VA · Construction payment counsel
Virginia Mechanics Lien Attorney
Fred Shestopal and the My Lien Lawyer team prepare, serve, and enforce Virginia mechanics liens, preliminary notices, and public-project bond claims for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers — directly or with vetted Virginia local counsel where the state requires it.
What we handle on Virginia projects
Virginia subcontractors and suppliers should serve a Notice to Owner within 90 days of first furnishing labor or materials. Doing so converts the lien claim into personal liability of the owner up to whatever remained unpaid at the time notice was given, so skipping it leaves that additional remedy on the table.
A Virginia Memorandum of Lien must be recorded within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials, under Va. Code § 43-4. Importantly, the lien cannot include amounts for work performed more than 150 days before that last furnishing date, so long-running projects require careful tracking of the recoverable window. We verify lien rights under Va. Code § 43-4 before anything is recorded.
Suit to enforce a Virginia mechanics lien must be filed within 6 months of recording the memorandum, or within 60 days of the building's completion or the work otherwise terminating, whichever date is later. If payment still does not arrive, we take the claim into court rather than handing you a file.
A Virginia public-project claimant not in direct privity with the prime contractor must give the prime written notice within 90 days from the date the claimant last performed labor or furnished materials. This notice requirement mirrors the private-project notice deadline and should not be overlooked on public jobs.
Know your Virginia deadlines first
This guide covers Virginia mechanics lien and public bond claim deadlines under Va. Code § 43-4 and Va. Code § 2.2-4341. With a 90-day recording window and a 150-day look-back limit on recoverable amounts, tracking furnishing dates closely throughout the project is essential.
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 Virginia lien rights, cure a defective claim, respond when an owner demands suit, or appear in court. Every Virginia matter here is handled under an attorney-client relationship.
- Written analysis of your Virginia 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.
Virginia mechanics lien questions
Do I need a Virginia attorney to file a mechanics lien?
A filing service can mail documents, but it cannot tell you whether you actually hold lien rights in Virginia, 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 Virginia mechanics lien deadlines?
A Virginia Memorandum of Lien must be recorded within 90 days after the claimant's last furnishing of labor or materials, under Va. Code § 43-4. Importantly, the lien cannot include amounts for work performed more than 150 days before that last furnishing date, so long-running projects require careful tracking of the recoverable window. Virginia subcontractors and suppliers should serve a Notice to Owner within 90 days of first furnishing labor or materials. Doing so converts the lien claim into personal liability of the owner up to whatever remained unpaid at the time notice was given, so skipping it leaves that additional remedy on the table. Full detail, with statute citations, is on our Virginia mechanics lien law page.
Can you help on a Virginia public project?
Yes. A Virginia public-project claimant not in direct privity with the prime contractor must give the prime written notice within 90 days from the date the claimant last performed labor or furnished materials. This notice requirement mirrors the private-project notice deadline and should not be overlooked on public jobs. The controlling statute is Va. Code § 2.2-4341.
When must a mechanics lien be recorded in Virginia?
The Memorandum of Lien must be filed within 90 days of last furnishing, and it cannot include amounts for work performed more than 150 days before that last furnishing date.
Is preliminary notice required in Virginia?
Subcontractors and suppliers should serve a Notice to Owner within 90 days of first furnishing to convert lien rights into personal owner liability for amounts unpaid at that time.
Unpaid on a Virginia project?
Send us the contract, the last invoice, and your furnishing dates. We will tell you what Virginia 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).