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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 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 governing who can file a lien, what notices are required, and timelines for filing and enforcement. This guide covers the essentials of Nevada's mechanic's lien laws to help you protect your right to payment.
Not required; however, GCs must provide a separate Notice to Owner before signing the contract (and give a copy to each sub)
Required to submit a Notice of Right to Lien within 31 days of first furnishing work or materials
Not required
Commercial: Not required
Residential: Required at least 15 days before filing a lien
Commercial: Not required
Residential: Required at least 15 days before filing a lien
Not required
Commercial: Within 90 days after last work, or within 40 days after a Notice of Completion is recorded
Residential: Deadline extends by 15 days if NOI is served—within 105 days after last work or 55 days after a Notice of Completion
Commercial: Within 90 days after furnishing last work/materials, or within 40 days after a Notice of Completion is recorded
Residential: Deadline extends by 15 days if NOI is served—within 105 days after last furnishing or 55 days after a Notice of Completion
Within 90 days after the last day of work, or within 40 days after a Notice of Completion is recorded
After 30 days and up to 6 months after the lien filing date (or record a valid written extension agreement)
After 30 days and up to 6 months after the lien filing date (or record a valid written extension agreement)
After 30 days and up to 6 months after the lien filing date (or record a valid written extension agreement)
Unpaid portion of the contract price
Unpaid value of labor, materials, or equipment furnished
Unpaid wages for labor performed
Mechanic's liens in Nevada apply only to private construction projects. Public projects can't be liened; instead, the state's Little Miller Act requires general contractors to post payment and performance bonds on jobs over $100,000.
For private work, Nevada's lien rules live in the Mechanics' and Materialmen's Liens section of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS), Chapter 108. These statutes outline who can file, what work qualifies, and the exact notice and filing steps required to protect your claim.
Though Nevada's rules can feel technical—especially because some requirements differ between residential and commercial projects—we break it all down for you here.
In Nevada, mechanic's lien rights are pretty inclusive and generally extend to:
- General (original) contractors
- Subcontractors and lower-tier subcontractors
- Material suppliers
- Equipment lessors and rental companies
- Laborers and tradespeople
- Artisans and builders
- Miners
- Architects, engineers, geologists, and land surveyors
To be eligible for a mechanic's lien in Nevada, each lien claimant must provide work, materials, or equipment valued at $500 or more for the construction, alteration, or repair of any property or work of improvement.
Here are some examples of what’s considered lienable and what isn’t.
Lienable Work in Nevada
- Construction, alteration, or repair of buildings or structures
- Grading, excavating, filling, or site preparation
- Landscaping, irrigation, and planting
- Demolition or removal of existing improvements or vegetation
- Installation of utilities, sewers, or public infrastructure on private property
- Equipment furnished or rented for use on the project
- Professional design and surveying services tied to the improvement
Non-Lienable Work in Nevada
- Work on public projects
- Materials or equipment not actually used in the improvement
- Work requiring a license when the claimant was unlicensed
Before filing a lien in Nevada, make sure you’ve met any notice or preliminary requirements that apply to your role (see table above).
Deadline to File
Commercial Projects
All lien claimants—GCs, subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers—must record their lien:
- Within 90 days after their last day of work or last delivery of materials, or
- Within 40 days after the owner records a Notice of Completion.
Residential Projects
On single-family or multifamily residential projects, GCs, subcontractors, and suppliers must serve a 15-day Notice of Intent to Lien (NOI) before filing a lien.
Once the NOI is served, the lien filing deadline is extended by 15 days:
- Within 105 days after the last day of work or the last delivery of materials, or
- Within 55 days after the owner records a Notice of Completion.
(Laborers are not required to serve an NOI. Their filing deadline remains the standard 90 days after last labor, or 40 days after the owner records a Notice of Completion.)
Filing Requirements
- Filing location: County recorder’s office where the property is located.
- Form requirements: A valid Nevada lien notice must “substantially” be in the statutory form provided in NRS 108.226—meaning the exact format doesn’t have to be followed as long as the content matches the required elements:
- Original contract value
- Total value of additional or changed work, materials, or equipment
- Total payments received to date
- Lien amounts after all credits
- Owner’s name
- Hiring party’s name
- Brief statement outlining contractual payment terms
- Property description sufficient for identification (address)
- Verification: Notice of lien must be signed under oath and notarized.
- Filing fee: Yes, but specific fees vary by county.
Service Requirements
After filing a lien, claimants must serve a copy of the lien on the property owner within 30 days via personal delivery or certified mail. Subs and suppliers must also send a copy to the GC (NRS § 108.227).
Recording the lien protects your rights; enforcing the lien is how you actually get paid if the debt isn’t resolved. Enforcing a mechanic’s lien in Nevada specifically means filing a lawsuit to foreclose the lien, which asks the court to order the sale of the property so the lien can be paid from the proceeds.
Enforcement Requirements
- Enforcement deadline: No earlier than 30 days after recording the lien and no later than six months after the recording date. If you need more time, Nevada allows claimants to submit an extension agreement before the six-month deadline.
- Additional filing: At the time the foreclosure complaint is filed, the lien claimant must also record a notice of pendency of action (lis pendens).
- Filing location: Foreclosure lawsuits must be filed in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county where the property is located—typically, the county’s district.
- Lien priority: Nevada pays claimants in this order:
- Laborers
- Material suppliers and equipment lessors
- Sub-tier subcontractors and subcontractors
- General contractors and all other claimants
Lien Release Requirements
Once the lien has been paid or is otherwise resolved, the claimant must record a Discharge or Release of Notice of Lien within 10 days to avoid potential liability.
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Generally, no. Under NRS 108.222, subsection 2, if the work you performed requires a Nevada contractors or professional license, you must hold the proper license to claim a lien. Unlicensed work that should have been licensed automatically voids lien rights.
When in doubt, consult legal counsel before relying on lien rights.
Yes, all tiers—GCs, subcontractors, lower-tier contractors, and suppliers—can file a mechanic’s lien in Nevada.
Yes, but just the lien filing deadline. Once work is finished, the property owner can record a Notice of Completion in the county where the property is located. When they do, the lien filing window becomes much shorter:
- 40 days after the notice is recorded on commercial projects, or
- 55 days on residential projects where an NOI applies.
The owner must serve a copy of the notice to the GC and to every claimant who either requested it or served a Notice of Right to Lien within 10 days of recording.
Only if you’re working on a single-family or multifamily residential project (and you’re not a laborer; they’re exempt altogether). If this applies, then you must send a Notice of Intent to Lien (NOI) at least 15 days before you file a lien.
The NOI should include “substantially” the same information as the future lien, like:
- Original contract value
- Total value of additional or changed work, materials, or equipment
- Total payments received to date
- Lien amounts after all credits
- Owner’s name
- Hiring party’s name
- Brief statement outlining contractual payment terms
- Property description sufficient for identification (address)
You must deliver an NOI in person or by certified mail; otherwise, you won’t be able to file your lien.
Submitting an NOI extends the lien filing timeline by 15 days, so either 105 days after your last day of work or 55 days after a Notice of Completion is recorded.
GCs do not need a preliminary notice on private projects, but they must give the owner a Notice to Owner (complying with NRS § 108.246) before signing the contract and provide copies to each subcontractor.
All parties besides GCs and laborers must submit a preliminary notice—called a Notice of Right to Lien—within 31 days of first furnishing labor or materials. This notice must include:
- Owner’s name and address
- General description of the labor/materials/services
- Property description (address or legal description)
- Name of the person who contracted with the claimant (the payer)
- Claimant’s name, address, and signature
This document must be delivered personally or via certified mail to the owner; subs and suppliers must also send it to the GC.
Filing this notice late won’t wipe out your lien rights, but it will limit them. You’ll only be able to lien for work done in the 31 days before the notice is served and anything after that. Earlier work isn’t lienable.
Yes—Nevada is one of the few states that mandates statutory waiver forms. See all Nevada lien waiver requirements here.
Nevada is a “full‑price” lien state, meaning you can lien for the entire amount owed to you, including labor, wages, materials, and equipment used on the job.
For GCs, the lien amount is the full contract price minus any valid subcontractor or supplier liens. If a lower‑tier party files a lien, the owner is legally allowed to withhold that amount from the GC.
GCs should also be aware of this extra obligation; if the GC has been paid for work that’s later subject to a subcontractor’s lien, the GC must defend the owner in any foreclosure action at the GC’s own expense.
If you do prevail in a lien action, Nevada law allows you to recover:
- The full lienable amount owed
- Costs of preparing and recording the lien
- Attorney’s fees
- Court and representation costs
- Interest
No. Nevada allows liens for work performed “by contract or otherwise,” meaning contracts can be written, oral, or implied. However, a written contract is always the safest option if you need to prove your claim or enforce your lien.
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.