GA · Construction payment counsel
Georgia Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Georgia mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Georgia local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Georgia projects
When the owner has filed a Notice of Commencement, subcontractors and suppliers not in direct contract with the prime contractor must serve a Notice to Contractor on both the owner and prime contractor within 30 days of first furnishing labor or materials to preserve lien rights. This notice requirement is triggered only when a Notice of Commencement has actually been filed.
A Georgia claim of lien must be filed in the superior court of the county where the property is located within 90 days after the claimant ceased furnishing labor, services, or materials, under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(2). A copy of the filed lien must also be served on the owner within two business days of filing. We verify lien rights under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(2) before anything is recorded.
An action to enforce the claim of lien must be commenced within 365 days from the date the lien was filed for record, and a Notice of Lien Action (lis pendens) must be recorded with the clerk of superior court within 30 days of filing suit. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Georgia public projects, a claimant without direct privity with the prime contractor must give written notice of its bond claim to the prime contractor and surety within 90 days from the date the claimant last furnished labor or materials, generally sent by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery.
Know your Georgia deadlines first
Georgia lien deadlines are governed by O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(2) for private work and § 36-91-92 for public projects. The 90-day filing deadline, conditional 30-day Notice to Contractor, and one-year enforcement period each key off different trigger dates.
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 Georgia lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Georgia matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Georgia 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.
Georgia mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Georgia attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Georgia, 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 Georgia mechanics lien deadlines?
A Georgia claim of lien must be filed in the superior court of the county where the property is located within 90 days after the claimant ceased furnishing labor, services, or materials, under O.C.G.A. § 44-14-361.1(a)(2). A copy of the filed lien must also be served on the owner within two business days of filing. When the owner has filed a Notice of Commencement, subcontractors and suppliers not in direct contract with the prime contractor must serve a Notice to Contractor on both the owner and prime contractor within 30 days of first furnishing labor or materials to preserve lien rights. This notice requirement is triggered only when a Notice of Commencement has actually been filed. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Georgia mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Georgia public project?
Yes. On Georgia public projects, a claimant without direct privity with the prime contractor must give written notice of its bond claim to the prime contractor and surety within 90 days from the date the claimant last furnished labor or materials, generally sent by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery. The controlling statute is O.C.G.A. § 36-91-92.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Georgia?
Within 90 days after the claimant ceased furnishing labor, services, or materials, filed in the superior court of the county where the property sits.
Is preliminary notice required in Georgia?
Only when the owner has filed a Notice of Commencement, in which case subcontractors and suppliers not in direct contract with the prime must send a Notice to Contractor within 30 days of first furnishing.
Unpaid on a Georgia project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Georgia 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).