AR · Construction payment counsel
Arkansas Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Arkansas mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Arkansas local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Arkansas projects
Arkansas requires a 10-day Notice of Intent to Lien to be served on the owner before the lien itself is filed, making it a mandatory pre-filing step rather than an optional courtesy. Best practice also calls for a 75-day notice of intent from first furnishing for sub-tier claimants, even though that broader notice is recommended rather than strictly mandatory.
An Arkansas mechanics lien must be filed within 120 days of the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials under Ark. Code § 18-44-117. Before recording, the claimant must also serve a Notice of Intent to Lien on the owner at least 10 days before filing, meaning that notice effectively must go out about 10 days ahead of the 120-day cutoff. We verify lien rights under Ark. Code § 18-44-117 before anything is recorded.
Foreclosure of an Arkansas lien must be commenced within 15 months of the date the lien was recorded. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Arkansas public projects, a bond claim notice must be served on the appropriate party within 90 days of the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials.
Know your Arkansas deadlines first
Arkansas lien deadlines flow from Ark. Code § 18-44-117 for private work and Ark. Code § 22-9-403 for public projects. Both the 120-day filing window and the mandatory 10-day pre-filing notice make early date-tracking essential for Arkansas claimants.
A law firm, not a notice service
Filing bureaus and online lien tools mail documents on request. They cannot give you a legal opinion on whether you hold Arkansas lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Arkansas matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Arkansas lien and bond rights before filing
- Certified mailing with proof of service retained in your file
- Deadline calendaring with reminders ahead of every statutory cutoff
- Foreclosure suit and collections handled by the same firm
See why a law firm matters, side by side with a filing service.
Arkansas mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Arkansas attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Arkansas, fix a defective claim, or foreclose the lien if the money still does not come. My Lien Lawyer handles the analysis, the filing, and the enforcement as one engagement.
What are the key Arkansas mechanics lien deadlines?
An Arkansas mechanics lien must be filed within 120 days of the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials under Ark. Code § 18-44-117. Before recording, the claimant must also serve a Notice of Intent to Lien on the owner at least 10 days before filing, meaning that notice effectively must go out about 10 days ahead of the 120-day cutoff. Arkansas requires a 10-day Notice of Intent to Lien to be served on the owner before the lien itself is filed, making it a mandatory pre-filing step rather than an optional courtesy. Best practice also calls for a 75-day notice of intent from first furnishing for sub-tier claimants, even though that broader notice is recommended rather than strictly mandatory. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Arkansas mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Arkansas public project?
Yes. On Arkansas public projects, a bond claim notice must be served on the appropriate party within 90 days of the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials. The controlling statute is Ark. Code § 22-9-403.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Arkansas?
Within 120 days of last furnishing labor or materials, but only after serving a Notice of Intent to Lien on the owner at least 10 days beforehand.
Is preliminary notice required in Arkansas?
Yes, a 10-day Notice of Intent to Lien is mandatory before filing, and a 75-day notice of intent from first furnishing is recommended for sub-tier claimants.
Unpaid on a Arkansas project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Arkansas deadlines are still open and what it takes to protect the money. The first call is free.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fred Shestopal is licensed in Illinois (with nationwide network of licensed local counsel).