The job is finished, the invoice went out weeks ago and you still haven’t been paid. If you work construction in Nevada, you’ve probably been here. Thankfully, a mechanics lien puts a legal claim on the property, which gives the owner a real reason to pay. But Nevada’s deadlines are strict and missing one can cost you those lien rights.
Here’s how to file a mechanics lien in Nevada, when the 90-day window starts and which pre-lien notice subcontractors and suppliers most often forget to send.
The Golden Timeline: Nevada’s Strict 90-Day Rule
The most important number in Nevada lien law is 90 days. The rules are set out in NRS Chapter 108 and Nevada courts enforce them strictly.
Finding Your “Last Day of Furnishing”
The 90 days run from the latest of these three dates:
- Completion of the overall work of improvement
- Your last delivery of materials or furnishing of equipment
- Your last day of labor
Finding the right date is harder than it sounds. The statute doesn’t say whether punch list items, warranty work or repair visits count, so don’t assume they extend your deadline. Count from your last day of substantive contract work and record early if you’re unsure.
Why One Day Late Voids Your Lien
In Nevada, there is no grace period for those who miss their deadline. If you choose to record your claim even one day after the deadline, your lien rights are completely gone. No exceptions, no special treatment.
The Notice of Completion Trap
If the owner records a valid notice of completion and serves it properly, your deadline will drop from 90 days to 40, counted from the day it’s recorded. A slow stretch on the job can set this off too — if all work stops for 30 days straight and doesn’t pick back up under the same contract, the owner can record the notice. At that point, the project counts as complete.
Owners must mail copies to the prime contractor and to anyone who sent a notice of right to lien or asked for one. If you did neither, nobody has to tell you the notice was recorded, and your 40 days can run out before you know it.
If you’re a subcontractor or supplier, send a notice of right to lien on every job, and check the county recorder’s records when you’re close to a deadline.
The Foundation: Nevada’s Mandatory Pre-Lien Rules
Before you record a lien, Nevada requires up to two notices, depending on your role and the project type. Miss a required notice and you can lose the lien or part of it. For the full lifecycle, see CNS’s plain-English guide to how a mechanics lien works.
The 31-Day Notice of Right to Lien
If you don’t contract directly with the property owner, you must serve them a Notice of Right to Lien by personal delivery or certified mail. You must also send a copy to the prime contractor.
Send it within 31 days of your first delivery or day on the job, and your lien covers all of your work. Send it later, and the lien covers only the 31 days before the notice, plus anything after. If you wait until a long project is nearly over, most of your work goes unprotected.
The 15-Day Hurdle on Residential Projects
On single-family or multifamily residential work, you must also serve a 15-day Notice of Intent to Lien on the owner and the prime contractor before you record. Without it, a non-laborer’s lien can’t be enforced. Serving it extends your 90-day recording deadline by 15 days. It doesn’t apply to nonresidential projects.
Identifying the Correct Parties
Don’t guess the owner’s name or take it from the contractor. Confirm it using county recorder and assessor records or the building permit. You can usually amend a naming error, but mistakes still cause delays and disputes, and a vague property description puts the lien itself at risk.
The 5-Step Process to Record Your Claim in Nevada
Once any required notices are out, you can record the lien.
Step 1: Draft the Notice of Lien
Nevada provides a statutory form, and your notice needs to follow it carefully. Minor wording differences won’t sink it, but that flexibility doesn’t apply to deadlines. The notice must state the lienable amount, the owner’s name (if known), who hired you or whom you supplied, your payment terms and a property description.
Step 2: Itemize the Claim
Claim the unpaid balance, not everything you spent. The form asks for your original contract amount, any changed work, payments received and the lien amount after credits and offsets.
Your work, materials or equipment must be worth at least $500 to qualify (NRS 108.2214). Leave out interest and attorney’s fees; the court can award those if you win. Claiming more than you’re owed can get the lien reduced or thrown out, and knowingly putting false information on the notice is a gross misdemeanor.
Step 3: Verify the Notice Under Oath
The statutory form includes the oath and a notary block, so sign it before a notary. A lien without verification is open to challenge.
Step 4: Record in the County Where the Property Is Located
File with the county recorder where the property is located rather than your business location. Complete this step within your 90-day window or 40 days if the owner recorded a valid Notice of Completion. Many claimants hand this step to a lien recording service to make sure it lands correctly and on time.
Step 5: Serve the Owner Within 30 Days of Recording
Deliver a copy in person to the owner or registered agent, or send it by certified mail with return receipt requested. Subcontractors must also give the prime contractor a copy, with the same discipline risk if they don’t.
The 6-Month Enforcement Deadline
Under NRS 108.233, the lien stops binding the property six months after recording unless you file suit to enforce it within that time. You and the affected owners can sign a written extension, but it must be within the six months and can’t run past one year from recording.
For both deadlines side by side, see CNS’s guide to how long you have to file and enforce. If several claimants and a construction lender are involved, lien priority decides who gets paid first.
Protect Your Lien Rights Before the Clock Runs Out
Nevada’s lien deadlines are strict and missing a deadline usually costs you your lien rights. You can still sue for what you’re owed, but you lose your claim against the property. The dates to keep straight:
- Subcontractors and suppliers: Send a notice of right to lien within 31 days of starting work to cover the whole job.
- Everyone: Record within 90 days (or 40 if the owner records a Notice of Completion).
- After recording: Serve the owner within 30 days.
- To enforce: File suit within six months of recording.
Your lien deadline may already be running. CNS prepares and records lien documents for Nevada contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, and handles the lien release once you’re paid.
Don’t wait until the deadline is close. Create a free account to get started, or contact CNS with questions about your project.