RI · Construction payment counsel
Rhode Island Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Rhode Island mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Rhode Island local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Rhode Island projects
Rhode Island does not require a preliminary notice from subcontractors, suppliers, or supplier-to-supplier tiers to preserve mechanics lien rights. This means the 200-day Notice of Intent and recording requirement described above functions as the state's primary procedural safeguard for claimants.
Within 200 days of last furnishing, a Rhode Island claimant must both serve a Notice of Intent on the owner and record the mechanics lien under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-28-4, 34-28-7. Both steps are mandatory and must occur inside the same 200-day window; neither one alone is sufficient. We verify lien rights under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-28-4, 34-28-7 before anything is recorded.
A foreclosure lawsuit must be filed within 40 days of the lien's recording. A Notice of Lis Pendens must be recorded in the land evidence records before the lawsuit is filed, and the lawsuit itself must follow within 7 days of that lis pendens recording. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
Rhode Island public works payment bond claims fall under the state's Little Miller Act framework, with a bond claim notice required within 90 days of last furnishing.
Know your Rhode Island deadlines first
Rhode Island mechanics liens require both a Notice of Intent and recording within 200 days of last furnishing under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-28-4, 34-28-7, with public bond claims under §§ 37-12-1 et seq. The tight 40-day foreclosure filing deadline that follows recording leaves little margin for delay.
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 Rhode Island lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Rhode Island matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Rhode Island 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.
Rhode Island mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Rhode Island attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island mechanics lien deadlines?
Within 200 days of last furnishing, a Rhode Island claimant must both serve a Notice of Intent on the owner and record the mechanics lien under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-28-4, 34-28-7. Both steps are mandatory and must occur inside the same 200-day window; neither one alone is sufficient. Rhode Island does not require a preliminary notice from subcontractors, suppliers, or supplier-to-supplier tiers to preserve mechanics lien rights. This means the 200-day Notice of Intent and recording requirement described above functions as the state's primary procedural safeguard for claimants. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Rhode Island mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Rhode Island public project?
Yes. Rhode Island public works payment bond claims fall under the state's Little Miller Act framework, with a bond claim notice required within 90 days of last furnishing. The controlling statute is R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 37-12-1 et seq..
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Rhode Island?
Within 200 days of last furnishing, the claimant must both serve a Notice of Intent on the owner and record the mechanics lien, and both steps are mandatory under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-28-4, 34-28-7.
Is preliminary notice required in Rhode Island?
No, Rhode Island does not require a preliminary notice for subcontractors, suppliers, or supplier-to-supplier tiers to preserve mechanics lien rights.
Unpaid on a Rhode Island project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Rhode Island 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).