DE · Construction payment counsel
Delaware Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Delaware mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Delaware local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Delaware projects
Delaware does not require a preliminary notice on private projects. Lien rights are instead governed directly by the recording deadlines, meaning claimants who wait too long simply lose the ability to file, without any earlier notice step to soften that outcome.
Sub-tier claimants in Delaware must record their lien within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials under 25 Del. C. § 2711, while claimants who contracted directly with the owner have a longer 180-day window measured from completion. We verify lien rights under 25 Del. C. § 2711 before anything is recorded.
Delaware's statute ties enforcement to the same 120-day period applicable to recording, so claimants should treat the recording and enforcement timelines as effectively running together and confirm the applicable deadline for their specific tier. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Delaware public projects, sending a bond claim notice within 90 days of last furnishing is recommended as best practice under the state's public works payment bond framework, even though it functions more as a protective step than a rigid statutory mandate spelled out with the same specificity as the private lien deadlines.
Know your Delaware deadlines first
Delaware mechanics lien deadlines are set by 25 Del. C. § 2711 for private work and 29 Del. C. § 6962 for public projects. With no preliminary notice requirement, the 120-day (or 180-day for direct-to-owner claimants) recording deadline is the critical date to track.
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 Delaware lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Delaware matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Delaware 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.
Delaware mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Delaware attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Delaware, 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 Delaware mechanics lien deadlines?
Sub-tier claimants in Delaware must record their lien within 120 days after last furnishing labor or materials under 25 Del. C. § 2711, while claimants who contracted directly with the owner have a longer 180-day window measured from completion. Delaware does not require a preliminary notice on private projects. Lien rights are instead governed directly by the recording deadlines, meaning claimants who wait too long simply lose the ability to file, without any earlier notice step to soften that outcome. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Delaware mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Delaware public project?
Yes. On Delaware public projects, sending a bond claim notice within 90 days of last furnishing is recommended as best practice under the state's public works payment bond framework, even though it functions more as a protective step than a rigid statutory mandate spelled out with the same specificity as the private lien deadlines. The controlling statute is 29 Del. C. § 6962.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Delaware?
Sub-tier claimants must record within 120 days of last furnishing, while direct-to-owner claimants have 180 days from completion.
Is preliminary notice required in Delaware?
No, Delaware does not require a preliminary notice on private projects, so the recording deadlines apply directly without an earlier notice step.
Unpaid on a Delaware project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Delaware 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).