Texas · mechanics lien · for subcontractors & suppliers
Texas mechanics lien deadline
15th-of-the-3rd-month notice + 15th-of-the-4th-month lien filing. Texas runs on the 15th of the month: subs send a monthly unpaid-balance notice by the 15th of the 3rd month after the work, and file the lien by the 15th of the 4th month after completion.
Your deadlines (computed live)
| Deadline | Due (sample) | Days left | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly notice of unpaid balance (3rd month, 15th) For each month you went unpaid, a subcontractor must send the required notice by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month the labor/material was furnished. (Pre-2022 projects use the older two-notice 2nd/3rd-month rule.) |
2026-08-15 | 53 d | Tex. Prop. Code § 53.056 (as amended eff. 2022-01-01) |
| Lien affidavit filing deadline (15th of 4th month) A subcontractor must file the lien affidavit by the 15th day of the 4th calendar month after the month in which the work was completed, terminated, or abandoned. (General contractors on residential: 15th of the 3rd month.) |
2026-09-15 | 84 d | Tex. Prop. Code § 53.052(a) |
| Lawsuit to foreclose the lien Suit to foreclose must be brought within 1 year (residential) or 2 years (commercial) of the last day a lien claimant could file the affidavit, or within 1 year after completion — confirm which applies. |
— | — | Tex. Prop. Code § 53.158 |
⏱️ Track THIS job's clock — free
Don't trust a calculator you have to re-open. Enter your job once; we watch the clock and alert you as the window closes (14 / 7 / 5 / 3 / 1 days out) — with the dollars at risk. The free number above is the easy part; not getting reminded the week it's due is how subs lose six-figure liens.
How the Texas clock works
- Monthly notice of unpaid balance (3rd month, 15th) — For each month you went unpaid, a subcontractor must send the required notice by the 15th day of the 3rd month after the month the labor/material was furnished. (Pre-2022 projects use the older two-notice 2nd/3rd-month rule.) [Tex. Prop. Code § 53.056 (as amended eff. 2022-01-01)]
- Lien affidavit filing deadline (15th of 4th month) — A subcontractor must file the lien affidavit by the 15th day of the 4th calendar month after the month in which the work was completed, terminated, or abandoned. (General contractors on residential: 15th of the 3rd month.) [Tex. Prop. Code § 53.052(a)]
- Lawsuit to foreclose the lien — Suit to foreclose must be brought within 1 year (residential) or 2 years (commercial) of the last day a lien claimant could file the affidavit, or within 1 year after completion — confirm which applies. [Tex. Prop. Code § 53.158]
This is an informational deadline tool, not legal advice and not a law firm. Mechanics-lien deadlines turn on facts (exact trigger date, project type, public vs private, owner-occupied status, notices recorded by others) that can shift these dates. Confirm your dates with a licensed construction attorney in your state before relying on them. We compute the statutory window from the dates you enter; we do not verify your facts.
Targets: "texas mechanics lien deadline", "texas preliminary notice deadline", "how long to file a lien texas", "did I miss my lien deadline texas". Other states: CA · TX · FL.