OH · Construction payment counsel
Ohio Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Ohio mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Ohio local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Ohio projects
When a Notice of Commencement has been filed for the project, sub-tier claimants must serve a Notice of Furnishing on both the owner and the prime contractor within 21 days of first furnishing to protect lien rights for work performed before that notice is sent. If no Notice of Commencement was filed, this notice obligation does not apply at all.
An Ohio mechanics lien affidavit must be recorded within 75 days of last furnishing labor or materials on commercial property, as set by Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.06. This is a firm cutoff measured strictly from the claimant's own last day of work or delivery. We verify lien rights under Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.06 before anything is recorded.
A recorded Ohio lien remains valid for six years, during which the claimant must commence enforcement, unless the owner serves a Notice to Commence Suit, which compresses the deadline to just 60 days. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
On Ohio public improvements, a claimant must serve an itemized statement of claim on the prime contractor and surety within 90 days of last furnishing, and may additionally file a sworn affidavit with the public authority within 120 days of last furnishing labor or materials.
Know your Ohio deadlines first
Ohio mechanics liens must be recorded within 75 days of last furnishing under Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.06, and public bond claims follow § 1311.26. The interplay between the Notice of Commencement and the 21-day Notice of Furnishing makes early diligence essential for sub-tier 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 Ohio lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Ohio matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Ohio 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.
Ohio mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Ohio attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Ohio, 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 Ohio mechanics lien deadlines?
An Ohio mechanics lien affidavit must be recorded within 75 days of last furnishing labor or materials on commercial property, as set by Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.06. This is a firm cutoff measured strictly from the claimant's own last day of work or delivery. When a Notice of Commencement has been filed for the project, sub-tier claimants must serve a Notice of Furnishing on both the owner and the prime contractor within 21 days of first furnishing to protect lien rights for work performed before that notice is sent. If no Notice of Commencement was filed, this notice obligation does not apply at all. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Ohio mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Ohio public project?
Yes. On Ohio public improvements, a claimant must serve an itemized statement of claim on the prime contractor and surety within 90 days of last furnishing, and may additionally file a sworn affidavit with the public authority within 120 days of last furnishing labor or materials. The controlling statute is Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.26.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Ohio?
On commercial property, the lien affidavit must be recorded within 75 days of last furnishing labor or materials, under Ohio Rev. Code § 1311.06.
Is preliminary notice required in Ohio?
When a Notice of Commencement has been filed, sub-tier claimants must serve a Notice of Furnishing on the owner and prime contractor within 21 days of first furnishing to preserve rights for work performed before the notice.
Unpaid on a Ohio project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Ohio 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).