MI · Construction payment counsel
Michigan Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Michigan mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Michigan local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Michigan projects
Subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the designee named in the project's Notice of Commencement within 20 days of first furnishing. Missing this step does not bar the lien outright, but it does limit recovery to amounts furnished within the 20 days before the notice is actually served.
A Michigan claim of lien must be recorded within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials to the project. The clock runs from that last date on site, not from contract completion or payment. Once recorded, the claimant must also serve a copy of the lien on the owner within 15 days. We verify lien rights under MCL § 570.1111 before anything is recorded.
Enforcement suit must be filed within 1 year after the date the claim of lien was recorded, or the lien is extinguished by operation of law. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Michigan public projects, claimants without a direct contract with the general contractor must give written notice of claim within 90 days of last furnishing labor or materials. First-tier claimants working directly for the GC are not strictly required to serve this notice, but doing so anyway is the safer course.
Know your Michigan deadlines first
Michigan mechanics lien and bond claim deadlines under MCL § 570.1111 (private) and MCL § 129.207 (public), explained by My Lien Lawyer. Deadlines run from first and last furnishing, so both dates need careful tracking from the outset of work.
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 Michigan lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Michigan matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Michigan 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.
Michigan mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Michigan attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Michigan, 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 Michigan mechanics lien deadlines?
A Michigan claim of lien must be recorded within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials to the project. The clock runs from that last date on site, not from contract completion or payment. Once recorded, the claimant must also serve a copy of the lien on the owner within 15 days. Subcontractors, suppliers, and laborers without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the designee named in the project's Notice of Commencement within 20 days of first furnishing. Missing this step does not bar the lien outright, but it does limit recovery to amounts furnished within the 20 days before the notice is actually served. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Michigan mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Michigan public project?
Yes. On Michigan public projects, claimants without a direct contract with the general contractor must give written notice of claim within 90 days of last furnishing labor or materials. First-tier claimants working directly for the GC are not strictly required to serve this notice, but doing so anyway is the safer course. The controlling statute is MCL § 129.207.
When does a mechanics lien need to be recorded in Michigan?
The claim of lien must be recorded with the register of deeds in the county where the property sits within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials, under MCL § 570.1111.
Does Michigan require a preliminary notice before filing a lien?
Yes. Anyone without a direct contract with the owner must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the Notice of Commencement designee within 20 days of first furnishing to fully protect their lien rights for that work.
Unpaid on a Michigan project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Michigan 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).