MSMississippi
Mississippi Lien Law Deadlines for Suppliers and Subcontractors
Mississippi gives suppliers and subcontractors 90 days after their last furnishing to file a lien with the chancery clerk and 180 days after filing to bring the payment action. On commercial jobs, a supplier with no contract with the general contractor must also give a 30-day notice or lose the lien.
Public date calculations cover Florida and Kansas. Mississippi dates require qualified review.
Risk context
Mississippi is High Risk for Suppliers
Mississippi's 30-day notice is unforgiving: on a commercial job, a supplier with no contract with the general contractor forfeits the lien if it misses the notice (Miss. Code § 85-7-407(2)). Filing is only part of the job. A copy of the lien must go to the owner within 2 business days, the payment action must start within 180 days, and an owner's notice of contest can end the lien 90 days after the contest is filed.
Deadline schedule
Mississippi Mechanics Lien Deadlines (Updated 2026)
Scroll sideways to see all deadline details.
| Deadline Type | Timing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Lien Filing Deadline | 90 days from last furnishing | File the claim of lien with the chancery clerk within 90 days after your last labor, services, or materials. The claim must include the statutory 180-day expiration statement and the owner's right-to-contest notice (Miss. Code § 85-7-405(1)(b)). |
| 30-Day Notice (commercial) | Within 30 days of first furnishing | Required to preserve your right to file a lien later if you have no contract with the general contractor. Send it to the general contractor, or to the owner if there is none, by email with confirmed receipt, registered or certified mail, or overnight delivery (Miss. Code § 85-7-407(2)). |
| Residential Pre-Lien Notice | At least 10 days before filing | Single-family residential only: give the owner written pre-lien notice. Payments the owner makes to the general contractor before receiving it are an absolute defense (Miss. Code § 85-7-409). |
| Copy to Owner | Within 2 business days after filing | Send a copy of the filed lien to the owner by registered or certified mail or overnight delivery. If you are not the general contractor, also send one to the general contractor (Miss. Code § 85-7-405(1)(b)). |
| Enforcement Deadline | 180 days from lien filing | Lawsuit to foreclose on the lien must be filed by this date. Mississippi calls it a payment action, brought in county, circuit, or chancery court, with a lis pendens filed when it starts. If the owner files a notice of contest, start the action within 90 days of that filing (Miss. Code §§ 85-7-405(1)(c), 85-7-423(3)). |
| Statutes | Governing statutes | Miss. Code §85-7-403; §85-7-405; §85-7-407; §85-7-421; also §§ 85-7-409 and 85-7-423. |
Supplier pitfalls
Common Supplier Mistakes in Mississippi
Missing the 30-day notice on a commercial job
If you supply a subcontractor instead of the general contractor, the 30-day notice to the general contractor is a condition of your lien, and missing it forfeits the lien. Track the first delivery to the site, not the first invoice.
Filing in the wrong office or skipping the 2-business-day mailing
Mississippi liens are filed with the chancery clerk, and a copy must go to the owner within 2 business days of filing. The claim must also include the statutory 180-day expiration statement and the owner's right-to-contest notice, or it is invalid.
Letting the payment action window close
Filing the lien does not collect the debt. Bring the payment action within 180 days of filing, or within 90 days of an owner's notice of contest, and file a lis pendens when you do.
Deadline calculator
Not Sure Which Mississippi Deadline Applies?
Use this Mississippi guide and collect your project facts for qualified review.
Review Mississippi project factsThe public calculator provides dates only for reviewed Florida and Kansas scenarios; it does not calculate a Mississippi date.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Mississippi lien law deadlines?
For suppliers and subcontractors: a 30-day notice on commercial jobs when you have no contract with the general contractor, a lien filed with the chancery clerk within 90 days of your last furnishing, a copy to the owner within 2 business days of filing, and a payment action within 180 days of filing.
Does Mississippi require a preliminary notice?
On commercial projects, yes, if you have no contract with the general contractor: send written notice to the general contractor, or to the owner if there is none, within 30 days of first delivery to the property. The 30-day rule does not apply to single-family residential construction, where you instead give the owner a pre-lien notice at least 10 days before filing. Our preliminary notice deadline guide covers how to track first delivery at intake.
How long do I have to enforce a Mississippi lien?
180 days from the date the lien is filed, by bringing a payment action in county, circuit, or chancery court and filing a lis pendens. If the owner files a notice of contest, act within 90 days of that filing, because the lien can be extinguished then.
Are these the 2024 Mississippi lien law deadlines?
Yes. We reviewed Miss. Code § 85-7-401 et seq. in September 2026 and found no 2024, 2025, or 2026 amendments to the deadline sections, so the 30-, 90-, and 180-day rules shown here also applied to 2024 projects. Confirm with a Mississippi construction attorney before relying on them for a claim.
Important note