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A mechanic’s lien is a legal document used by contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers to secure payment for work completed on a construction project. Filing a mechanic’s lien essentially states that:
- You’re owed money for services provided
- You’re expecting payment by a specific date
- You’ll proceed with litigation if you don’t receive payment by that date
While a lien is in place, it restricts the general contractor (GC) or owner from selling, refinancing, or transferring the property without paying you. That pressure makes liens one of the most powerful payment tools available—especially for subcontractors and suppliers.
Mechanic’s lien laws vary significantly by state, with different rules on who can lien, what notices are required, and when liens must be filed and enforced. This guide walks through the essentials of Alabama lien rights so you can better protect your right to be paid.
Not required
Material suppliers only: Written Notice to Owner required before furnishing any materials to preserve full-price lien rights
Not required for other parties, but recommended
Not required, but recommended
Not required
Notice of Lien Claim required before filing a lien
Notice of Lien Claim required before filing a lien
Within 6 months after last furnishing labor or materials
Within 4 months after last furnishing labor or materials
Within 30 days after last day of labor
Within 6 months after the full amount you’re owed becomes due
Within 6 months after the full amount you’re owed becomes due
Within 6 months after the full amount you’re owed becomes due
Full contract amount
Unpaid balance of work/materials furnished; full price for material suppliers who gave advance notice
Unpaid balance of labor
Mechanic’s lien rights in Alabama are governed by Ala. Code §§ 35-11-210 through 35-11-234 and apply only to private construction projects. (Public property cannot be liened. If you’re unpaid on public work exceeding $100,000, payment disputes are handled through payment bond claims.)
While Alabama uses a single system for filing and enforcing liens, the amount a lien can secure is not always the same and depends on your role:
- Full-price lien: Available to all general contractors (GCs), and material suppliers that give the owner advance written notice before supplying the materials. Entitles them to the full price of what’s owed to them.
- Unpaid-balance lien: Applies to most other claimants—such as subcontractors, laborers, and suppliers who did not give advance notice—and limits recovery based on what the owner still owes the GC.
Alabama is also one of a handful of states that requires subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers to serve the owner with a notice that they intend to file a lien (Ala.Code § 350-11-218). Material suppliers who submitted a Notice to the Owner at the start of the project are the only ones exempt from this pre-filing rule.
With this in mind, let’s break down the rest.
In Alabama, mechanic’s lien rights extend to:
- General contractors (original contractors with direct contracts with the owner)
- Subcontractors and lower-tier subcontractors
- Material suppliers and vendors
- Laborers and workers
- Equipment suppliers and machinery providers
- Architects and design professionals who prepare drawings and supervise work
To be eligible for a mechanic’s lien in Alabama, your work or materials must constitute an “improvement” (a.k.a. add value) to real property (Ala. Code § 35-11-210).
Lienable Work in Alabama
You can generally lien for:
- Construction, repair, alteration, or beautification of buildings or structures
- On-site labor and wages
- Materials, fixtures, engines, boilers, and machinery incorporated into the improvement
- Waste-disposal services and equipment related to construction
- Design, planning, and supervisory services used in construction
- Off-site fabrication if the materials are later incorporated into the project
Non-Lienable Work in Alabama
You cannot typically lien for:
- Work on public projects
- Surveying and boundary marking services
- Trade fixtures that can be easily removed (like printing presses)
- Pest control services
- Routine maintenance or warranty work after completion
Before filing a lien in Alabama, make sure you’ve met any notice requirements that apply to your role (see table above).
Deadline to File
- General (original) contractors: Within 6 months after last furnishing labor or materials
- Subcontractors and suppliers: Within 4 months after last furnishing labor or materials
- Laborers: Within 30 days of the last day of work
Filing Requirements
- Location: Office of the Judge of Probate in the county where the property is located
- Form: Verified Statement of Lien using Alabama Code § 35-11-213 statutory form (or a form that is substantially similar). Must include:
- Claimant’s name and address
- Property owner’s name and address
- Description of property sufficient for identification:
- City/town property: House number, street name, and city/town name
- Rural property: Must describe building/improvement location plus one additional acre
- Amount of lien claim after all credits have been given
- Verification based on personal knowledge (“to the best of knowledge and belief”)
- Notarized: Yes, an Alabama statement of lien must be notarized
- Filing fee: Yes, but specific fees vary by county
Service Requirements
Alabama law does not require that a recorded mechanic’s lien be sent separately to the property owner or any other party.
Filing your lien is just the first step, and it doesn't automatically guarantee payment. In Alabama, you'll need to actively enforce your lien through the court system to collect what you're owed.
Enforcement Requirements
- Enforcement deadline: Within 6 months after the full amount you’re owed becomes due (Ala. Code § 35-11-221)
- Filing location: Circuit court in the county where property is located if claim exceeds $50; district court for smaller claims
- Lien priority: Generally relates back to the commencement of work. Liens have priority over mortgages recorded after work begins. Earlier-recorded mortgages generally take lien priority, though.
Lien Release Requirements
Once the debt is paid, the lienholder must record a written acknowledgment of satisfaction with the Judge of Probate. Failure to do so within 30 days after written demand can cost you $200 or more in penalties (Ala. Code § 35-11-231).
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Usually, no. If you were required to hold a contractor’s license and didn’t have one, you generally can’t enforce a mechanic’s lien for that work.
Yes—subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers can file a mechanic’s lien in Alabama without a direct contract with the owner. However, unless you qualify for a full-price lien (such as a material supplier who gave advance notice), your lien will generally be limited to the unpaid balance the owner still owes the general contractor.
Nope, Alabama’s lien filing and enforcement deadlines cannot be shortened.
Every claimant except the original (general) contractor must send a written ‘Notice of Lien Claim’ to the property owner before filing a mechanic’s lien. This notice must state:
- a statement that you're claiming a lien,
- the lien amount,
- type of work performed, and
- name of person or company who owes the money.
However, material suppliers who already gave advance notice under Ala. Code § 35-11-210 are not required to send this additional notice before filing their lien.
Only in limited circumstances. Material suppliers are the only parties who may need to send an advanced written notice to the owner, and only if they want to preserve the right to claim a full-price lien. The notice must specify exact materials and prices (general descriptions may not be considered valid).
If you’re a material supplier and you do not send this advance notice, two things apply:
- Before filing a lien, you must send the owner a Notice of Lien Claim stating the amount owed, what it’s for, and who owes it
- Your lien recovery will generally be limited to the unpaid balance the owner still owes the GC
All other claimants—including general contractors, subcontractors, and laborers—are not required to send a preliminary notice in Alabama.
No, but use clear, unambiguous language specifying exactly what payments and work periods you're waiving. Read up on Alabama lien waiver rights in full here.
Alabama does not create different types of mechanic’s liens with different deadlines or procedures. Instead, the distinction is how much the lien can secure.
- General contractors are entitled to lien for the full amount owed under their contract.
- Material suppliers may also claim a full-price lien if they gave the owner advance written notice before supplying materials and the owner did not object.
- Most other claimants—including subcontractors, laborers, and suppliers who did not give advance notice—are generally limited to an unpaid-balance lien, meaning their recovery cannot exceed what the owner still owes the GC
This distinction affects only the lien amount, not filing or enforcement deadlines.
This depends on the lien type available to you based on your role and whether advance notice was given (looking at you, material suppliers):
- Full-price lien: You may lien for the full unpaid contract amount owed to you.
- Unpaid-balance lien: Your recovery is limited to the unpaid balance remaining between the owner and the general contractor.
Generally, you can include costs for:
- Labor and wages
- Materials and supplies incorporated into the project
- Equipment and machinery that become part of the improvement
- Change orders and extra work performed under the original contract
Attorney’s fees and unrelated damages are generally not lienable unless provided for by contract.
Nope! Oral agreements are sufficient for filing a mechanic’s lien in Alabama. That said, written contracts are strongly recommended to avoid disputes over scope, pricing, and payment terms.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult with a qualified construction attorney in your state regarding specific legal matters before taking any action that could affect your lien rights.