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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 on who can lien, what notices are required, and when liens must be filed and enforced. This guide walks through the essentials of Washington's lien rights so you can better protect your right to be paid.
No preliminary notice required; however, must (1) post project information at the jobsite on projects over $5,000, and (2) provide required project information to subs and suppliers
Notice of Right to Claim Lien required within 60 days of first furnishing; 10 days for new single-family homes
Not required
Not required
Not required
Not required
Within 90 days after last work or material delivery
Within 90 days after last work or material delivery
Within 90 days after last labor
Within 8 months after the lien is recorded, the owner must be served within 90 days after filing the action
Within 8 months after the lien is recorded, the owner must be served within 90 days after filing the action
Within 8 months after the lien is recorded, the owner must be served within 90 days after filing the action
Unpaid amount of labor, materials, equipment, and qualifying services furnished
Unpaid amount of labor, materials, equipment, and qualifying services furnished
Unpaid amount of labor performed (including labor-related benefit contributions)
Washington mechanic's lien rights are governed by the Revised Code of Washington, Chapter 60.04 and apply to private construction projects. (Public projects cannot be liened the same way; if you're unpaid on public work, the usual remedy is a payment bond claim under Washington's public works bond laws.)
One important feature of Washington lien law is how preliminary notices work for subcontractors and suppliers. While notice can sometimes be sent later, sending it within 60 days of first furnishing (or 10 days on new single-family residential construction) is the best practice to preserve lien rights for the full scope of work. Sending notice late may limit how much of the claim can be included in the lien.
Let's get into the rest.
Under RCW 60.04.011 and 60.04.021, Washington allows mechanic’s liens for most parties who contribute directly to improving private property. This typically includes:
- Prime (general) contractors
- Subcontractors of any tier
- Material suppliers
- Equipment rental companies
- Laborers
- Design professionals (architects, engineers, surveyors, etc.) providing qualifying “professional services”
- Employee benefit plan claims tied to labor contributions
Washington liens cover work that contributes to an “improvement” of real property, a term defined broadly under RCW 60.04.011. Here are some examples of what’s considered lienable and what isn’t
Lienable Work in Washington
- Constructing, altering, repairing, remodeling, or demolishing structures
- Clearing, grading, or filling work
- Landscaping and planting (trees, shrubs, lawns, and related materials)
- On-site labor performed for compensation
- Materials and supplies furnished for the improvement
- Equipment rented/leased/supplied for use on the project
- Professional services (surveying, plans/specs, inspection/testing, architectural/engineering services)
Non-Lienable Work in Washington
- Work on public projects
- Purely administrative overhead not tied to furnishing lienable labor, services, materials, or equipment
- Consequential damages that aren’t the contract price of lienable furnishing (see RCW 60.04.021; 60.04.011(2), (4))
Before filing a lien in Washington, make sure you’ve met any notice or preliminary requirements that apply to your role (see table above).
Deadline to File
All claimants must record a Notice of Claim of Lien no later than 90 days after they last furnished labor, professional services, materials, or equipment.
Filing Requirements
- Filing location: Record the Notice of Claim of Lien with the county auditor in the county where the property is located.
- Form requirements: Washington provides a statutory Claim of Lien format. A recorded lien must include:
- Claimant name, phone number, and address
- First and last furnishing dates (or last date benefit contributions were due)
- Name of the person who owes you money
- Property description (street address, legal description, or other reasonable identifying description)
- Owner or reputed owner name (or state “unknown” if not known)
- Principal amount claimed
- Verification: The lien must be signed, made under penalty of perjury, and notarized under RCW 60.04.091(2).
- Filing fee: Varies by county; cannot exceed the amount charged for recording other documents.
Service Requirements
After recording your lien, you must send a copy of the recorded claim to the property owner (or reputed owner) within 14 days. Service must be completed by certified or registered mail or by personal delivery. If you fail to meet this service requirement, the lien itself can still be valid, but you may lose the right to recover attorneys’ fees and costs from the owner if the dispute goes to court.
Recording a lien preserves your rights—but enforcement is how you get paid. Here’s what you must do to ensure you enforce your lien in Washington.
Enforcement Requirements
- Enforcement deadline: File a lien foreclosure lawsuit within eight months after the lien claim was recorded, and serve the owner within 90 days after filing the action (RCW 60.04.141).
- Filing location: Must be filed with the Superior Court in the county where the property is located.
- Lien priority: Washington uses two priority rules:
- A lien generally takes priority over mortgages or other encumbrances that attach after work begins or materials are first delivered.
- When multiple liens exist, claims are paid in a set order—labor first, then benefit contributions, then materials and equipment, then subcontractors, and finally GCs and design professionals—with each group paid pro rata if funds are limited.
Lien Release Requirements
Once the debt has been paid, lienholders must immediately prepare, sign, and deliver a release of lien rights for the amount paid if requested. If the lien release is unreasonably delayed, a court can award costs and attorneys’ fees in an action to force release (RCW 60.04.071).
- Unified workflow: Manage lien rights within your billing and collections workflow to keep payment context in one place.
- Automated compliance: Automatically track critical deadlines and milestones based on each state's lien laws.
- Meaningful visibility: View the lien protection status for each project to identify and mitigate risk.
- Document creation: Generate state-specific lien notices instantly using existing project data
- Integrated delivery: Send notices via certified mail directly from Siteline to streamline delivery.
Not usually. If your role requires contractor registration or licensing and you were not properly registered or licensed when the work was performed, your lien rights may be denied. If you have specific licensing questions, it’s best to consult a Washington construction attorney.
Yes. Subcontractors, suppliers, and others down the chain can still file a lien in Washington, so long as they follow the notice rules that apply to their role.
Generally, no. Washington’s lien deadlines can’t be shortened by contract or by “posting completion” the way some states allow.
There is one main exception on the enforcement end: If you gave credit and you state the credit terms in the recorded lien, then the lien’s enforcement period can last up to eight months after the credit period ends instead of eight months after recording the lien (RCW 60.04.141).
No, Washington does not require a Notice of Intent before filing a mechanic’s lien.
For most subcontractors and suppliers, the answer is yes. In Washington, this notice is called a Notice of Right to Claim a Lien. As a best practice, it should be sent—via certified mail or personal delivery—within 60 days of first furnishing labor, materials, or services (or within 10 days for single-family residential jobs).
Missing that window won’t automatically eliminate your lien rights, but it will limit them. A late notice generally only protects work and materials furnished within the 60 days (or 10 days) before the notice is given, along with everything furnished after (RCW 60.04.031).
Although this is not a preliminary notice requirement, Washington law also places certain lien-related disclosure obligations on GCs:
- On projects over $5,000, GCs must post lien rights information at the jobsite or include it with the building permit (RCW 60.04.230(1)–(2)).
- GCs are also required to make lien information available to subcontractors and suppliers upon request (RCW 60.04.261.).
These requirements do not replace notices sent by lower-tier parties. However, a GC’s failure to comply can still expose them to civil penalties and affect lien disputes.
There is no statutory lien waiver form in Washington, so parties are free to use any format they choose. To ensure complete compliance, brush up on the specifics in our Washington lien waiver guide before your next project.
A Washington mechanic’s lien generally covers the unpaid contract price for lienable labor, professional services, materials, or equipment furnished to the project. This includes labor-related employee benefit contributions, which Washington treats as part of furnishing labor.
You typically can’t lien for attorneys’ fees, collections costs, or penalties, but you may be able to recover the amounts later.
Be careful not to claim more than you’re actually owed. In Washington, owners can quickly challenge a lien that’s clearly inflated or filed without good reason, and if the court agrees, you could end up paying the other side’s attorneys’ fees (RCW 60.04.081).
Not necessarily. In Washington, a lien can be based on the agreed contract price or, if no price was agreed upon, the reasonable value of the work performed (RCW 60.04.011(2); 60.04.021). That said, written contracts are still best practice because they make scope, pricing, and last-furnishing dates easier to prove if the lien is disputed.
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.