Mechanics Lien Filing Package — Oklahoma

Mechanics Lien Filing Package (OKLAHOMA)

Quick-Reference Summary

Part A — Pre-Lien Notice

PRE-LIEN NOTICE (42 O.S. § 142.6)

Pursuant to Title 42, Oklahoma Statutes § 142.6

CRITICAL: Pursuant to 42 O.S. § 142.6, this notice must be sent prior to the filing of a lien statement and no later than seventy-five (75) days after the last date of supply of material, services, labor, or equipment. No lien affecting property occupied as a dwelling by an owner is valid unless this pre-lien notice was sent within seventy-five (75) days of the last furnishing.

TO (Original Contractor):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[______________________], OK [_______]

TO (Owner of property):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[______________________], OK [_______]

Date of mailing (certified mail, return receipt requested): [__/__/____]

1. Claimant

2. Description of Property

• Street address: [________________________________]
• County: [________________________________]
• Legal description (or sufficient legal description for identification):

[____________________________________________________________]

3. Description of Materials, Services, Labor, or Equipment Furnished

[____________________________________________________________]

4. Last Date of Supply / Furnishing

[__/__/____]

5. Amount Claimed

$[____________]

6. Person to Whom Claimant Furnished

• Name: [________________________________]
• Address: [________________________________]

Required content check: identify this as a pre-lien notice; include claimant contact information, date and description of supply, requester name and last-known address, property address/legal description/location, dollar amount furnished or to be furnished, and claimant/representative signature.

Signature of Claimant or Authorized Agent: ______________________________
Print name / title: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

DELIVERY PROOF: A rebuttable presumption arises from hand delivery with confirmation, an automated transaction under 12A O.S. § 15-115, or certified mail with return receipt requested. Certified-mail notice is effective when mailed.

Part B — Claim of Mechanics Lien

MECHANIC'S AND MATERIALMAN'S LIEN STATEMENT

Filed pursuant to 42 O.S. §§ 142 / 143
State of Oklahoma, County of [________________________________]

The undersigned, being first duly sworn, deposes and states as follows:

1. Claimant Information

• Name: [________________________________]
• Address: [________________________________]
• Phone: [________________________________]
• Capacity (check one):
  ☐ Original Contractor — filing under 42 O.S. § 142 (4-month deadline)
  ☐ Subcontractor — filing under 42 O.S. § 143 (90-day deadline)
  ☐ Materialman / Supplier — filing under 42 O.S. § 143

2. Owner of Property

• Name: [________________________________]
• Address: [________________________________]

3. Person With Whom Claimant Contracted (if not the owner)

• Name: [________________________________]
• Address: [________________________________]

4. Description of Property

• Street address: [________________________________]
• County: [________________________________]
• Legal description:

[____________________________________________________________]
[____________________________________________________________]

5. Statement of Claim

• Description of labor and/or materials furnished:

[____________________________________________________________]

• Date first furnished: [__/__/____]
• Date last furnished: [__/__/____]
• Total amount of contract: $[____________]
• Amounts paid: $[____________]
• Credits / offsets: $[____________]
• Amount due and unpaid (lien amount): $[____________]

6. Pre-Lien Notice Compliance (42 O.S. § 142.6)

☐ Pre-Lien Notice was sent to the owner and original contractor by certified mail, return receipt requested, on [__/__/____], which is within 75 days of the last date of supply. Proof of mailing attached.
☐ Not applicable — claimant is the original contractor with a direct contract with the owner.

7. Verification (42 O.S. §§ 142 / 143)

I, [________________________________], on oath state that I am the claimant or an authorized agent of the claimant; that I have read the foregoing lien statement; that the statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge; and that the amount claimed is justly due and owing.

Signed: ______________________________
Print name / title: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

STATE OF OKLAHOMA )
) ss.
COUNTY OF [________________] )

Subscribed and sworn to before me by [________________________________] this [____] day of [____________], 20[____].

Notary Public — State of Oklahoma: ______________________________
My commission expires: [__/__/____]
Notary commission no.: [________________________________]

RECORDING: File the original verified statement with the County Clerk of the county where the property is located.
— Original contractor: within 4 months after last labor or materials (42 O.S. § 142).
— Subcontractor / materialman: within 90 days after last labor or materials (42 O.S. § 143).

Part C — Notice of Filing Lien Claim to Owner

NOTICE OF FILING LIEN STATEMENT TO OWNER (42 O.S. §§ 143.1, 144)

Service deadline: Within one (1) business day after filing the lien statement with the County Clerk (42 O.S. § 143.1).

Date: [__/__/____]

To (Owner of record):
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[______________________], OK [_______]

RE: Mechanic's Lien Statement filed against your property

You are hereby notified that on [__/__/____], the undersigned filed a Mechanic's and Materialman's Lien Statement in the Office of the County Clerk of [______________] County, Oklahoma, as Instrument / Document No. [______________], against the real property commonly described as:

[____________________________________________________________]

Amount claimed: $[____________]
Claimant: [________________________________]
Claimant address: [________________________________]
Claimant phone: [________________________________]

A true and correct copy of the filed lien statement is enclosed.

METHOD OF SERVICE: Certified mail, return receipt requested (or as otherwise provided in 42 O.S. § 144).

Signature of Claimant or Authorized Agent: ______________________________

NOTE: 42 O.S. § 143.1 requires that, on the same day or within one business day after filing the lien statement, the claimant mail to the owner of the subject property a notice and a copy of the lien statement by certified mail, return receipt requested. Failure to do so may render the lien unenforceable.

Part D — Suit to Foreclose

PETITION TO FORECLOSE MECHANIC'S AND MATERIALMAN'S LIEN

Filed pursuant to 42 O.S. § 172
Filing deadline: Within one (1) year after the lien statement is filed with the County Clerk.

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF [______________] COUNTY, STATE OF OKLAHOMA

Case No.: CJ-[__-_______]
Judge: [______________]

PETITION TO FORECLOSE MECHANIC'S AND MATERIALMAN'S LIEN, FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, AND FOR ATTORNEY FEES

COMES NOW Plaintiff [CLAIMANT NAME] and for its cause of action against Defendants alleges and states:

PARTIES, JURISDICTION, AND VENUE

1. Plaintiff is a [entity type] doing business in Oklahoma.

2. Defendant [OWNER NAME] is the record owner of the property at issue.

3. Defendant [CONTRACTING PARTY] is the party with whom Plaintiff contracted.

4. Defendant [MORTGAGEE] is a lienholder of record on the Property.

5. This Court has subject-matter jurisdiction under Okla. Const. art. VII, § 7(a), and venue is proper in [______________] County under 12 O.S. § 131 because this action seeks enforcement or sale of real property under a lien and the property is located in this county.

FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS

6. The property (the "Property") is located at [________________________________], [______________] County, Oklahoma, and is more particularly described as:

[____________________________________________________________]

7. Beginning on [__/__/____], Plaintiff furnished labor and/or materials for the improvement of the Property at the request of [CONTRACTING PARTY].

8. Plaintiff last furnished labor and/or materials on [__/__/____].

9. The reasonable value of the labor and/or materials is $[____________]; Plaintiff has been paid $[____________]; and the unpaid balance is $[____________].

10. ☐ Plaintiff is the original contractor and was not required to send a pre-lien notice under 42 O.S. § 142.6.
    ☐ Plaintiff timely sent the pre-lien notice required by 42 O.S. § 142.6 by certified mail, return receipt requested, on [__/__/____], which is within 75 days of last furnishing.

11. Plaintiff timely filed a verified Mechanic's Lien Statement in the Office of the County Clerk of [______________] County on [__/__/____], as Instrument No. [______________], in compliance with 42 O.S. § 142 / § 143.

12. Plaintiff timely mailed a copy of the lien statement and notice of filing to the owner on [__/__/____], in compliance with 42 O.S. § 143.1.

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION — Foreclosure of Mechanic's and Materialman's Lien (42 O.S. § 172)

13. Plaintiff incorporates the preceding paragraphs.

14. Plaintiff holds a valid mechanic's and materialman's lien on the Property securing the unpaid balance of $[____________].

15. Plaintiff is entitled to foreclose the lien, have the Property sold under decree of this Court, and have the proceeds applied to satisfaction of the lien.

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION — Breach of Contract

16. Plaintiff incorporates the preceding paragraphs.

17. Defendant [CONTRACTING PARTY] breached the parties' contract by failing to pay. Plaintiff has been damaged in the amount of $[____________], plus interest at the statutory rate of 15 O.S. § 266 / contract rate, prejudgment interest, and costs.

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION — Quantum Meruit (Alternative)

18. Plaintiff incorporates the preceding paragraphs.

19. The reasonable value of Plaintiff's work is $[____________]. Defendants accepted the benefit and refusal to pay would be inequitable.

PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff prays for judgment:

a. Adjudging that Plaintiff has a valid mechanic's and materialman's lien upon the Property in the amount of $[____________], with interest from [__/__/____];

b. Foreclosing the lien and ordering sale of the Property under 12 O.S. § 686;

c. Awarding Plaintiff its costs and reasonable attorney fees pursuant to 42 O.S. § 176;

d. Granting such other and further relief as the Court deems just and equitable.

DATED this [____] day of [____________], 20[____].

[________________________________]
OBA No. [______________]
Attorney for Plaintiff

VERIFICATION

I, [________________________________], being first duly sworn, depose and state under oath that I am the [title] of Plaintiff, that I am authorized to make this verification, and that the factual allegations of the foregoing Petition are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

Signed: ______________________________ Date: [__/__/____]

Subscribed and sworn before me this [____] day of [____________], 20[____].

Notary Public — State of Oklahoma: ______________________________

Part E — Pre-Filing Checklist

☐ Determine claimant's status: original contractor (4-month deadline; not a § 142.6 “claimant”) vs. subcontractor/materialman (90-day deadline; analyze § 142.6).
☐ Analyze owner occupancy, 1–4 unit non-owner-occupied residential exception, aggregate claim threshold (less than $10,000), and retainage/one-notice rules.
☐ If required, send § 142.6 Pre-Lien Notice before lien filing and within 75 days after last supply by a method supporting the statutory presumption; retain proof.
☐ Identify and verify owner of record, legal description, parcel number, and senior encumbrances via title search.
☐ Calendar lien statement filing deadline: 4 months (original contractor — § 142) or 90 days (subcontractor — § 143) after last labor/materials.
☐ Prepare verified Lien Statement including: claimant identity, owner identity, contracting party, property description, dates, amounts, and signed/sworn verification.
☐ Notarize the Lien Statement.
☐ File the original Lien Statement with the County Clerk where the property lies.
☐ Within one (1) business day after filing, mail a copy of the filed Lien Statement and notice to the owner by certified mail, return receipt requested (§ 143.1).
☐ Calendar one-year foreclosure deadline measured from filing of the Lien Statement (42 O.S. § 172).
☐ Confirm no statutory bond has been substituted to discharge the lien.
☐ Document the lienable scope; remove non-lienable items.
☐ Confirm claimant's contractor registration / licensing (where applicable to trade) is in good standing.
☐ Evaluate exposure for wrongful filing under Oklahoma slander-of-title or bad-faith standards before recording.

Sources and References

• 42 O.S. § 141 (Lien for labor, materials) — https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-42/section-42-141/
• 42 O.S. § 142 (Original contractor's lien) — https://govt.westlaw.com/okjc/Document/N79D7AFF0C76E11DB8F04FB3E68C8F4C5
• 42 O.S. § 142.6 (Pre-lien notice) — https://govt.westlaw.com/okjc/Document/NB40997718E0A11F0A26CEF304F15790C
• 42 O.S. § 143 (Subcontractor's lien) — https://govt.westlaw.com/okjc/Document/N7BB5E5D0C76E11DB8F04FB3E68C8F4C5
• 42 O.S. § 143.1 (Notice to owner of filing) — https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-42/section-42-143-1/
• 42 O.S. § 144 (Notice of lien claim) — https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-42/section-42-144/
• 42 O.S. § 172 (Foreclosure / limitations) — https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-42/section-42-172/
• 42 O.S. § 176 (Attorney fees) — https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-42/section-42-176/
• Oklahoma Bar Journal, "To Lien or Not To Lien" (June 2024) — https://www.okbar.org/barjournal/june-2024/to-lien-or-not-to-lien/
• Oklahoma Senate codified statutes (Title 42) — https://oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/os42.pdf