How to File a Mechanics Lien in Arizona - YouTube

If you’re filing a Mechanics Lien to get paid in Arizona, you’re in the right place.

This is a step by step video guide to help you file your mechanics lien and get you paid. 

Before you jump into filing a lien, be sure to check if you have the right to file a lien

in Arizona and have complied with the preliminary notice requirements.

If you need help determining if you have lien rights in Arizona, you can head over to our

Arizona Mechanics Lien Law FAQs page on levelset.com.

Step one, is preparing the lien claim document itself.

This needs to be (a) in the right format, and (b) have all the necessary information

to be valid. 

On levelset.com, you can download a free, customizable Arizona mechanics lien form.

It was created and reviewed by construction attorneys and payment experts; and has been

successfully been used by thousands of Arizona contractors and suppliers to get paid.

Make sure you include the following information: 1.

A property description,
 2.

The name of owner and hiring party,
 3.

The claim amount, 
 4.

The terms of construction contract that the lien is based on,


5.

The date of completion of the entire project,
 6.

A copy of your 20-day notice and proof of mailing, and 


7.

And it must be signed and notarized.


Regarding the terms of the contract requirement, if the contract is written, you should include

a copy with the lien claim.

If the contract is oral, this just requires a simple statement outlining the terms and

conditions.

Getting all of the required information can be difficult, but we’re here to help.

You can always go to levelset.com and get free help from lawyers and experts.

Once you have your lien form properly filled out and notarized, it’s time to file. 

  In Arizona, the general rule is that a mechanics

lien claim must be recorded within 120 days of completion of the construction or improvement

of the entire project.

Remember, we’re talking about the completion of the entire project here, not just your

last day of providing labor or materials.  

There is, however, one exception.

If the property owner records a Notice of Completion, this 120-day deadline will be

cut in half! 

Which means that you’ll only have 60 days to file your lien after this notice of completion

is recorded. 

You might be wondering, how do I know if a Notice of Completion has been recorded?

Well, if the owner files one, they’re also legally required to serve a copy of the notice

within 15 days to anyone who sent a preliminary notice.

If the owner didn’t send a copy of the notice, you can just stick to the 120-day deadline. 

You should file your lien claim in the county recorder’s office where the property being

liened is located.

To make this process easier for you, we’ve put together a list of all the county recorder’s

offices in the state of Arizona on levelset.com, along with links to their websites. 

There are a few different ways that you can get your lien recorded in Arizona. 

If you’re filing in person, be sure to bring multiple blank checks so you can make sure

you get the filing fee right. 

If you’re filing  by mail, you’ll need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope

with return instructions if you want to receive a stamped copy of the recorded lien for your

records.

Lastly, there are many Arizona counties (like Maricopa county) that allow electronic filing

as well.

This can be the quickest way to ensure the lien is filed.

But you’ll need to be careful that the digital upload is both formatted properly and is legible.  

Filing in person is definitely the best option.

Sure, you’ll have to actually go down to the office and wait in line, but going in

person will ensure that your lien gets recorded that day.

If any issues arise, you can address them right away and avoid any potential delays. 

Once you’ve successfully filed your mechanics lien claim, the last step is to send a copy

of the lien to the property owner by registered or certified mail, with return receipt requested.

You’re also required to send a copy of your lien claim “within a reasonable time”

after its recorded, but there’s no actual definition of what a “reasonable time”

is!

The best practice here is to send the notice on the same day you filed your claim. 

 

Once you’ve served your lien, congratulations!

You’re one step closer to getting paid what you’ve earned.

But you’re not done yet.

Your Arizona lien will only be effective for 6 months after filing, so you’ll want to

enforce your lien, meaning foreclosing on the property, or release your lien as soon

as you get paid. 

Keep in mind, if you do decide to enforce your lien rights, you’ll also need to file

a Notice of Lis Pendens.

This is simply a notice that there is currently a legal action being taken that affects the

property.

It needs to be recorded in the county recorder’s office where the lien was filed within 5 days

of filing the lawsuit. 

We hope this video has been helpful.

Filing a lien by yourself can be really difficult, but if you’re ready and willing to do it

alone, just follow the steps above to ensure your lien is filed properly.

Don’t forget, we’re always here if you want to take the stress out of filing a mechanics

lien.

If you have any other construction payment questions, head over to levelset.com to get

payment help from lawyers or live chat with one of our payment experts.

If you want to see more construction payment videos, be sure to subscribe to our channel.

And remember, payment help is here.