Mechanic's Lien Deadlines & Notice Requirements in Nevada
At a glance
| Governing law | Nev. Rev. Stat. Ch. 108 (Title 9), the mechanics' and materialmen's liens article (§§ 108.221-108.246), comprehensively revised 2003; generally excludes government-owned property from lien exposure except property the government uses for a private or nongovernmental purpose (§ 108.22148) |
|---|---|
| Who can claim a lien | Any 'lien claimant' furnishing $500 or more of work, material, or equipment for construction, alteration, or repair, expressly including artisans, builders, contractors, laborers, equipment lessors/renters, materialmen, miners, subcontractors, and design professionals (architects, engineers, land surveyors, geologists) (§ 108.2214); a contractor or professional required to be licensed has no lien at all if unlicensed (§ 108.222(2)) |
| Preliminary notice | Every claimant except laborers and anyone who contracted directly with (or sold materials directly to) the owner must deliver a 'Notice of Right to Lien' at some point after first furnishing (§ 108.245(1),(5)); giving none bars perfecting or enforcing a lien at all (§ 108.245(3)), and a late notice only protects work furnished from 31 days before the notice forward (§ 108.245(6)) |
| Deadline to file the lien | 90 days after the latest of: completion of the work of improvement, the claimant's last delivery of material/equipment, or the claimant's last performed work; or 40 days after a validly recorded AND served notice of completion, whichever applies (§ 108.226(1)) |
| Notice of completion effect | An owner may record a notice of completion once the work is done, cutting every remaining claimant's filing window to 40 days from that recording — but only if the owner also delivers a copy within 10 days to each prime contractor and to any claimant who already gave notice or requested one; skipping that delivery makes the notice of completion ineffective as to that claimant, who keeps the full 90-day rule instead (§ 108.228) |
| Serving the lien on the owner | A copy of the recorded notice of lien (separate from the earlier Notice of Right to Lien) must be served on the owner within 30 days after recording, by personal delivery, certified mail, or a posting-plus-mailing combination if the owner can't be located (§ 108.227(1)); the statute does not spell out a penalty for a claimant's own missed service the way it does for some other steps |
| Deadline to sue to foreclose | After a 30-day waiting period, commence suit within 6 months after recording or secure a signed extension recorded within that period; file a lis pendens and publish notice weekly for 3 weeks (§§ 108.244, 108.233(1), 108.239(2)). |
| Homestead/residential extras | Single-family and multifamily work, including apartment houses: nonlabor claimants must serve a 15-day notice of intent on the owner and reputed prime before recording; that notice extends filing by 15 days, and omission bars perfection (§ 108.226(6)-(7)). |
Requirements one by one
Governing law
The mechanics' lien provisions run from NRS § 108.221 through § 108.246. NRS § 108.22148(1)(f) expressly includes government-owned property used for a “private or nongovernmental use or purpose”; subsection (2)(d) otherwise excludes state and local government owners.
Who can claim
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 108.2214 defines a lien claimant as someone furnishing at least $500 in work, materials, or equipment and expressly includes contractors, laborers, equipment lessors, suppliers, and listed design professionals. Under § 108.222(2), a contractor or professional required to hold a license has lien rights only if licensed for the work.
Preliminary notice
Under § 108.245(1), most nonlabor claimants must deliver a Notice of Right to Lien after first furnishing. Subsection (5) exempts a person contracting with or selling materials directly to the owner. Subsection (3) bars perfection without notice, while subsection (6) protects work furnished in the 31 days before notice and later. NRS § 108.246(2) separately requires a prime contractor to give each participating subcontractor a copy of the statutory notice information.
Deadline to file the lien
Under § 108.226(1), record within 90 days after the latest of completion of the improvement, the claimant's last delivery of materials or equipment, or the claimant's last work. A valid owner notice of completion changes the filing period to 40 days after that notice is recorded.
Notice of completion effect
Under § 108.228(1), the owner may record a completion notice after work is complete. Subsection (4) requires the owner to mail it within ten days to each prime contractor and to claimants who requested it or gave preliminary notice. Under subsection (5), a missed delivery makes the notice ineffective for the person entitled to a copy.
Serving the lien on the owner
NRS § 108.227(1) requires serving a copy of the recorded lien on the owner within 30 days, personally or by certified mail. If the owner's addresses cannot be found, § 108.227(1)(c) provides a posting, delivery, and mailing route. The statute does not state a general forfeiture penalty for a claimant's missed service.
Deadline to sue to foreclose
The lien binds property for six months after recording under § 108.233(1), unless proceedings begin or the claimant and an interested person sign an extension recorded within that period. NRS § 108.244 bars a foreclosure complaint during the first 30 days. When suit begins, § 108.239(2) requires a recorded notice of pendency and publication once a week for three successive weeks.
Homestead/residential extras
For single-family or multifamily construction, § 108.226(6)-(7) requires nonlabor claimants to serve a 15-day Notice of Intent to Lien on the owner and reputed prime contractor before recording. It extends the filing period by 15 days and is a condition of perfection; nonresidential projects are excluded.
What trips people up
A residential claimant can face two different notices before recording: the Notice of Right to Lien under § 108.245 and the residential Notice of Intent to Lien under § 108.226(6). Sending one does not satisfy the other requirement.
Common questions
Does the recorded lien need a sworn statement? Yes. NRS § 108.226(3) requires verification by the claimant's or another person's oath, but does not require an acknowledgment for recording.
Does missing one co-owner void service on everyone? No. NRS § 108.227(2) says proper service on another owner keeps the notice of lien valid despite failure to serve a particular co-owner.
Statutes and sources
The quoted provisions of Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 108 link to the current official chapter page, accessed October 6, 2026.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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