TX · Construction payment counsel
Texas Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Texas mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Texas local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Texas projects
Subcontractors and suppliers must serve monthly notices to the owner and original contractor by the 15th day of each month for unpaid labor or materials, with strict timing that varies by tier (3rd-month notice for second-tier; 2nd-month for derivative claimants).
Commercial: file the lien affidavit by the 15th day of the 4th month after last furnishing. Residential: by the 15th day of the 3rd month. Original contractors: by the 15th day of the 4th month after the original contract is completed, terminated, or abandoned. We verify lien rights under Texas Property Code, Chapter 53 before anything is recorded.
Suit to foreclose must be filed within 1 year of the last day for filing the lien affidavit (commercial) or within the period required by an owner's demand (as short as 30 days). If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
Public-project claimants must file a McGregor Act bond claim within 90 days of last work and may need to file suit within 1 year.
Know your Texas deadlines first
Texas Chapter 53 lien law is notice-driven: subcontractors and suppliers must serve monthly 'Funds-Trapping' and 'Retainage' notices to preserve lien rights. Public projects fall under the McGregor Act (Government Code Chapter 2253).
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 Texas lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Texas matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Texas 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.
Texas mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Texas attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Texas, 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 Texas mechanics lien deadlines?
Commercial: file the lien affidavit by the 15th day of the 4th month after last furnishing. Residential: by the 15th day of the 3rd month. Original contractors: by the 15th day of the 4th month after the original contract is completed, terminated, or abandoned. Subcontractors and suppliers must serve monthly notices to the owner and original contractor by the 15th day of each month for unpaid labor or materials, with strict timing that varies by tier (3rd-month notice for second-tier; 2nd-month for derivative claimants). Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Texas mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Texas public project?
Yes. Public-project claimants must file a McGregor Act bond claim within 90 days of last work and may need to file suit within 1 year. The controlling statute is Texas Government Code, Chapter 2253 (McGregor Act).
When do I have to send notice to the owner in Texas?
Second-tier subcontractors and suppliers must serve owners and original contractors by the 15th day of the 3rd month after each month in which labor or material was furnished and unpaid. Derivative claimants must also send a 2nd-month notice to the original contractor.
How long do I have to file a Texas mechanics lien?
Commercial: by the 15th day of the 4th month after last furnishing. Residential: by the 15th day of the 3rd month. Original contractors have until the 15th day of the 4th month after contract completion.
Unpaid on a Texas project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Texas 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).