supplying into an owner-occupied job, verify contract requirements early. Arizona allows no lien on an owner-occupied dwelling unless the claimant signed a written contract directly with the owner-occupant (A.R.S. § 33-1002(B)). |
| Notice Method | Mail with proof | Notice may be sent by first class mail with certificate of mailing, or by registered/certified mail. Keep proof of mailing/service. |
| Service on Owner | Within a reasonable time after recording | Serve the remaining copy of the recorded lien on the owner, and attach your 20-day notice and proof of mailing to the lien (A.R.S. § 33-993(A)). |
| Enforcement Period | 6 months from lien filing | After recording the lien, enforcement must be initiated within 6 months, or the lien can become unenforceable. Bring the action and record a notice of pendency of action within those 6 months (A.R.S. § 33-998(A)). |
| Statutes | Arizona Revised Statutes | §33-993; §33-992.01; §33-998; §33-1002 |
Supplier pitfalls
Common Supplier Mistakes in Arizona
Sending the 20-day notice late
Suppliers often send notice after the first unpaid invoice. In Arizona, timing is tied to first furnishing — late notice can shrink what you can lien for.
Treating one notice as covering every change
A late notice limits covered deliveries; it does not simply move the original deadline. Additional notices can be needed when the estimated price increases by 30 percent or more, and separate contracts with different subcontractors require separate notices. Amended notices and recorded payment bonds also require a review of the documents and any prejudice to bond rights (A.R.S. § 33-992.01(E), (G), (K)).
Using invoice date instead of first delivery date
The notice clock is triggered by first furnishing materials — not billing. If your AR workflow keys off invoice date, you can miss the 20-day window.
Not keeping proof of mailing/service
Mail method and proof matter. Keep certificates/receipts so you can prove notice was sent correctly and on time.
Filing the lien but missing the enforcement deadline
Recording the lien isn't the finish line. Arizona enforcement must happen within 6 months from filing, and a notice of pendency of action must be recorded in that window.
Deadline calculator
Not Sure Which Arizona Deadline Applies?
Use this Arizona guide and collect your project facts for qualified review.
Review Arizona project factsThe public calculator provides dates only for reviewed Florida and Kansas scenarios; it does not calculate a Arizona date.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Arizona lien law deadlines?
Serve the 20-day preliminary notice within 20 days of first furnishing. Record the lien within 120 days after completion of the project, or within 60 days after a qualifying notice of completion when the statutory conditions are met. Then bring the enforcement action and record a notice of pendency of action within 6 months of recording.
What if I send the 20-day notice late?
Late notice can reduce what you can lien for. Treat the 20-day window as a hard operational deadline. A late notice still covers materials furnished within 20 days before you serve it and everything after (A.R.S. § 33-992.01(E)).
When is Arizona's 20-day notice due for suppliers?
Within 20 days of first furnishing materials. If you send it late, lien rights can be limited. Our preliminary notice deadline guide shows how to capture the first-furnishing date at intake.
Is the lien filing deadline based on my last delivery?
Arizona's filing deadline is measured from completion of the project as a whole, not your last delivery date. That's why tracking project status matters. Completion is the earlier of 30 days after the permitting agency's final inspection and written final acceptance, or 60 consecutive days without labor; with no permit or final inspection, it is the last day any labor or materials were furnished to the property. A notice of completion can shorten the period to 60 days after recording, but its validity and the required mailing must be established; see the notice-of-completion row above.
How should suppliers send the notice?
Use a mail method that provides proof (certificate of mailing, registered, or certified). Keep receipts in the job file.
How long do I have to enforce an Arizona lien?
Enforcement must be initiated within 6 months from filing the lien. You must also record a notice of pendency of action within those 6 months (A.R.S. § 33-998).
Are these the 2024 Arizona lien law deadlines?
This guide covers current Arizona law, reviewed in October 2026 against the official Arizona Revised Statutes, rather than a 2024 snapshot. The 20-day notice, 120-day filing window, and 6-month enforcement period come from A.R.S. §§ 33-992.01, 33-993, and 33-998. If your claim depends on the law as it stood in 2024, confirm the version in effect with an Arizona construction attorney.
Important note