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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 Wyoming's lien rights so you can better protect your right to be paid.
Preliminary Notice of Right to Lien required before receiving any payment from the owner
Preliminary Notice of Right to Lien required within 30 days after first furnishing of labor or materials
Preliminary Notice of Right to Lien required within 30 days of first furnishing labor
Notice of Intention to File Lien required at least 20 days before filing lien statement
Notice of Intention to File Lien required at least 20 days before filing lien statement
Notice of Intention to File Lien required at least 20 days before filing lien statement
Within 150 days from last furnishing of work/materials or substantial completion—whichever is earlier
Within 120 days from last furnishing of work/materials or substantial completion—whichever is earlier
Within 120 days from last furnishing of labor
Within 180 days after the lien is filed
Within 180 days after the lien is filed
Within 180 days after the lien is filed
Unpaid contract balance for lienable labor, materials, and equipment furnished
Unpaid value of lienable labor, materials, and equipment furnished
Unpaid value of labor performed
Mechanic's lien rights in Wyoming are governed by Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 29-1-101 through 29-1-312. These statutes apply only to private construction projects. (Public projects cannot be liened in Wyoming. Payment disputes on public work are handled through payment bond protection instead.)
Wyoming's mechanic's lien system is relatively straightforward, with no mandatory preliminary notice requirements for most claimants. The most important thing to protect your lien rights is meeting the lien filing and enforcement deadlines, as well as any corresponding role-specific requirements. We break it all down below.
Wyoming lien rights generally extend to:
- General (prime) contractors
- Subcontractors of any tier
- Material suppliers and vendors
- Laborers and tradespeople
- Design professionals (including architects, engineers, and surveyors) working under contract
- Parties improving leasehold interests, in certain cases
In Wyoming, a lien applies to work or materials furnished for the permanent improvement of private property. Under Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-201(a)(iii), “improvement” is broadly defined and covers demolition, construction, alteration, and repair.
Here are examples of what’s considered lienable and what isn’t.
Lienable Work in Wyoming
- Labor performed on a private construction project
- Materials incorporated into the improvement
- Equipment or machinery furnished or rented for the project
- Fuel and lubricants consumed in the work
- Design, engineering, and surveying services tied to construction
Non-Lienable Work in Wyoming
- Work on public projects
- Work or materials not provided under a contract
- Administrative or off-site services unrelated to construction
- Materials delivered but not actually used on the project
Before filing a lien in Wyoming, ensure that all required notices—specifically, the preliminary notice and notice of intent to lien—were sent on time (see table above).
Deadline to File
- General contractors must file a lien statement within 150 days of last furnishing or substantial completion—whichever occurs first.
- Subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers must file a lien statement within 120 days of last furnishing or substantial completion—whichever occurs first (Wyo. Stat. § 29-2-106(a)).
Filing Requirements
- Filing location: File the lien statement with the County Clerk’s office in the county where the property is located.
- Form requirements: The lien statement must substantially follow the form requirements specified in Wyo. Stat. § 29-10-104, including:
- Name and address of the lien claimant
- Amount claimed to be due
- Name and address of the record owner
- Itemized description of labor performed or materials furnished
- Name of the party responsible for payment
- Date of last furnishing or substantial completion
- Legal description of the property
- Copy or summary of the contract (if available)
- Verification: The lien statement must be verified for accuracy, sworn to, and notarized (Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-312(a)).
- Filing fee: Recording fee is set under Wyo. Stat. § 18-3-402; however, the exact amount may vary by county and number of pages.
Service Requirements
After filing a lien statement, claimants must send written notice to the owner within 30 days after the filing date. The notice must be sent by certified mail (return receipt requested) and substantially follow the statutory form provided under Wyo. Stat. § 29-10-103. Failing to send this notice won’t invalidate the lien, but Wyoming law still requires it.
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 Wyoming.
Enforcement Requirements
- Enforcement deadline: File a foreclosure lawsuit within 180 days after recording the lien statement (Wyo. Stat. § 29-2-109).
- Filing location: File the suit with the District Court or Circuit Court in the county where the property is located.
- Lien priority: Wyoming construction liens are generally on equal footing with other liens, regardless of filing date. That said, pre-existing mortgages or liens recorded before construction began usually have priority. And if proceeds from the sale of the property are insufficient, lien claimants will split the amount pro rata (Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-402).
Lien Release Requirements
Once the lien is otherwise satisfied, the lien claimant must record a Notice of Satisfaction with the county clerk within 30 days and send a copy to the owner (Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-313).
If the claimant ignores a written request to release the lien after payment, Wyoming law allows the owner to recover daily penalties equal to 0.10% of the original debt, capped at $100 per day, until the lien is released (Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-314).
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Yes. Wyoming provides statutory lien waiver forms, and any waiver that does not substantially comply with the statutory language may be unenforceable. Brush up on all of Wyoming’s lien waiver requirements here.
Yes. Wyoming’s lien statutes do not expressly tie lien rights to contractor licensing. That said, performing work without required licensing can still create real problems at enforcement, including defenses to payment or separate penalties under other laws.
Yes. Subcontractors, suppliers, and lower-tier parties can file a Wyoming mechanic’s lien even without a direct contract with the owner, so long as all required notices are properly sent.
Not exactly. The number of days you get to file or enforce a lien stays the same. However, in some cases, the clock can start earlier than you expect.
A property owner can record a Notice of Substantial Completion, which treats the project as complete as of the recording date. When that happens, your lien filing deadline may start running sooner, even if work is wrapped up later.
Separately, parties can agree in writing to extend lien deadlines, so long as the agreement is notarized, recorded, and stays within the limits set by statute (Wyo. Stat. § 29-2-106(c)–(e)).
Yes. Wyoming requires all lien claimants to send a Notice of Intention to File Lien at least 20 days before recording a lien statement.
This notice must be sent by certified mail and generally follow the form contents set out in Wyo. Stat. § 29-10-102, including:
- The record owner’s name
- The date of the notice
- A statement that the claimant intends to file a lien against the property
- The amount of the lien claim
- The name of the party from whom payment is due
- A statement that the lien will be filed if the matter is not resolved within 20 days
- Identification of the lien claimant
If this notice isn’t sent on time, you lose your lien rights entirely.
Yes. Most lien claimants must send a Preliminary Notice of Right to Lien. GCs must send it before receiving any payment, and subcontractors and suppliers must send it within 30 days of first furnishing (Wyo. Stat. § 29-2-112).
This notice must substantially follow the form set out in Wyo. Stat. § 29-10-101 and therefore must include:
- Name, address, and telephone number of contractor, subcontractor or materialman, and contact person
- Materials provided or work performed
- General property description and address
- Legal property description (for land records)
Missing this notice bars lien rights entirely.
In Wyoming, you can generally lien for the unpaid value of lienable work you provided under your contract. That typically includes:
- Labor performed on the project
- Materials incorporated into the improvement
- Equipment, machinery, fuel, and supplies used for the work
- Certain professional services, such as design or engineering, when they’re directly tied to construction
What you usually should not include in a Wyoming lien claim are:
- Attorneys’ fees, unless a court later awards them
- Interest, delay damages, or consequential damages
- Charges that aren’t directly tied to lienable labor or materials
Be careful not to include non-lienable amounts or inflate the claim. Overstated or improper liens can be challenged and may trigger penalties under Wyoming law (Wyo. Stat. § 29-1-601).
No. A written contract is not required to file a Wyoming mechanic’s lien. Oral or implied contracts can support lien rights.
That said, the lien statement must include a copy of the contract if one exists or a summary of the agreement and an explanation of where a copy can be found. And from a practical standpoint, having a written contract makes lien enforcement much easier if the claim 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.