MEMaine
Maine Lien Law Deadlines for Suppliers and Subcontractors
In Maine, a supplier or subcontractor without a direct contract with the owner must record a lien in the registry of deeds and mail the owner a copy within 90 days after last furnishing, then start the enforcement action within 120 days after last furnishing. Maine has no mandatory preliminary notice.
Public date calculations cover Florida and Kansas. Maine dates require qualified review.
Risk context
Maine is High Risk for Suppliers
Maine's two deadlines both run from your last furnishing: 90 days to record the lien and mail the owner, and 120 days to sue. File on day 90 and only 30 days remain to start the enforcement action. Unless the job is business, commercial, or industrial property where the owner does not live, the owner also gets credit for payments to its contractor made before your warning notice arrives.
Deadline schedule
Maine Mechanics Lien Deadlines (Updated 2026)
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| Deadline Type | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Lien Filing Deadline | 90 days after last furnishing (no direct contract) | Must be filed with the county recorder/clerk. In Maine, file the sworn statement in the registry of deeds for the county or registry district where the property is located (10 M.R.S. § 3253(1)). |
| Copy to Owner | Within the same 90 days | Mail the owner a copy of the statement by ordinary mail. A post office certificate of mailing is conclusive proof (10 M.R.S. § 3253(1)(B)). |
| Preliminary Notice | None required | Maine has no mandatory preliminary notice. Except on business, commercial, or industrial property where the owner does not live, an optional written notice to the owner with the statutory warning about paying twice stops the owner from taking credit for later payments to its contractor (10 M.R.S. § 3255(3)). |
| Enforcement Deadline | 120 days after last furnishing | Lawsuit to foreclose on the lien must be filed by this date. File the action with the Superior Court or District Court clerk within 120 days after your last labor, services, or materials. This clock runs from last furnishing, not from recording (10 M.R.S. § 3255(1)). |
| Notice of the Lawsuit | Within 60 days after filing suit | Record the court's certificate or an attested copy of the complaint in the registry of deeds within 60 days of filing the action. If you miss it, a good-faith purchaser can take the property free of your lien (10 M.R.S. § 3261). |
| Statutes | Governing statutes | 10 M.R.S. §3251; §3253; §3255; §3261 |
Supplier pitfalls
Common Supplier Mistakes in Maine
Treating the 120-day suit deadline as running from recording
Maine's enforcement clock starts at your last furnishing, not at recording. File the lien on day 90 and you have only 30 days left to start the action.
Skipping the owner's copy
Filing the statement in the registry of deeds is only half of the 90-day requirement. You must also mail the owner a copy by ordinary mail; keep a certificate of mailing as proof.
Forgetting the 60-day notice of the lawsuit
After you file the enforcement action, record the court's certificate or an attested copy of the complaint in the registry within 60 days, or a good-faith purchaser can take the property free of your lien.
Deadline calculator
Not Sure Which Maine Deadline Applies?
Use this Maine guide and collect your project facts for qualified review.
Review Maine project factsThe public calculator provides dates only for reviewed Florida and Kansas scenarios; it does not calculate a Maine date.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Maine lien law deadlines?
If you did not contract directly with the owner, file a sworn lien statement in the county registry of deeds and mail the owner a copy within 90 days after your last furnishing, then start the enforcement action within 120 days after your last furnishing. Record notice of the action in the registry within 60 days of filing it.
Does Maine require a preliminary notice?
No. Maine has no mandatory preliminary notice. Except on business, commercial, or industrial property where the owner does not live, an optional notice to the owner that includes the statutory warning about paying twice stops the owner from taking credit for later payments to its contractor, which protects more of your claim (10 M.R.S. § 3255(3)).
How long do I have to enforce a Maine lien?
120 days after your last labor, services, or materials, not 120 days after recording (10 M.R.S. § 3255(1)). If you record on day 90, only 30 days remain. See how long a mechanics lien lasts for what happens when that window closes.
Are these the 2024 Maine lien law deadlines?
Yes. The Maine filing and enforcement sections, 10 M.R.S. §§ 3253 and 3255, were last amended in substance in 2005, and we found no 2024 to 2026 changes to them, so the 90-day and 120-day deadlines applied in 2024 and still apply.
Important note