CO · Construction payment counsel
Colorado Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Colorado mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Colorado local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Colorado projects
Colorado does not require a preliminary notice as such, but it does require a Notice of Intent to be served on the owner at least 10 days before the lien statement is recorded, effectively functioning as a mandatory pre-filing step under C.R.S. § 38-22-109(3).
A Colorado lien statement must be recorded within four months after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials under C.R.S. § 38-22-109, and laborers benefit from a somewhat different two-month window under subsection (5). Before recording, the claimant must also serve a Notice of Intent at least 10 days ahead of filing under C.R.S. § 38-22-109(3). We verify lien rights under C.R.S. § 38-22-109 before anything is recorded.
An action to enforce the lien must be commenced within six months after the last furnishing of labor or materials on the project as a whole, per C.R.S. § 38-22-110, and missing that window extinguishes the lien. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Colorado public projects, claimants should file a verified statement of claim, sometimes called a lien on contract funds, with the public entity before it makes final settlement or final payment. A separate written notice of bond claim within 90 days of last furnishing is also recommended, and public entities are required to publish notice of final settlement, which claimants should monitor closely.
Know your Colorado deadlines first
Colorado mechanics lien practice runs under C.R.S. § 38-22-109 for private work and C.R.S. §§ 38-26-105 & 38-26-107 for public projects. The state's 10-day pre-filing notice and four-month recording window both key off last furnishing, so tracking dates from day one matters.
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 Colorado lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Colorado matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Colorado 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.
Colorado mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Colorado attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Colorado, 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 Colorado mechanics lien deadlines?
A Colorado lien statement must be recorded within four months after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials under C.R.S. § 38-22-109, and laborers benefit from a somewhat different two-month window under subsection (5). Before recording, the claimant must also serve a Notice of Intent at least 10 days ahead of filing under C.R.S. § 38-22-109(3). Colorado does not require a preliminary notice as such, but it does require a Notice of Intent to be served on the owner at least 10 days before the lien statement is recorded, effectively functioning as a mandatory pre-filing step under C.R.S. § 38-22-109(3). Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Colorado mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Colorado public project?
Yes. On Colorado public projects, claimants should file a verified statement of claim, sometimes called a lien on contract funds, with the public entity before it makes final settlement or final payment. A separate written notice of bond claim within 90 days of last furnishing is also recommended, and public entities are required to publish notice of final settlement, which claimants should monitor closely. The controlling statute is C.R.S. §§ 38-26-105 & 38-26-107.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Colorado?
Within four months after last furnishing labor or materials, though laborers have a shorter two-month window, and a Notice of Intent must be served at least 10 days before recording.
Is preliminary notice required in Colorado?
Not in the traditional sense, but a Notice of Intent must be served on the owner at least 10 days before the lien is recorded.
Unpaid on a Colorado project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Colorado 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).